Khessa, you look around for any immediate source of danger, and don't find any. It's quiet, which you've found is normal for the area Ozemon's estate is in. You also don't hear any noticeable movement or talking in the house itself. Checking over Cedric, he's most definitely alive, thankfully. It takes about 15 minutes, but you manage to wake him and return him to the land of the living. "uuuuhh.." he begins rousing "What happened? Mistress Khessa? What are--" he seems to come fully to as he changes mid sentence "Master Ozemon! Is he OK?"
"Cedric!" Khessa embraces him, relieved that he is feeling better "For a moment I was afraid they had killed you".
(OOC: I really want to see if he 'seems to be playing the stoic butler' this time also!)
"Now," the blonde arcane warrior helps him to stand, then puts her hands on his shoulder and stares at him with her blue eyes "what happened is something that YOU should tell me, not the other way around. I had just come back to talk to you and I found you like that! Did you see who attacked you? Do you remember any detail? You see, Cedric," she explains patiently "whoever attacked you has the advantage of surprise. We don't know where they are now, if they have allies and what they have done. But we have other advantages. Like knowledge of the terrain. I bet nobody knows this house better than you! As soon as you have finished telling me what you can about your attackers, you will tell me where I should be able to find Ozemon probably by now and you will teach me a not obvious path to reach him. Yes, not obvious (if there is such a path), because the more obvious one could be guarded by the attackers. If you also know of some powerful magical item in the home that I could borrow and use against the invaders, that would also be a bonus. At that point (with powerful magical item or not), I will go and see how Ozemon is and, if necessary, I will defend him. He has done for me far more than one would expect from an employer; he behaved like a friend to me and I will do the same for him. But you will stay out of trouble and put our second advantage to good use: we are at home; we are (or at least you and Ozemon are) exteemed citizens that have been attacked. So you'll call for reinforcements. If the house has guards, you'll warn them. After this (or without doing this, if the house hasn't any), you'll run for help from the authorities, the city guard, the army... anyone who's in charge of security here in the city, in short. Agree? Come on," she smiles and pats him on the shoulder "take a breath and tell me everything. Whoever is behind this will not get away with it".
Looking at the jewelry really quickly Hadi buys a small piece ((like 1g worth?)) as if going to give it to T’bitha instead handing it to the cute shopkeeper saying, "This would look better on you. She's like a sister to me. Perhaps you're free later?"He then creates a small illusion on the table of where he's staying before winking and turning back to his companion to say, "Jealous exes can be dealt with. I'm sure Ozemon has enough connections around to alert the correct people to a threat in town. Shall we head back to him?
((So I expect Dimitri's little trip to take most of the day.))
Dimitri doesn't tell anyone goodbye, decides he needs to disappear for a while. The less people know he's around, the better. He throws a shaggy cloak over his leather armor, brings the hood up, obscuring his face. With his cloak and his limp, he looks like any other homeless man. He decides to go back to Ozeman's estate and asks him a way out of town, negotiating something, anyway. On his way, he replenishes his supply of oil (flask), torch, and ball bearings (bag of 1,000).
While waiting for her butler friend to speak, Khessa can't help but think to herself: 'It must have been the shadowhunters we have just heared about. I was planning, from now on, to keep an eye on T'bitha outside... but they came inside instead! At least, if they are looking for T'bitha, there are two positive sides: first of all they cannot find her here, since she has gone out; furthermore, if they want to get information from someone, they should try to capture the inhabitants of the house, rather than kill them. So it's quite possible that I really still have the time to save Ozemon. But now, let's focus on what Cerdic is about to tell me'.
Dimitri, you easily replenish your supplies, I'd say at a cost of 1 gold. You also begin heading back to the Ozemon estate.
Hadi, you purchase a simple piece of jewelry for 1 gold and hand it to the shopkeeper "Oh, thank you."she stays silent for the moment while you create the illusion before speaking up again "perhaps I will be"
Hadi, T'bitha, and Tristan, the three of you begin heading back to Ozemon's after T'bitha returns from the building she entered and Hadi is finished flirting with the nearby shopkeep.
"I'm not that easy to kill, dear" Cedric says while holding his head and attempting to sit up. He grabs a small gem out of his pocket and begins speaking into it "the Ozemon estate has been attacked, please send guards right away." He pockets the gem and returns his attention to you, Khessa "well, there was a knock at the door, so I answered, per usual. Some folks looking to speak with Ozemon. I turned a moment to see if he was still in the foyer or had returned to his study and next thing I knew, you were waking me up." he continues to listen to you speak "There's only one path to the study, and it's straight down the hall there" he points to the familiar hall he's lead you down a few times now, Khessa. You can see the closed doors to the study, there's no obvious hiding spots in the hallways between the foyer and the study, thankfully. "There are some magical artifacts in the house, but the majority of them are stored safely away where no one can reach them." He seems OK, for the most part Khessa. He's definitely still playing the stoic butler, as he stands up and pulls a sword from a plaque on the wall, he begins walking towards the study "are you ready, mistress Khessa?"
Dimitri, Hadi, T'bitha, and Tristan, the four of you will make it to Ozemon's estate shortly, but haven't made it quite yet.
"Cedric, dear..." sighs Khessa "Let's leave aside for now the fact that every time you call me 'mistress' you make me want to dress in black leather, with high heeled boots, long gloves, nine-tailed cat in hand and whip you into submission. You can just call me 'Khessa' and just consider me a friend you can trust, do you understand? I'm nobody's 'mistress'. But let's this aside, for now, I said. Let's talk about you walking around, unarmored and with a sword in your hand..." prepares her greatsword the blonde arcane warrior, stopping for a moment in front of the butler and staring at him with her worried blue eyes "... appearances can be deceiving, but you wouldn't look like a man of action. Are you sure you know how to use a weapon? Or how to block or avoid blows? Because, you see, if you don't, I'd rather know you are safe elsewhere than near me risking to get hit. Violence is my job, not yours. I admire and respect your bravery, but please... if you don't know how to fight, don't come with me now, do you understand?".
That said, the tall warrior-mage reaches Ozemon's study, ready for anything. She tries to eavesdrop as she gently lowers the handle, to open the door slowly and silently... if the door opens. If, on the other hand, she notices that the door is resisting (because it is evidently locked or stuck or something) she tries to smash it suddenly with a shoulder charge.
"It's part of my training. I was taught to show respect, and I've been doing so for 43 years now. It's very difficult not to continue your trainings." He swings the sword twice, rotating and stretching his shoulder. "Sword fighting and basic defense is also taught in butler school. I'm comfortable with this blade, and I am more than capable of using it."Khessa, you slowly open the door, and it does in fact open. As the door opens, you see a still intact study, but in the middle you see a red tiefling tied up to a wooden chair, leaning forward, head down, unmoving. "Sir!" Cedric shouts, dropping the sword he runs over to Ozemon and begins untying him and checking for a pulse.
(OOC: Khessa, I'm going to let you make the medicine check with advantage (from Cedric) to check Ozemon for a pulse)
Dimitri, while making your way back to the estate, you run into Hadi, T'bitha, and Tristan, who are also making their way back that way as well. You all decide to group up together as you finish the trip. T'bitha, you're the first to notice that as you approach the estate, the front door is wide open.
”Oh, no…” T’bitha’s voice drifts off as she notices the door wide open. She hurriedly rushes in and not seeing Cedric greeting the group she calls out, “Cedric? Ozemon?”
She rushes to Ozemon’s study to find Khessa and Cedric caring for Ozemon. “Is… is he…?” she bites her tongue as she does not even want to fathom what her imagination is running away with right now.
"You have a point, my friend" smiles Khessa, as the butler explains of his difficulties in not continuing his training. "I think I'll not visit black leather shops" she winks. "For now, at least".
Then, looking at him swinging the blade, the blonde arcane warrior nods: "So be it. Let's do this together".
The tall warrior mage quickly looks around, before running inside: Ozemon could have left so as a bite... But she does not detect any dangers, so she temporarily sheats her blade back and joins Cedric in untying and taking care of the thiefling: "Ozemon!" she whispers gently to him, while checking his conditions and trying to awaken him "How are you? Wake up, it is over, you are safe now".
Khessa, you and Cedric check over Ozemon, he's been severely beaten, and you can see his dried crimson blood sitting on his crimson skin. Getting a much closer look at him, you notice he does have a slow, faint pulse, but he is out cold.
Khessa, while focused on caring for Ozemon, keeps on alert, knowing that the attackers may still be in the house. She is therefore immediately ready to react, as soon as a short-haired youthful drow, dressed in crimson, with a provocative bodice, mid-thigh skirt that flares out at the bottom and a pair of knee-high boots with low heels, makes her entrance.
"I think no one has yet welcomed you as you deserve..." growls the blonde arcane warrior, spinning lightning fast on her heels as she unsheats her heavy greatsword in one smooth motion "... but now I'll see to it!"
Khessa is about to strike a blow, when she notices that the intruder is watching Ozemon and she seems to want to inquire about his condition, even though she struggles to piece together more than one word at a time, while she bites her tongue.
"T'bitha?!" the tall warrior wizard finally realizes who the intruder is, stopping the blow "You are unrecognizable like this!" she sheathes the heavy blade back "Great idea! Like getting here now! Long story short:" she starts explaining, putting her hands on the cleric's shoulders to better get her attention "someone attacked the house. I suppose it was the drow. They were almost certainly looking for me or you. But now it doesn't matter:" anger flares in her blue eyes "those bastard worms hurt Cedric and Ozemon. Maybe they're still in the house. If so, we'll make sure they don't get out of it. Not on their legs, at least. Help is on the way already. I was trying to get Ozemon to regain his senses" she start gently rubbing the tiefling's bruises with cold water of her waterskin again "but if you'd like to beg Eilistraee to heal him, I think this would speed things up. And we could then move on to take care of who did all this. Do you feel like it?"
And with that, she focuses again on the bruised tiefling, muttering to him as she takes care of him: "Come on Ozemon, come back to us. It'll be all well. We are here now, we'll take care of who did this. Come back to us".
T’bitha cautiously approaches Ozemon while Khessa nurses him. T’bitha kneels placing her hands upon Ozemon’s wounds and quietly praying to Eilistraee. The wounds glow a deep red and slowly fade lighter and lighter to a pinkish hue and finally to a cooling white light that illuminates from between her fingers and under hands. When she removes them, wounds appear to have faded or disappeared.
Though acting somewhat flippantly as they walked, Hadi immediately gets serious when he sees the marks of the attack, and doubly so after seeing their sponsor tied and beaten. He immediately sends Laza outside to circle the home on the lookout ((7)) and begins looking around the room to see if he can find any other traces of the intruders ((investigation 12)).
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Tristan draws his sword, his eyes ablaze. Taking stock of the room, he looks to see if Ozemon's assailant left any sort of followable marks. "We should hunt whatever did this before the trail goes cold."
Survival (If it should be investigation subtract 4 from the roll) 20. (24 advantage if it is Fey, Fiend or Undead)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
Dimitri sighs at the chaos. “Someone’s got a bigger bounty than me.” He mutters. A thousand thoughts run over his mind, shadowhunters? Old nemesis? His first thought is to get everyone out of there - but then he remembers it was Ozemon in his mansion, not some low-life scoundrel in their tattered home. The guards will be here to help him, not to hurt him. He looks around for any traces that could point to the intruders. They could still be in the house. Also he finds a place to hide if the guards do come.
Khessa and T'bitha, the two of you look over Ozemon, T'bitha you provide a prayer, healing some of Ozemon's wounds. He slowly begins to come to, groaning, mumbling, and shifting his head slightly. Hadi, Laza doesn't see much of direct interest to you, but does spot a small field mouse, and gets distracted. Cedric speaks up "the two of you take care of Ozemon for a moment please, I'll be back." He then leaves the study, and appears to be searching the rest of the house.
Dimitri, Hadi, and Tristan, the three of you begin looking around the study, for any signs of the intruders. The study looks almost exactly as you remember it. At first glance it appears none of the pristine artifacts hanging on plaques, or in display cases have been touched, nothing on the bookshelves have been touched, and none of the journals or single pieces of paper on the various tables and desks have been touched. Even the Spear of Ambriel is still sitting on the desk, untouched. However, there is a strange metallic and wooden contraption laying on the ground near where Ozemon is always sitting when you have met him in his study.
Continuing to look around, the three of you notice the distinct lack of footprints. You do however, notice a very faint drag mark. As if someone was dragging something or someone heavy across the floor. The trail leads directly to the front door. Standing in the front door, you can see the mark leave the estate grounds and turn off into the distance. Dimitri, with your looking around, you're nearly positive there's no one in the house. Or at least in the parts of the house you've been in. The butler returns a moment later with his sword still in hand "the rest of the house looks empty, the best I can tell. Whoever did this didn't bother searching the house."
T’bitha looks over Ozemon and quietly thanks Eilistraee for her blessings.
”Ozemon. What happened here?” she apprehensively listens to his story, remembering what her friend warned her about earlier, hyper aware that each passing moment she remains in the city, the chances of her making an escape diminish.
"I-- I was attacked by a handful of drow." He begins rubbing the back of his head and looking around "We need to get you to safety. They were looking for you, T'bitha." Ozemon looks around the room seeing everyone here "I managed to kill one, or at least wound her, before they got me. I think after a while of me telling them I didn't know where you were, they finally believed me and left."
"Ozemon!" Khessa expresses all her relief in one word, while continuing to rub any remaining bruises with cold water for a moment "I'm so glad they didn't kill you!" she hugs him with enthusiasm and kisses him impulsively on the cheek "You are... unique! It would have been so much easier and less risky for you to collaborate with them and help them capture T'bitha... but no, you reacted, you risked and, unfortunately, you even suffered in order to protect one of your employees" there is sincere and deep admiration in her blue eyes. "It's people like you who make Weskeilia worthy of existing!"
"So you killed (or at least injured) one of them!" the blonde arcane warrior pats the historian on the shoulder "Well done! Maybe we have one less to worry about. We called the guards, they should be on their way, I was hoping to catch the invaders still here and finish them once and for all now... but well, we'll have to finish them later. For we will not have T'bitha flee. If she can not be safe here, in the capital, with powerful friends like you, Ozemon, where should we take her to get her more safe? No matter how secret the place, for the drow to track her down would only be a matter of time... and after they track her down, T'bitha would have far fewer resources available to defend herself. No, we must end it here. Mustering as much help we can from the authorities. They want T'bitha so badly? Well... then we will give her to them!"
"Ozemon," the tall warrior wizard starts to explain "the drow of the Underdark are not only a danger for T'bitha. They are a danger for the whole Whiteridge and Rivenis Kingdom! They are no more content of crawling in the dark like worms; they come to the surface with all too great regularity and threaten the civilization of the surface dwellers! Not only they raided and wiped out many small villages, including Twardens, my own; they also strike in the cities, even in the capital, behaving like masters, arrogating the right to kidnap, punish, kill whoever they want. If this isn't a declaration of war (or at least a threat of war) I don't know what it can be! Wake Up! If we let them act as masters... how long will it be before they decide to really become our masters?! Ozemon, you are an influential person in this city. it is essential that you convince the king, the authorities, or I don't know who, of the facts I have explained to you. We need the support of the authorities".
"With the support of the authorities, we can set up a trap for the drow tasked to catch T'bitha. I think one of us has some connection to the slums” she fixes her blue eyes on Dimitri. “Now, let's imagine that T'bitha, is scared. That she no longer trusts being here. That she is helped by a certain person to find accommodation in the slums. Suppose then that this person betrays T'bitha, possibly also providing (for a fee, maybe) the right ears with information about where she is. I imagine our drow friends would rush to 'visit' her before she can escape them again. But if a patrol of guards were hidden nearby, we could withstand the initial onslaught as the guards ring the place (and the drow). Then, the drow have nowhere to escape. We and the guards make short work of them and close the matter once and for all. Let's do it this way, guys! We can have plenty of resources here, We will not be in a better position elsewhere".
"Perhaps," Khessa admits, "in time the drow could send more of them, but for a while they would have no way of knowing that their first expedition failed. And secondly, we will have dealt a blow to their strength and morale in the meantime. They may start to think twice, in the future, before sending expeditions to the surface. We will not only benefit T'bitha, but the whole kingdom, in the end. This might also bring a reward, if someone is wondering what we have to gain. So? What do you think? We agree? We have concerns?"
"Cedric!" Khessa embraces him, relieved that he is feeling better "For a moment I was afraid they had killed you".
(OOC: I really want to see if he 'seems to be playing the stoic butler' this time also!)
"Now," the blonde arcane warrior helps him to stand, then puts her hands on his shoulder and stares at him with her blue eyes "what happened is something that YOU should tell me, not the other way around. I had just come back to talk to you and I found you like that! Did you see who attacked you? Do you remember any detail? You see, Cedric," she explains patiently "whoever attacked you has the advantage of surprise. We don't know where they are now, if they have allies and what they have done. But we have other advantages. Like knowledge of the terrain. I bet nobody knows this house better than you! As soon as you have finished telling me what you can about your attackers, you will tell me where I should be able to find Ozemon probably by now and you will teach me a not obvious path to reach him. Yes, not obvious (if there is such a path), because the more obvious one could be guarded by the attackers. If you also know of some powerful magical item in the home that I could borrow and use against the invaders, that would also be a bonus. At that point (with powerful magical item or not), I will go and see how Ozemon is and, if necessary, I will defend him. He has done for me far more than one would expect from an employer; he behaved like a friend to me and I will do the same for him. But you will stay out of trouble and put our second advantage to good use: we are at home; we are (or at least you and Ozemon are) exteemed citizens that have been attacked. So you'll call for reinforcements. If the house has guards, you'll warn them. After this (or without doing this, if the house hasn't any), you'll run for help from the authorities, the city guard, the army... anyone who's in charge of security here in the city, in short. Agree? Come on," she smiles and pats him on the shoulder "take a breath and tell me everything. Whoever is behind this will not get away with it".
Looking at the jewelry really quickly Hadi buys a small piece ((like 1g worth?)) as if going to give it to T’bitha instead handing it to the cute shopkeeper saying, "This would look better on you. She's like a sister to me. Perhaps you're free later?" He then creates a small illusion on the table of where he's staying before winking and turning back to his companion to say, "Jealous exes can be dealt with. I'm sure Ozemon has enough connections around to alert the correct people to a threat in town. Shall we head back to him?
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((So I expect Dimitri's little trip to take most of the day.))
Dimitri doesn't tell anyone goodbye, decides he needs to disappear for a while. The less people know he's around, the better. He throws a shaggy cloak over his leather armor, brings the hood up, obscuring his face. With his cloak and his limp, he looks like any other homeless man. He decides to go back to Ozeman's estate and asks him a way out of town, negotiating something, anyway. On his way, he replenishes his supply of oil (flask), torch, and ball bearings (bag of 1,000).
While waiting for her butler friend to speak, Khessa can't help but think to herself: 'It must have been the shadowhunters we have just heared about. I was planning, from now on, to keep an eye on T'bitha outside... but they came inside instead! At least, if they are looking for T'bitha, there are two positive sides: first of all they cannot find her here, since she has gone out; furthermore, if they want to get information from someone, they should try to capture the inhabitants of the house, rather than kill them. So it's quite possible that I really still have the time to save Ozemon. But now, let's focus on what Cerdic is about to tell me'.
Dimitri, you easily replenish your supplies, I'd say at a cost of 1 gold. You also begin heading back to the Ozemon estate.
Hadi, you purchase a simple piece of jewelry for 1 gold and hand it to the shopkeeper "Oh, thank you." she stays silent for the moment while you create the illusion before speaking up again "perhaps I will be"
Hadi, T'bitha, and Tristan, the three of you begin heading back to Ozemon's after T'bitha returns from the building she entered and Hadi is finished flirting with the nearby shopkeep.
"I'm not that easy to kill, dear" Cedric says while holding his head and attempting to sit up. He grabs a small gem out of his pocket and begins speaking into it "the Ozemon estate has been attacked, please send guards right away." He pockets the gem and returns his attention to you, Khessa "well, there was a knock at the door, so I answered, per usual. Some folks looking to speak with Ozemon. I turned a moment to see if he was still in the foyer or had returned to his study and next thing I knew, you were waking me up." he continues to listen to you speak "There's only one path to the study, and it's straight down the hall there" he points to the familiar hall he's lead you down a few times now, Khessa. You can see the closed doors to the study, there's no obvious hiding spots in the hallways between the foyer and the study, thankfully. "There are some magical artifacts in the house, but the majority of them are stored safely away where no one can reach them." He seems OK, for the most part Khessa. He's definitely still playing the stoic butler, as he stands up and pulls a sword from a plaque on the wall, he begins walking towards the study "are you ready, mistress Khessa?"
Dimitri, Hadi, T'bitha, and Tristan, the four of you will make it to Ozemon's estate shortly, but haven't made it quite yet.
"Cedric, dear..." sighs Khessa "Let's leave aside for now the fact that every time you call me 'mistress' you make me want to dress in black leather, with high heeled boots, long gloves, nine-tailed cat in hand and whip you into submission. You can just call me 'Khessa' and just consider me a friend you can trust, do you understand? I'm nobody's 'mistress'. But let's this aside, for now, I said. Let's talk about you walking around, unarmored and with a sword in your hand..." prepares her greatsword the blonde arcane warrior, stopping for a moment in front of the butler and staring at him with her worried blue eyes "... appearances can be deceiving, but you wouldn't look like a man of action. Are you sure you know how to use a weapon? Or how to block or avoid blows? Because, you see, if you don't, I'd rather know you are safe elsewhere than near me risking to get hit. Violence is my job, not yours. I admire and respect your bravery, but please... if you don't know how to fight, don't come with me now, do you understand?".
That said, the tall warrior-mage reaches Ozemon's study, ready for anything. She tries to eavesdrop as she gently lowers the handle, to open the door slowly and silently... if the door opens. If, on the other hand, she notices that the door is resisting (because it is evidently locked or stuck or something) she tries to smash it suddenly with a shoulder charge.
"It's part of my training. I was taught to show respect, and I've been doing so for 43 years now. It's very difficult not to continue your trainings." He swings the sword twice, rotating and stretching his shoulder. "Sword fighting and basic defense is also taught in butler school. I'm comfortable with this blade, and I am more than capable of using it." Khessa, you slowly open the door, and it does in fact open. As the door opens, you see a still intact study, but in the middle you see a red tiefling tied up to a wooden chair, leaning forward, head down, unmoving. "Sir!" Cedric shouts, dropping the sword he runs over to Ozemon and begins untying him and checking for a pulse.
(OOC: Khessa, I'm going to let you make the medicine check with advantage (from Cedric) to check Ozemon for a pulse)
Dimitri, while making your way back to the estate, you run into Hadi, T'bitha, and Tristan, who are also making their way back that way as well. You all decide to group up together as you finish the trip. T'bitha, you're the first to notice that as you approach the estate, the front door is wide open.
”Oh, no…” T’bitha’s voice drifts off as she notices the door wide open. She hurriedly rushes in and not seeing Cedric greeting the group she calls out, “Cedric? Ozemon?”
She rushes to Ozemon’s study to find Khessa and Cedric caring for Ozemon. “Is… is he…?” she bites her tongue as she does not even want to fathom what her imagination is running away with right now.
"You have a point, my friend" smiles Khessa, as the butler explains of his difficulties in not continuing his training. "I think I'll not visit black leather shops" she winks. "For now, at least".
Then, looking at him swinging the blade, the blonde arcane warrior nods: "So be it. Let's do this together".
The tall warrior mage quickly looks around, before running inside: Ozemon could have left so as a bite... But she does not detect any dangers, so she temporarily sheats her blade back and joins Cedric in untying and taking care of the thiefling: "Ozemon!" she whispers gently to him, while checking his conditions and trying to awaken him "How are you? Wake up, it is over, you are safe now".
Rolling with advantage, as you asked - if possible, Khessa is also trying to wake up Ozemon, just as she tried to do with Cedric before: 22
Khessa, you and Cedric check over Ozemon, he's been severely beaten, and you can see his dried crimson blood sitting on his crimson skin. Getting a much closer look at him, you notice he does have a slow, faint pulse, but he is out cold.
Khessa, while focused on caring for Ozemon, keeps on alert, knowing that the attackers may still be in the house. She is therefore immediately ready to react, as soon as a short-haired youthful drow, dressed in crimson, with a provocative bodice, mid-thigh skirt that flares out at the bottom and a pair of knee-high boots with low heels, makes her entrance.
"I think no one has yet welcomed you as you deserve..." growls the blonde arcane warrior, spinning lightning fast on her heels as she unsheats her heavy greatsword in one smooth motion "... but now I'll see to it!"
Khessa is about to strike a blow, when she notices that the intruder is watching Ozemon and she seems to want to inquire about his condition, even though she struggles to piece together more than one word at a time, while she bites her tongue.
"T'bitha?!" the tall warrior wizard finally realizes who the intruder is, stopping the blow "You are unrecognizable like this!" she sheathes the heavy blade back "Great idea! Like getting here now! Long story short:" she starts explaining, putting her hands on the cleric's shoulders to better get her attention "someone attacked the house. I suppose it was the drow. They were almost certainly looking for me or you. But now it doesn't matter:" anger flares in her blue eyes "those bastard worms hurt Cedric and Ozemon. Maybe they're still in the house. If so, we'll make sure they don't get out of it. Not on their legs, at least. Help is on the way already. I was trying to get Ozemon to regain his senses" she start gently rubbing the tiefling's bruises with cold water of her waterskin again "but if you'd like to beg Eilistraee to heal him, I think this would speed things up. And we could then move on to take care of who did all this. Do you feel like it?"
And with that, she focuses again on the bruised tiefling, muttering to him as she takes care of him: "Come on Ozemon, come back to us. It'll be all well. We are here now, we'll take care of who did this. Come back to us".
T’bitha cautiously approaches Ozemon while Khessa nurses him. T’bitha kneels placing her hands upon Ozemon’s wounds and quietly praying to Eilistraee. The wounds glow a deep red and slowly fade lighter and lighter to a pinkish hue and finally to a cooling white light that illuminates from between her fingers and under hands. When she removes them, wounds appear to have faded or disappeared.
Cure Wounds: 5
Though acting somewhat flippantly as they walked, Hadi immediately gets serious when he sees the marks of the attack, and doubly so after seeing their sponsor tied and beaten. He immediately sends Laza outside to circle the home on the lookout ((7)) and begins looking around the room to see if he can find any other traces of the intruders ((investigation 12)).
PbP 🎲: Tyekanik; Moneo Noree; Korba Muris; & occasional DM:
Tristan draws his sword, his eyes ablaze. Taking stock of the room, he looks to see if Ozemon's assailant left any sort of followable marks. "We should hunt whatever did this before the trail goes cold."
Survival (If it should be investigation subtract 4 from the roll) 20. (24 advantage if it is Fey, Fiend or Undead)
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
Dimitri sighs at the chaos. “Someone’s got a bigger bounty than me.” He mutters. A thousand thoughts run over his mind, shadowhunters? Old nemesis? His first thought is to get everyone out of there - but then he remembers it was Ozemon in his mansion, not some low-life scoundrel in their tattered home. The guards will be here to help him, not to hurt him. He looks around for any traces that could point to the intruders. They could still be in the house. Also he finds a place to hide if the guards do come.
Perception: 23
Stealth: 13
Khessa and T'bitha, the two of you look over Ozemon, T'bitha you provide a prayer, healing some of Ozemon's wounds. He slowly begins to come to, groaning, mumbling, and shifting his head slightly. Hadi, Laza doesn't see much of direct interest to you, but does spot a small field mouse, and gets distracted. Cedric speaks up "the two of you take care of Ozemon for a moment please, I'll be back." He then leaves the study, and appears to be searching the rest of the house.
Dimitri, Hadi, and Tristan, the three of you begin looking around the study, for any signs of the intruders. The study looks almost exactly as you remember it. At first glance it appears none of the pristine artifacts hanging on plaques, or in display cases have been touched, nothing on the bookshelves have been touched, and none of the journals or single pieces of paper on the various tables and desks have been touched. Even the Spear of Ambriel is still sitting on the desk, untouched. However, there is a strange metallic and wooden contraption laying on the ground near where Ozemon is always sitting when you have met him in his study.
Continuing to look around, the three of you notice the distinct lack of footprints. You do however, notice a very faint drag mark. As if someone was dragging something or someone heavy across the floor. The trail leads directly to the front door. Standing in the front door, you can see the mark leave the estate grounds and turn off into the distance. Dimitri, with your looking around, you're nearly positive there's no one in the house. Or at least in the parts of the house you've been in. The butler returns a moment later with his sword still in hand "the rest of the house looks empty, the best I can tell. Whoever did this didn't bother searching the house."
T’bitha looks over Ozemon and quietly thanks Eilistraee for her blessings.
”Ozemon. What happened here?” she apprehensively listens to his story, remembering what her friend warned her about earlier, hyper aware that each passing moment she remains in the city, the chances of her making an escape diminish.
"I-- I was attacked by a handful of drow." He begins rubbing the back of his head and looking around "We need to get you to safety. They were looking for you, T'bitha." Ozemon looks around the room seeing everyone here "I managed to kill one, or at least wound her, before they got me. I think after a while of me telling them I didn't know where you were, they finally believed me and left."
"Ozemon!" Khessa expresses all her relief in one word, while continuing to rub any remaining bruises with cold water for a moment "I'm so glad they didn't kill you!" she hugs him with enthusiasm and kisses him impulsively on the cheek "You are... unique! It would have been so much easier and less risky for you to collaborate with them and help them capture T'bitha... but no, you reacted, you risked and, unfortunately, you even suffered in order to protect one of your employees" there is sincere and deep admiration in her blue eyes. "It's people like you who make Weskeilia worthy of existing!"
"So you killed (or at least injured) one of them!" the blonde arcane warrior pats the historian on the shoulder "Well done! Maybe we have one less to worry about. We called the guards, they should be on their way, I was hoping to catch the invaders still here and finish them once and for all now... but well, we'll have to finish them later. For we will not have T'bitha flee. If she can not be safe here, in the capital, with powerful friends like you, Ozemon, where should we take her to get her more safe? No matter how secret the place, for the drow to track her down would only be a matter of time... and after they track her down, T'bitha would have far fewer resources available to defend herself. No, we must end it here. Mustering as much help we can from the authorities. They want T'bitha so badly? Well... then we will give her to them!"
"Ozemon," the tall warrior wizard starts to explain "the drow of the Underdark are not only a danger for T'bitha. They are a danger for the whole Whiteridge and Rivenis Kingdom! They are no more content of crawling in the dark like worms; they come to the surface with all too great regularity and threaten the civilization of the surface dwellers! Not only they raided and wiped out many small villages, including Twardens, my own; they also strike in the cities, even in the capital, behaving like masters, arrogating the right to kidnap, punish, kill whoever they want. If this isn't a declaration of war (or at least a threat of war) I don't know what it can be! Wake Up! If we let them act as masters... how long will it be before they decide to really become our masters?! Ozemon, you are an influential person in this city. it is essential that you convince the king, the authorities, or I don't know who, of the facts I have explained to you. We need the support of the authorities".
"With the support of the authorities, we can set up a trap for the drow tasked to catch T'bitha. I think one of us has some connection to the slums” she fixes her blue eyes on Dimitri. “Now, let's imagine that T'bitha, is scared. That she no longer trusts being here. That she is helped by a certain person to find accommodation in the slums. Suppose then that this person betrays T'bitha, possibly also providing (for a fee, maybe) the right ears with information about where she is. I imagine our drow friends would rush to 'visit' her before she can escape them again. But if a patrol of guards were hidden nearby, we could withstand the initial onslaught as the guards ring the place (and the drow). Then, the drow have nowhere to escape. We and the guards make short work of them and close the matter once and for all. Let's do it this way, guys! We can have plenty of resources here, We will not be in a better position elsewhere".
"Perhaps," Khessa admits, "in time the drow could send more of them, but for a while they would have no way of knowing that their first expedition failed. And secondly, we will have dealt a blow to their strength and morale in the meantime. They may start to think twice, in the future, before sending expeditions to the surface. We will not only benefit T'bitha, but the whole kingdom, in the end. This might also bring a reward, if someone is wondering what we have to gain. So? What do you think? We agree? We have concerns?"