Act 1, Part 2: Blood and Blades

[Kavonde]

One by one, our heroes are escorted to their accommodations. Unfortunately, rooms seem to have been assigned on a "first come, first served" basis, and Thomas, Millanius, Verne, and Lerris (along with Shardik, Stitches, and Aethelflaed) all find themselves packed into a single room on the first floor stuffed with a quartet beds for visiting adventurers. Across the hall, Antonia has managed to acquire a room entirely to herself; apparently this gathering lacked sufficient female representation to land her with roomates. Outside, distant thunder rumbles quietly as a thick torrent of rain beats down on the manor's roof. The sound is just barely audible here on the first floor, with the shutters closed tight to keep out the cold, damp wind.

 

Hours pass. Somewhere, a clock strikes midnight, then one, then two. Upstairs on the second floor, asleep in a chamber set aside for just him and his odd servant, Niviq'zis, Judge Zakon Malheur awakens to deal with a very urgent matter. To his surprise and dismay, however, he finds that his room has not been equipped with a chamber pot. Making a note to bring this breach of hospitality up with Lady Aldori in the morning, the judge beckons Niviq'zis to follow him, lights the oil lamp his room has been provided with, and sets out in search of a privy.

 

His search brings him downstairs, to the first floor, and a small water closet. It isn't much, but it will have to do. The judge sets about his grim business.

 

He has nearly completed it when someone outside shouts in surprise and is then cut off with a wet gurgle.

 

The cry is sharp and loud enough to cut through the quiet pounding of the storm outside. Thomas, Millanius, Verne, Lerris, and Antonia all bolt awake.

 

The sound came from the hallway outside your rooms. What do you do?

 

 

 

 

Edited January 10, 2023 by Kavonde (see edit history)

[Kistler]

Millanius the Arcane - Human Thaumaturge 1 HP: 17/17 | AC: 18 16 | Perception: +5 Fort: +6 | Ref: +6 | Will: +5  | Conditions: Stupefied 1, Clumsy 1 ResourcesCharacter: -Hero Points: 1/3 -Focus Points: 0/0 Items: - | Spells/ScrollsScrolls: - Cantrips:  - Level 1: - | Skills*Acrobatics: +6 *Arcana: +3 Athletics: +1 Crafting: +0 *Deception: +8 *Diplomacy20: +8 *Esoteric Lore: +7 Intimidate: +5 Medicine: +0 *Nature: +3 *Occultism: +3 *Performance: +7 *Politics Lore: +3 *Religion: +3 Society: +0 *Stealth: +6 Survival: +0 *Thievery: +6 *Trained   Consumables: None   Effects: None

---

A strange sounds rouses Millanius and he pops his head up, mumbling, "Not now, Stitches." more out of habit than anything else. Hearing nothing else, Millanius' head drifts down toward the pillow, dreaming of sleep. But the monkey does seem agitated, and starts pulling on his arm. The magician half-heartedly pulls away, though he reaches with his other hand to touch the cane propped against the bed.

 

But I'm in a noble's estate in a room full of companions. What could go wrong? They seem the decent sort of companions, not like that Tartuccio, or that dark judge with the slave. That Amiri seemed dangerous. His face cracks a small sleepy smile. But she also seemed fun. I bet that would be an act for the ages, have her as an assistant, or a partner, with all that personality. He thinks sleepily, nodding off once more.

 

Then the monkey shakes him more forcefully, and makes a small fearful noise. Millanius' eyes crack open again and he notices the others in the dark room starting to sit up in their own beds. Cautious, he does the same, putting his bare feet on the floor and heaving himself upright, though it sets the room spinning again as he stands there in his nightshirt.

 

He hears the silence and gives the monkey a look. "You think there's something in the hall?" He asks doubtfully. "Had to answer nature's call anyway, might as well...." He mutters, taking his cane and stepping toward the door. 

 

---

OOC/Actions Other: Giving others a chance to move here before I actually do the thing. No armor on, no implement in hand. Action 1:  Action 2:  Action 3:  Reaction: Recognize Spell Free:

Familiar/Other Modifiers Stitches the Monkey | 5/5HP | AC18 Per: +5/Fort: +6/Ref: +6/Will: +5 -Low-light Vision -Manual Dexterity -Valet -25' Land Speed   Effects: -15' Aura, Circ bonus to Dip/Int/Dec & +1 v. Fear -Success v Mental is crit success -+2 Damage from empowerment -Activate any Scroll

Gear Worn -Clothing (Winter) -Studded Leather Armor -Backpack -Belt Pouch -Thieves' Tools   Weapons -Sword Cane -Dagger -5x Darts -Scepter (Regalia)   Containers Masterwork Backpack -Bedroll -Lantern, hooded -Rations (1 week) -Rope (50') -5x Sacks -5x Torches -Waterskin   Bandolier -3x Flasks Oil -Manacles (poor) -5x Sacks   Belt/Pouch -10x Chalk -Flint and Steel -Playing Cards -Thieves' Tools -Soap -2x Candles -3sp, 7cp

 

[BlackHat]

Zakon Malheur HP: 14/14 | AC: 13 | Perception: +6 Fort: +3 | Ref: +3 | Will: +6 Hero Points: O | Focus Points: O

Zakon had nearly completed his grim business. 'Nearly' wasn't remotely good enough for someone like Zakon. These things required time to be done properly and Zakon had been interrupted. He did reach over and dim the lamp, however. Whoever was in the halls silencing startled screams might see the light under the door and realize someone was awake at this ungodly hour to bear witness. Reaching into his robes, he pulls Niviq'zis - who no longer possessed a human form - and set her upon the floor. "Go. investigate," he whispered and then gestured towards the crack beneath the wooden door. Niviq'zis could not share her senses or thoughts, and her human voice had been lost at midnight, but perhaps she could see who was skulking about before they vanished into the night.

 

Zakon would be a moment. 

[PlotDevice]

Verne Greencloak | HP: 16/16 | AC: 15 | Fort: +3  Ref: +4  Will: +9 | Hero Points: 1/1

---

Shardik | HP: 16/16 | AC: 15 | Fort: +5  Ref: +5  Will: +4

 

Verne was happy to allow the servant to lead him to a room, and seems unfazed at having to share it with the others.  Too drunk to get in the bed properly, he collapses on top of it, falling asleep instantly, while Shardik wanders the room, sniffing at everyone and everything, before he finally crawls up onto the bed with Verne, and falls asleep on top of him.

 

At the sound of the scream, Shardik's head rises up, looking questioningly at the door, before he clambers down off of the bed, to stand at the closed door, sniffing, ears perked up.  Verne wakes up too, though whether from the scream or the loss of his furry blanket is anyone's guess.  He stands up, wobbling unsteadily for a moment, before he moves closer to the door, looking around to see if anyone else is awake.  Seeing that the others are moving, he dismissed the thought that it might have been a dream, and thinking about the noise he heard, his first impulse is that someone out there might be bleeding to death, and he should be quick.

 

So he speaks a word, and grabbing a pillow, causes it to suddenly glow.  Then, without further ado, he opens the door, and tosses the glowing pillow out into the dark hallway.

Edited January 12, 2023 by PlotDevice (see edit history)

[Spektor]

Antonia Rullianus

---

 

AC: 17 | HP: 19/19 | Per: +5 | Fort: +4 | Ref: +8 | Will: +5 | Hero: 1/1 | Languages: Common, Dwarven, Elven

---

Anotnia had been surprised to find that she had a room all to herself. Even if the female representation of heroes had been lacking at the party, she figured that, at the very least, she would be stuck with the talkative Lenzi or the bulky Amiri. But thankfully, she was alone and took the chance to doff the mask a bit and enjoy her evening without having to put on a showy display of character. With no one around to witness, she could be her real self in this room...

 

Her 'real self' turned out to be less glorious than one might have imagined. The view just before the scream sounded is of Antonia's sleeping form lying upside down on the bed, with her bare feet propped up on the pillow and both her arm and head hanging off the side. In the hand on the hanging arm she loosely held a mostly-empty bottle of wine she had nabbed from the main chamber before finding her room – Although, it had been full when she originally grabbed it. A long trail of drool dripped from the side of her mouth, down her cheek, and onto the floorboard below and the silence was interrupted by a steady, soft snoring.

 

Suddenly, a scream followed by a wet gurgle alerted a deep, subconscious sense within her. Even in her unconscious state, alarm bells rang in her mind, carrying over into her dreams and causing her to question her reality. The wannabe-duelist jolted awake and, with surprising deftness, grabbed the hilt of her rapier and drew it with amazing speed. Unfortunately, she tried to stand in the same motion to be instantly ready for battle and hardly managed to stay on her feet. With a resounding thud, the half-asleep woman's momentum took her to the ground in an awkward fall that sent both her blade and her legs sprawling into the air. She quickly gathered her wits and her balance and stood up while her eyes subconsciously looked around to see if anyone had noticed. They hadn't, of course, because she was alone. Antonia shrugged off the fall and the throbbing pain in her right shoulder to focus on the matter at hand. Had she heard some sort of scream? Or had it been in her dreams, perhaps? Another dream of a troubled young life filled with both danger and the screams of the dearly departed. But when she questioned her sluggish mind again about the sound she had heard, she decided it was best to be safe, lest she end up being sorry.

 

The young lady gathered her boots and slipped them on quickly, struggling not to fall over again in the process, and finally took a few minutes to don the leather vest she had worn to the party for its protective properties. Once done, she stood at her full height and practiced her 'noble' stance, including a straightening of the spine, a raising of the chin, and a puff of the chest. She inhaled a deep breath to reduce the blurring of her vision and exhaled it out in a stale, wine-tainted gust. This was as good as it got at this hour. Besides, as far as she knew, the others were all dead anyway. She made her way to the door and cracked it open slightly, peering out stealthily with one, icy-blue eye.

Edited January 10, 2023 by Spektor (see edit history)

[AnemoneEnemy]

Thomas of Nowhere | AC: 16 | HP: 19/19 | Per: +4 | Fort: +6 | Ref: +6 | Will: +6 | Hero: 1/1 | FP: 1/1

---

Eidolon | AC: 18 |  Per: +4 | Fort: +6 | Ref: +7 | Will: +4

---

 By the time the others get there, Thomas' bed is sectioned off from the others by some combination of his coat and an equally green traveling cloak, artfully draped, pinned, and tucked to provide a kind of makeshift canopy, as if he was a prince accustomed to beds with that sort of adornment. Thomas himself does not emerge, and the fae that attends him is nowhere to be seen.


At the sound of the scream, Thomas emerges, a curious alertness warring with sleep in his eyes. The first thing he does is tug his coat free and slip into it. He slept in his trousers but doesn't bother with his shirt; under the open coat, he has the slim, pale figure of a man who does not subject himself to a great deal of manual labor or time in the sun.
The second is a gesture that brings Æthelflæd forth as if painting them one lightning-fast brushstroke at a time in empty air. The fae draws themself up, a haughty expression and crisp pointed black collar manifesting before anything else. "Murder most foul? Who would do such a thing? Surely even among these people, guest-right is respected! My lord, allow me."
From the same nothing that they emerged from, Æthelflæd produces a short staff of office, polished dark wood capped with a round ball surrounded by silver filigree, and steps towards the door. 

Thomas reaches out and grabs their coat, tugging them back as Verne tosses a suddenly-luminous pillow out into the hall.
"Attend me, Æthelflæd! Let our new friend Shardik gae first. He's a sturdier fellow'n ye, ye duke of limbs."
The playfulness in his voice is empty, more habit than any real amusement at the situation. He doesn't wear a weapon, but that doesn't seem to be a problem: there's a pressure in the air around him, the sound of liquid and distant words, and then a cantrip rolls up and down his body so that his coat closes itself and is unwrinkled and his hair looks freshly brushed.

[Kavonde]

Niviq'zis scuttles under the privvy door, seeking the source of the scream. She doesn't see anything immediately, so she moves forward to peek around the corner. She has just enough time to see two young human men in dark leathers, each holding daggers with black pommels; blood drips from the blade of the one furthest from her, while the other is advancing silently towards the nearest door.

 

Suddenly, that door flies open, and light floods the hallway as a glowing pillow is hurled out into it. It narrowly misses the surprised assassin, who turns his head to follow its arc, not seeming to notice Verne standing in the doorway.

 

Across the hall, Antonia opens her door just enough to peak through. In the dim light coming from down the hall, she can make out two figures armed with long daggers, one standing over the fresh corpse of one of the manor's guards. Blood pools from the gash in his throat. She's surprised when some sort of rectangular, glowing object comes flying into the hall from somewhere to the northeast, suddenly illuminating the area and giving her a clear view of the two men and their black-pommeled blades.

 

OOC

Roll for Initiative!

 

We'll use the initiative tracker over on Forge; let me know if there's any confusion.

 

Since you're getting the drop on the bad guys, you can roll with either Perception or Stealth, whichever's better for you.

 

Once everyone's rolled, we'll need to post in order. This might slow down the game a bit, I realize. It's gonna be my first time running combat in this format, so if you have any suggestions to improve the flow, let me know.

 

Also, @Rider Z: hope you're feeling better soon! We'll get Lerris involved as soon as you're back in action; in the meantime, he has the excuse of being the only member of the group who actually wears armor, so he's gotta get dressed. Buncha crazy Dex types, I tell ya.

 

[BlackHat]

Zakon Malheur HP: 14/14 | AC: 13 | Perception: +6 Fort: +3 | Ref: +3 | Will: +6 Hero Points: O | Focus Points: O

Having taken a moment to finish making himself presentable, Zakon eases the door open, leaving the lamp in the privy. His duties have rarely given him reason to wear armor or carry weapons - certainly not when he is a guest in a noble manor - and even if he did he wouldn't have brought them to the bathroom. He briefly considered remaining in the privy until the danger had passed. This was a matter for the house guards, surely, but his sense of justice was stronger than his sense of self-preservation. There had been one murder, already. Besides, the timing of this attack could not simply be a coincidence. 

Stepping out of the room, he gets a better look at the body in the hall (helpfully illuminated by a glowing... pillow) as well as the two masked men who looked to be raiding one of the nearby rooms. "Cease this at once," he commands the masked man closest to himself, putting a bit of his occult power behind his next words, "... and let us discuss your peaceful surrender."

 

OOC

Added the Fatigued status since I think it makes sense.
Action 1: Interact with Object (door)
Action 2: Move out into the hallway (I can't see where so I dunno, enough that he can see both doors and the assassins I guess).
Action 3: Cast a spell: Pact broker on the closest bad guy

 

[Kistler]

Millanius the Arcane - Human Thaumaturge 1 HP: 17/17 | AC: 18 16 | Perception: +5 Fort: +6 | Ref: +6 | Will: +5  | Conditions: Stupefied 1, Clumsy 1 ResourcesCharacter: -Hero Points: 1/3 -Focus Points: 0/0 Items: - | Spells/ScrollsScrolls: - Cantrips:  - Level 1: - | Skills*Acrobatics: +6 *Arcana: +3 Athletics: +1 Crafting: +0 *Deception: +8 *Diplomacy20: +8 *Esoteric Lore: +7 Intimidate: +5 Medicine: +0 *Nature: +3 *Occultism: +3 *Performance: +7 *Politics Lore: +3 *Religion: +3 Society: +0 *Stealth: +6 Survival: +0 *Thievery: +6 *Trained   Consumables: None   Effects: None

---

All the others up from bed and gathered by the door made Millanius think there might be something happening after all. Maybe they had heard something he hadn't. He gathers his scepter out of the coat hanging on the bedpost, hand barely quivering. Then, heart starting to thump in anticipation, he can wait no longer when he hears a challenge from the hall. 

 

Was that the judge's voice?

 

He jumps out, cane held high, ready to give some knave in the night a thumping. But right outside his door is a man brandishing a knife, and the startled magician reflexively waps! him over the head with his cane before he can even think about it. He's immediately filled with uncertainty and fear; torn between wanting to apologize and wanting to flee.

 

Behind him, Stitches peers around the edge of the door cautiously, then scampers over to climb up his shoulder.

---

OOC/Actions Other:  Action 1: Pick up item Action 2: Move Action 3: Attack? Reaction: Recognize Spell Free:

Familiar/Other Modifiers Stitches the Monkey | 5/5HP | AC18 Per: +5/Fort: +6/Ref: +6/Will: +5 -Low-light Vision -Manual Dexterity -Valet -25' Land Speed   Effects: -15' Aura, Circ bonus to Dip/Int/Dec & +1 v. Fear -Success v Mental is crit success -+2 Damage from empowerment -Activate any Scroll

Gear Worn -Clothing (Winter) -Studded Leather Armor -Backpack -Belt Pouch -Thieves' Tools   Weapons -Sword Cane -Dagger -5x Darts -Scepter (Regalia)   Containers Masterwork Backpack -Bedroll -Lantern, hooded -Rations (1 week) -Rope (50') -5x Sacks -5x Torches -Waterskin   Bandolier -3x Flasks Oil -Manacles (poor) -5x Sacks   Belt/Pouch -10x Chalk -Flint and Steel -Playing Cards -Thieves' Tools -Soap -2x Candles -3sp, 7cp

 

Edited January 13, 2023 by Kistler (see edit history)

[PlotDevice]

Verne Greencloak | HP: 16/16 | AC: 15 | Fort: +3  Ref: +4  Will: +9 | Hero Points: 1/1

---

Shardik | HP: 16/16 | AC: 15 | Fort: +5  Ref: +5  Will: +4

 

Verne steps forward into the hallway, peering around Millanius to see another skulking figure down the hallway.  Sleep weighs on him, he doesn’t feel fully awake, so he speaks quiet words as he continues walking forward. “Shardik.  Bad man.” he says, and points down the hallway at a shadowy figure, as he moves forward to get a better vantage point to try to understand what’s going on, not realizing in his fog of tiredness that he's ended up standing in front of a door. 

 

The bear rushes past the others, fur brushing against legs, and lunges upward at the assassin with a fierce bite, jaws snapping closed inches away from the man’s vitals, as Verne tries his best to scan the room and its dark corners for what dangers may lurk there.

 

Actions-Move 25
-Command Shardik
-Seek (made a secret Per roll)

-Shardik-Move 25
-Shardik-Attack

 

[AnemoneEnemy]

Thomas of Nowhere | AC: 16 | HP: 19/19 | Per: +4 | Fort: +6 | Ref: +6 | Will: +6 | Hero: 1/1 | FP: 1/1

---

Eidolon | AC: 18 |  Per: +4 | Fort: +6 | Ref: +7 | Will: +4

---

As the others start to rush out, Thomas stands on one of the cots, the better to get a look over the others' heads. Aethelflaed follows Millanius, staff of office clutched in both hands. "Miscreants!" the fae cries, voice high and distraught. "Even a hall this lowly deserves respect, as do its guests!"

"I lay my will upon ye!"
Thomas' voice is distant and eerie; his wyrd roils around him, an unseen pressure in the air. There is the distant sound of beating wings.

Then he snaps his fingers, and a bright-green spark sizzles through one of the apparent assassins and towards the other, connecting them and limning them both in green-white light for an instant.

 

OOC/mechanics

Action 1: Thomas steps
Action 2+3: Act Together (2 actions). Thomas - Electric Arc, DC 17, rolled in Forge. Eidolon - Step out behind Millanius.

 

[Spektor]

Antonia Rullianus

💥 Panache! 💥

---

 

AC: 17 | HP: 19/19 | Per: +5 | Fort: +4 | Ref: +8 | Will: +5 | Hero: 1/1 | Languages: Common, Dwarven, Elven

---

Staring out into the hall, Antonia's expression darkened as she watched a murdered man take his final gurgling breaths. It was not the first time she had watched someone die in front of her, nor would it be the last, given their intended destination. For a single horrifying second, she considered whether this was her fault. Were they angry that she had changed the plan? No. That was impossible. After all, they weren't the sort to end another person's life without a very good reason. Furthermore, an outright attack on the Aldori estate was suicidal, wasn't it?

 

She experienced a mixture of relief and terror as she settled on thought that this was not their doing. No, this was something else. Something unpredictable and dangerous. With her fencing sword at her side, she slowly opened the door to her room further. She had forgone the long-heeled boots that usually announced her approach in favor of bare feet, as there was no article of clothing suited to stealth more than bare skin. Just before exiting, her hand reached out to grab the pillow from her bed and she crept quietly towards the closest Assassin. The glowing pillow in the hall indicated that at least someone from the party last night was awake and ready to fight. This thought was reinforced by the voice of the Judge requesting the intruders' surrender, and further solidified by the bear that charged forth from the others' sleeping quarters.

 

Once she was finally close enough, she announced her presence to draw the closest Assassin's attention, "You really should be sleeping at this hour, instead of causing so much trouble." Her target whirled around to face her with a deadly intention gleaming in his eye. "Take a nap." She demanded and tossed the pillow directly into the Assassin's face, effectively blinding him for a quick moment. She had meant to follow the trick with a hearty thump to the side of his head with the butt of her sword, but the enemy proved more prepared that she had expected. He pulled the pillow from his face and ducked beneath her blow, effectively avoiding the attack entirely. The Fencer nearly stumbled from the force of her swing but was quickly able to maintain her footing and point her Rapier forward in a duelist's stance. "Fine, if you want to do this the hard way, I accept. En Garde!"

 

Actions

Action 1 - Stride towards the closest enemy.

Action 2 - Create a Diversion (Trick: Throwing the pillow in the enemy's face.) Rolled 21 Deception vs. Enemy Perception DC. Success! (Gained Panache)

Action 3 - Attempt an attack on the Enemy. Rolled 11 vs. Enemy AC. MISS!

 

Edited January 16, 2023 by Spektor (see edit history)

[Rider Z]

Lerris Ninthborne

---

HP: 20/20 | AC: 13 |  Per: + 4 | Fort: +7 | Ref: +3 |Will: +7  | Hero 1/1 | Languages: Common (Taldane), Hallit, Skald

---

Lerris slept messily. He wore only a pair of trousers in bed, not counting the covers... though even then by the time he had fallen asleep they had only half covered a single leg. His large frame had been sprawled across the bed and off of it, arms and legs hanging precariously off the edge. Despite all this however, he did not snore. Indeed he slept quietly, if messily, throughout the night. That was until the scream of course.

 

"Bloody, fucking-" Lerris cursed as he stumbled out of bed, hearing the same cry as his compatriots. For a second h had forgotten where he was. He thought for a moment that he was back in the woods... blinking sleep out of his eyes as his camp was raided by a rival gang or lawmen. That was why his sword had found itself unsheathed and into his hands so quickly. 

 

Reason found it's way back to his thoughts soon enough however, but with it came a whole new set of worries. Old instincts found themselves working once again and Lerris was desperately working at his armor, starting at the bottom with his weathered grieves. However his expression grew grim the more his companions filed out of the room and with every grunt of pain and excited yell of combat. 

 

"Damn it! Damn it all!" He cursed again to himself as he threw the metal grieves and chain to the side, letting the armor clatter to the floor as he gripped his sword tightly. He didn't like it, but it seemed like there was simply no time to get dressed. So Lerris marched out of the room barefoot and shirtless, straight into the fray. "Suppose the gods figured I didn't have enough scars." 

 

Unburdened by armor, Lerris moved quickly. He moved right past Millanius and Thomas, giving the both only a brief nod as he charged forward, then hooked to the side from where the scream had come from. He burst into the middle of the scuffle, finding himself in front of two men clad in black and with daggers in hand.Even though he didn't spare a second to look down, he knew that the source of the cry was dead on the ground. Lerris eyes darted back and forth for a moment, then settled on the man who was facing Antonia.

 

Lerris gripped his sword tightly, shifting his stance forward as he tried to stab the blade into the man from the back. Unluckily for Lerris however, the black clad man reacted far more quickly than anticipated. He shifted quickly, unable to step so quickly again after Antonia's attack but still able to raise his dagger up in time to knock aside Lerris' blade. This however, was a mistake.

 

"I'm sorry about this. Truly, you deserved better." Lerris said, and his voice was genuine as a look of disappointment crossed his face. Instead of letting his sword be knocked aside completely Lerris pressed the sword up to the man's small-blade and pressed forward enough for the two blade's to slide along one another until the hilt's met. Then Lerris twisted the hilt of his sword, causing the man's wrist to twist and for the small blade to go upwards. Then, with this newfound moment of opportunity, Lerris shifted his sword swiftly again and then slashed diagonally along the man's gut and up to his chest. 

 

Actions

Action 1 - Move

Action 2 - Attack #1 (Miss)

Action 3 - Attack #2 (Nat 20! 20 damage)

 

[Kavonde]

Violence erupts with brutal suddeness.
 

Millanius strikes the nearest assassin with his sheathed sword cane; bone snaps as he strikes the man's forearm, and the black-pommeled dagger clatters to the floor.
 

At the same time, Verne urges Shardik forward. The young bear rakes a claw at the same assassin Millanius just struck, but finds no purchase.
 

Thomas and Aethelflaed step forward. and Thomas unleashes a bolt of green lightning that strikes the wounded assassin in the chest, stopping his heart, and then arcs into the man behind him--the assassin responsible for the dead guard at his feet.
 

Antonia emerges from her room, feinting with a pillow to throw the assassin near her door off his guard, though he still manages to avoid her follow-up thrust.
 

And then Lerris comes charging out of his room, bare-chested and armed with his sword, and dispatches the assassin with the bloody knife.
 

In the span of seconds, the three assassins have been reduced to one.
 

Oddly, the lone remaining ne'er-do-well shows no sign of fear. In fact, Antonia can detect something is very clearly amiss with him--his eyes are extremely dilated and nearly bulging out of his skull; veins are clearly visible on his forehead and neck. He thrusts his black-pommeled dagger at her, and she narrowly avoids the blow. Then, recognizing the threat that Lerris poses, the assassin pivots and tries to drive his blade into the scarred warrior's chest. Lerris knocks the downward thrust aside, but the assassin is still intent on harming him, and swings his knife a third time; this one cuts a thin scratch along Lerris' chest, not a serious cut but likely another scar for the collection.
 

Growling like a mad dog, the assassin prepares to launch another flurry of attacks.

 

OOC

The assassin deals 3 slashing damage to Lerris, after whiffing twice.

Edited January 17, 2023 by Kavonde (see edit history)

[BlackHat]

Zakon Malheur HP: 14/14 | AC: 13 | Perception: +6 Fort: +3 | Ref: +3 | Will: +6 Hero Points: O | Focus Points: O

As the wave of mercenaries and animals and well-dressed spirits pour out of the room in front of him, the dark-clad men quickly fall before them. Zakon hears more fighting farther down the hallway but his fellow guests, no doubt, have it well in hand. Even half-dressed and unarmed they turned out to be quite formidable - far more formidable than he, in matters of life and death. "If thou willst not surrender, peacefully," he growls, though surely the din of combat drowns out any threats the man might make as he moves down the hallway passing a few of the others to get a better look at the body and the man trying to fend off both Antonia and Lerris with only a knife. "... I will accept your surrender at the end of a blade." His last words carried with them some Occult power. Again, he attempted to negotiate a binding pact, but the knife-wielding assassin's negotiating position was evaporating in seconds. Zakon's opening offer was aggressive but refusing it would not better his leverage. Accepting it, might save his life. "Either way, you will answer for your crimes."

 

OOC

Action 1: Move 25' (see Forge)

Action 2: Cast Pact Broker again on the bad guy fighting Lerris and Antonia. (Forge didn't roll the save)
Action 3: Demoralize the guy (Forge said success but who knows)

 

Edited January 17, 2023 by BlackHat (see edit history)