Drexon, you reach into Fenton's mind and you slam your psychic might at him as quick as a whip. Fenton staggers back as blood drips down from his nose and his attack whiffs off into the ceiling. He looks disorientated and you take the time to do another psychic whip at him. As soon as you do so, darkness bisects the room, hiding you, Cob, and the hostages from view.
Eremoz, with purpose you stride toward the guard leader, adding to his fear by roaring with all your might as you swing your temporary hammer at him.
Q4
Guard 9 Action:Multiattack: Hammer. To Hit: 15. Damage: - bludgeoning damage to Eremoz. Guard 9 Action:Multiattack: Hammer. To Hit: 16. Damage: 5 bludgeoning damage to Eremoz. Guard 9 Action:Multiattack: Hammer. To Hit: 7. Damage: - bludgeoning damage to Eremoz.
Fenton Action:Multiattack: Eldritch Lash. To Hit: 17. Damage: 4 force damage to Eremoz. Chain Damage: one civilian dead. Fenton Action: Multiattack: Eldritch Lash. To Hit: 5. Damage: - force damage to Cob.
"Damn animal," the guard leader grunts. He collects his courage and attacks Eremoz head-on despite his trembling form. Hatred drives him. Eremoz, you can see the disdain in his eyes when he looks at anyone who is not a human. An errant thought cross your mind that perhaps the goal of Fenton and this guard is to rid anyone that is not human from Mantagard. "If I'm dying here, it wouldn't be from a beast like you."
Fenton, understanding how the spell Cob cast works, aims to the midpoint of the darkness. The spell illuminates the darkness momentarily, whizzing past Cob harmlessly and striking the door. With a grumble, he whips his hand toward a more visible target, Eremoz. In his desperation to rid himself of these foreigners, his spell once again sparks off and strikes a guest, heavily injuring them.
Dvark, covered by darkness, murmurs a prayer to the Dusk Weaver and slams his hand to the floor. From within the darkness, a warm glow of the evening sunlight encases the sphere of darkness, giving it a soft glowing rim. As soon as the light touches the guests, they begin to feel calm and collected. The one who is heavily injured from Fenton's attack sighs a breath of relief as their pain is washed away by the light. Slowly, one by one, the guests start to stand and hobble away toward the door under the cover of Cob's darkness. Their paralysis seems to have been temporarily diminished by Dvark's divine invocation. Cob, from within the darkness, you can see that whatever Dvark did costs him very much. The orc looks pale and in some sort of a trance.
{{Everybody gains 1d8 temp hp every turn as long as you are within 30 feet of Dvark, which is practically every turn because the width of the room is about 60 feet and the length is about 90 feet. Do your reaction if you have any. I'll amend the actions and results on the next Q4.}}
Drexon moves along the wall heading west, and uses his magic to undertake a conversation seemingly from within the darkness. From a spot within the darkness he knows to be vacant.
"However you thought your little revolution would go when you planned it, has not come to pass. This little coup of yours has failed. Surrender now, all of you, or join those innocents you have wantonly murdered".
Movement: 15ft west along the wall (assuming Cob went the other way) Action: Cast Minor Illusion to speak the words above as if from an unoccupied spot within the darkness. Special: Temp Hit Points: 3
Eremoz pauses, hearing Drexon’s message. He readies himself and closely watches the guard leader, who has already shown that he is willing to take the violence further.
Readied Action: Attack on guard leader, if he makes any shows of aggression.
{{Cob, I'm assuming you're also readying an action, so I'll post the Q4.}}
Q4
"That is only because you lack vision," Fenton comments. "And, for the record, they are not really innocent. No one in this room is innocent. Why do you think it is easy to organize this plan? Why do you think it is easy to slip a paralytic poison into everyone's drinks and food? You don't think we do it on our own, do you? No, no, no, we have help. Some of our helpers are in this very room with us, albeit a little bit shy when everything is aired out, aren't they?"
"You talk too much, Fenton," the guard leader interrupts before Fenton can go on a rant. "Kill these foreigners. It's that simple. We can blame them for causing this. Who will the city guards believe? These foreigners, or us, a member of the community?" He doesn't wait for any further prompting before striking Eremoz again.
Guard 9 Action:Multiattack: Hammer. To Hit: 12. Damage: - bludgeoning damage to Eremoz. Guard 9 Action:Multiattack: Hammer. To Hit: 16. Damage: 4 bludgeoning damage to Eremoz. Guard 9 Action:Multiattack: Hammer. To Hit: 24. Damage: 9 bludgeoning damage to Eremoz.
Fenton Action: Dash Movement.
"You fool!" Fenton growls. With the guard leader's action, the thought that there could be some negotiation or some time to think of a plan goes out of the window. He only has two choices: to fight or to flee to fight another day. He looks at Hotis and finds no response. With a final growl, he rushes out of the grand room toward the eastern side of the manor. With the cacophony and the darkness, Eremoz, you are the only one who sees this.
{{So, darkness was cast in, I think, round 6. This one is round 7. Your readied action/reaction happens. We're coming up to round 8. Cob, if you have a readied action for this round (round 7), post it together with your Round 8 action.}}
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Cob lets the crackling energy build but holds it in case Fenton and the guard captain actually listen to Drexon but at the first sign they don't and before Guard Leader brings his weapon up fully, he lets the bolt go.
Hearing the exchange between the guard leader and Fenton, and the sounds of more fighting, Drexon soon realises his efforts to end this without further violence had not gone well. He continues to move around to the west and then north, trying to get out of the darkness, knowing there was nothing he could do without being able to see.
As he moves, he reaches out to Eremoz over their telepathic link, "What is happening?".
Movement: 35ft west then north
(OOC: Will carry on the turn once I know if he exits the darkness and what he sees if he does).
Eremoz sees the guard leader fall and without a thought, he sprints after Fenton. Going after Fenton. He moves as fast as his body will allow. With the adrenaline from the fight still surging, he lunges at Fenton. Eremoz dives on top of him and does his best to utilize his large form and restrain the interloper.
Full movement: 35 feet.
Action: Dash to Fenton
Action Surge: Grapple Fenton with advantage from Giant’s Might
Eremoz and Cob retaliate in kind as the guard leader remains confrontational despite Fenton's reluctance at Drexon's words. With a final mighty blast from within the darkness and Eremoz's massive form blocking most of the guard leader's sight, the eldritch energy slams into the guard leader's head and flings him back to hit the wall. He slumps to the ground as his head is cracked open from the impact.
Seeing the guard leader down, Eremoz rushes toward the eastern side door just in time to see Fenton rushing toward a window. With a grunt and a burst of speed, he catches up and grabs him by the collar. The abrupt speed change causes Fenton to slam to the ground with Eremoz on top of him.
Seeing no way out, Fenton stops struggling and lets out a long sigh. "Very well, then," Fenton says defeatedly, "I know when I am beaten. Prison or not, I know my time is limited with this failure."
Back in the room, Drexon and Cob, you two can tell that despite the battle ending, there is still something amiss. Hotis Garaton, the Grand Mason of the Verdant Mason, is still standing by the door, albeit no longer looking at it quite intently but remaining calm and watchful. He nods, particularly at Cob as if he can see through the magical darkness, looking a little bit relieved at the civilians who are slowly picking themselves up and shambling out of the grand room due to Dvark's powerful invocation.
Dvark himself is still kneeling on the ground. Cob, you are the only one who can see that the orc is looking exhausted and in pain. He had alluded that he was researching about an illness before, but you are just now realizing that he is the one who is sick. You can see veins of green and yellow veins bulging from his neck, akin to the people you've seen infected by the Meanwhiles when you escape the Re-Shop Mall at the beginning of your journey.
Karm remains unmoving and with only a glance you can tell that your scholarly friend is no longer with you. He has departed. However, the reddish glow around his body suddenly expands abruptly, surrounding him akin to a cocoon, and changes into a bright prismatic light.
Drexon watches as the guard leader drops and Eremoz chases down Fenton, relaxing only slightly as his attention then turns towards the Grand Mason, who might not have joined the violence but certainly a part of this attempted coup.
"Grand Mason, I would ask that you also stand down and explain your part in this", he says as he walks towards him cautiously, knowing from earlier he not to be trifled with. It is then he notices what is happening to the body of Karm, and stops his advance to watch as the cocoon of light engulfs his companions body.
"What the...?!", he exclaims as he tries to make sense of what he is seeing.
"A supervisor, if you would," Hotis says. "The truth is that today's excursion was not planned by me. Fenton, the child that he is, went behind my back with this foolishness, but I managed to take a magically enforced contract from him that he would only take the lives of the people that he had listed. That list included all three Clarents and Mayor Ute. I am honestly surprised that he found a loophole in the contract by bringing in his nemesis, the one your friend killed last. I am sure his presence here is deliberate as he would not go with whatever Fenton had said, case in point the cold-blooded murder of your friend there who is curiously glowing. Fascinating."
Hotis doesn't move from his place, but he cranes his neck to see Karm better. "Powerful magic," he comments. "It is not divine or arcane magic. The taste is different. While I cannot tell what is currently happening to him because of my speciality in artifice and not arcane study, I can tell that it is ancient magic. Although, I can tell that it is not necromantic magic. Unfortunately, despite what is happening to your friend there, your friend is already dead."
"I am certain the Mayor and the Clarents will be relieved to hear you were only accepting of their deaths, that will be of huge comfort", Drexon replies with a touch of sarcasm. "Are you not worried about repercussions of that?".
With regards Karm, he masks his feelings a little better, waiting for Cob and Eremoz to join them and merely staring at the cocoon and racking his brain to see if he has seen anything like this before.
"What's one or three lives compared to the death of everyone in this manor?" Hotis wonders. "What's a few life in exchange for the survival of this city? And what's the worth of a city if its annihilation would pave the path to prosperity in the world? You will come to learn these lessons. Your friend, there, the one who invoked this twilight zone, should understand. The acolytes of the Night Mother are known in certain circles to preemptively strike against those who dove too deeply into necromancy to prevent the rise of the undeath even if they have to massacre an entire city. Because the alternative is an apocalyptic event."
"What I did, I did because the alternative is worst. The alternative is the destruction of this manor and everyone in it. The Scarlet Barony didn't just come upon the cache of black market goods by chance. The lack of guards in the western part of the manor is also not because of luck. I may be the Grand Mason, but a higher power is playing with pawns and I tried my hardest to prevent these pawns from eliminating the other pieces on the board. Secrecy is key and the game is long. Fenton is but one of the few pawns used in this game. I too am a piece on the board. Now, you too have been added to the board. The question is: will you pick a side in this game, create your own faction, or flip the board and change the game entirely?"
"Mayor Ute will understand my reasoning. In the end, this is the best outcome with only two civilian deaths. Perhaps a few injuries to the people fighting outside the estate if what I heard from Fenton is correct that he had commissioned several people to incite a riot outside. Even if I am to be imprisoned, I am content to stay in prison after the stressful years I had wrangling Fenton and his friends. I suppose it is time for the Verdant Mason to close before its wealth and research are exploited by more nefarious organization. Dealing with the Residuum is already exhausting as it is."
Drexon, you try a few things. You try casting your psychic probe toward the cocoon, but it passess through harmlessly without picking up any mind or familiar magic. You try to touch it, and it is solid. You have never seen anything like it, but the presence of the enery surrounding Karm reminds you of thatsame feeling you felt during that first few moments you open your eyes in the middle of nowhere and cannot remember anything but your name.
Cob lets the darkness fall and flutters over to Karm, placing a hand on his cocoon for a moment trying to connect the wizard with the webs of energy Hyrsam and the ancients have. He doesn't expect it to work, but it's the only thing close to healing power he has (casts Spare the Dying).
He then goes over to check on Dvark. "We need to get you some help, big man," Cob says, looking up at the orc. "You're not looking so great. I wonder if that blood sucker who worked on Drexie could whip something up for you."
Eremoz returns to his normal size and places Fenton in an escort hold. “The more you struggle, the more this will hurt. Now walk.”
After a minute of speaking to Fenton, they to the others. He scans over the casualties, living and dead. “We should get Lady Zelena. She will want to know what happened.”
Drexon listens intently to what the Grand Mason says, some of which makes hi wonder if the Grand Mason thinks they know more than they actually do, but he doesn't want to give that away.
"You speak of a grand game, but we are merely a group of people hired to work security at a party", he replies. "Perhaps we could speak more about this though, once everything is sorted out. I would even visit you in prison if that helps", he adds with a smile.
When Eremoz mentions Lady Zelena he looks around. "I guess we should, and also let Lord Daven and Lord David know it is safe to come out", he says and moves to the door which the Grand Mason was trying to open and knocks on it.
"Lord Daven, Lord David. It is safe to open the door", he calls through.
Dvark shakes his head. "The invocation was too powerful," he says with a long, heavy sigh. "I'm afraid I will not be able to continue with you. I have to find answers and I cannot find it here. The Goddess... she spoke to me when I invoked her power. She knows that we're not from this time. I cannot follow you to Saikhan, friend. The answer I seek lies on the other side of the continent and I need to find it fast. Don't worry. We will meet again in the future. Be it in the near future or the far future. I just know we will meet again one last time."
With a nod, Fenton stands up, still grasped by Eremoz, and walks with him back into the grand room. He grimaces when he sees the three dead bodies in the room. You notice a hint of regret in his eyes, but there is also a veil of resolve and understanding that it is an acceptable cost for what he's trying to do.
Eremoz, when you see the chrysalis around Karm's fallen body, you recognize the feeling it emits. You were once filled with the same energy when a dying Ancient touched you and bestowed upon you some vocabularies of Primordial runes. For a brief moment, a runic symbol of the sun pops up in your mind. This chrysalis, however it came to be here, is Ancient or Primordial in origin.
"If I am to be imprisoned, you are welcome to visit me," Hotis nods. "If not, you should visit Vortesso. I hear a tea shop there has a magnificent blend of jasmine. And, I suppose we will see each other again in Timaril during the unveiling of the Jeweled Tower. My alarm spell has been triggered. The Rangers are coming through the gate now. I will present my case to them."
"An advise," Hotis adds, "if you would hear it. The coins you are using have not been made or distributed yet. The mint would not be released until next year. Not many will notice the difference, but some parties will recognize this peculiarity. It makes you stand out, enough to be considered a new player on the board. Be careful. I suggest, with your newfound connection with the Clarent and upcoming payment for this well-done work, you use the money specific for this time period."
Hotis starts to walk out of the grand room calmly if no one tries to stop him. On the way, he gives a curt nod at Fenton, "I suppose you understand your position now, Fenton. The days where I cover up your mistakes are over. You will have to deal with the consequences yourself from now on."
Drexon, when you call out, you hear no response. They are maybe too far away from the door to hear you. The original plan you made did say that in the case of an attack, the Clarent should try to retreat to the mausoleum, which is in the middle of the back garden, about 120 ft. to 150 ft. away.
Cob, as you cast your spell, the chrysalis glows brighter before it shatters into motes of light. Within it, you see Karm's body slowly disintegrating into light. The motes of light coalesce and form a sphere before the sphere cracks open. Inside the sphere, you and the people still in the grand room see four sleeping babies, each with a different skin colour and elements swirling around them. A red-skinned baby has plumes of fire for hair. A blue-skinned baby has ice and snowflakes swirling around them. A pale-skinned baby has its lower extremities alternating between flesh and a small whirlwind. And lastly, an earthen-skinned baby has vines for hair and crystals for eyes. Each of the babies then slowly glows with their elements before they each hardened to form a gemstone the size of an adult's palm.
For a moment, the gemstones hovered in place before three of them flew off into the distance. A blue gemstone speeds toward the far west. A white gemstone flies high into the sky before moving south. An orange-brown gemstone takes a jaunt to the east. A red gemstone, the last of them, just hovers in place before you.
Cob reaches out and takes hold of the red gemstone. Whether or not it's Karm's last gift to them, it feels good to at least keep part of him near for now until they figure out what all of that means.
Cob, when you touch the gemstone and cradle it in your palm, you see a scene being played on the surface of the gemstone. It is a very brief scene, one moment it is there and another it is gone. You see a gargantuan archway, not so different than the one you found in Bast Trench but much, much larger. Stepping out of the archway is a huge blurry figure without any discernable features accompanied by a smaller feminine figure with wings made of light sprouting from her back and a crown of fire hovering just a few inches above her head.
The gemstone is magical with a semi-sentience. It seems to prompt you to bond with it, but there is a reluctance from the gem itself after a while. It gives off the sense that you are not strong enough yet to fully wield it if you so desire.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Eremoz gives knowing nod to Dvark. He swings the hammer down on the guard leader.
To hit: 20 Damage: 6+2=8
Following his swing, he lets out a tremendous roar from his giant form.
Daunting Roar - Guard leader has to make a Wis Save 13. On a failure, they are frightened of me until the end of my next turn.
Q1
Drexon, you reach into Fenton's mind and you slam your psychic might at him as quick as a whip. Fenton staggers back as blood drips down from his nose and his attack whiffs off into the ceiling. He looks disorientated and you take the time to do another psychic whip at him. As soon as you do so, darkness bisects the room, hiding you, Cob, and the hostages from view.
Eremoz, with purpose you stride toward the guard leader, adding to his fear by roaring with all your might as you swing your temporary hammer at him.
Q4
"Damn animal," the guard leader grunts. He collects his courage and attacks Eremoz head-on despite his trembling form. Hatred drives him. Eremoz, you can see the disdain in his eyes when he looks at anyone who is not a human. An errant thought cross your mind that perhaps the goal of Fenton and this guard is to rid anyone that is not human from Mantagard. "If I'm dying here, it wouldn't be from a beast like you."
Fenton, understanding how the spell Cob cast works, aims to the midpoint of the darkness. The spell illuminates the darkness momentarily, whizzing past Cob harmlessly and striking the door. With a grumble, he whips his hand toward a more visible target, Eremoz. In his desperation to rid himself of these foreigners, his spell once again sparks off and strikes a guest, heavily injuring them.
Dvark, covered by darkness, murmurs a prayer to the Dusk Weaver and slams his hand to the floor. From within the darkness, a warm glow of the evening sunlight encases the sphere of darkness, giving it a soft glowing rim. As soon as the light touches the guests, they begin to feel calm and collected. The one who is heavily injured from Fenton's attack sighs a breath of relief as their pain is washed away by the light. Slowly, one by one, the guests start to stand and hobble away toward the door under the cover of Cob's darkness. Their paralysis seems to have been temporarily diminished by Dvark's divine invocation. Cob, from within the darkness, you can see that whatever Dvark did costs him very much. The orc looks pale and in some sort of a trance.
{{Everybody gains 1d8 temp hp every turn as long as you are within 30 feet of Dvark, which is practically every turn because the width of the room is about 60 feet and the length is about 90 feet. Do your reaction if you have any. I'll amend the actions and results on the next Q4.}}
Drexon moves along the wall heading west, and uses his magic to undertake a conversation seemingly from within the darkness. From a spot within the darkness he knows to be vacant.
"However you thought your little revolution would go when you planned it, has not come to pass. This little coup of yours has failed. Surrender now, all of you, or join those innocents you have wantonly murdered".
Movement: 15ft west along the wall (assuming Cob went the other way)
Action: Cast Minor Illusion to speak the words above as if from an unoccupied spot within the darkness.
Special: Temp Hit Points: 3
Eremoz pauses, hearing Drexon’s message. He readies himself and closely watches the guard leader, who has already shown that he is willing to take the violence further.
Readied Action: Attack on guard leader, if he makes any shows of aggression.
In case it triggers.To hit: 23 Damage: 9+4=13
{{Cob, I'm assuming you're also readying an action, so I'll post the Q4.}}
Q4
"That is only because you lack vision," Fenton comments. "And, for the record, they are not really innocent. No one in this room is innocent. Why do you think it is easy to organize this plan? Why do you think it is easy to slip a paralytic poison into everyone's drinks and food? You don't think we do it on our own, do you? No, no, no, we have help. Some of our helpers are in this very room with us, albeit a little bit shy when everything is aired out, aren't they?"
"You talk too much, Fenton," the guard leader interrupts before Fenton can go on a rant. "Kill these foreigners. It's that simple. We can blame them for causing this. Who will the city guards believe? These foreigners, or us, a member of the community?" He doesn't wait for any further prompting before striking Eremoz again.
"You fool!" Fenton growls. With the guard leader's action, the thought that there could be some negotiation or some time to think of a plan goes out of the window. He only has two choices: to fight or to flee to fight another day. He looks at Hotis and finds no response. With a final growl, he rushes out of the grand room toward the eastern side of the manor. With the cacophony and the darkness, Eremoz, you are the only one who sees this.
{{So, darkness was cast in, I think, round 6. This one is round 7. Your readied action/reaction happens. We're coming up to round 8. Cob, if you have a readied action for this round (round 7), post it together with your Round 8 action.}}
Cob lets the crackling energy build but holds it in case Fenton and the guard captain actually listen to Drexon but at the first sign they don't and before Guard Leader brings his weapon up fully, he lets the bolt go.
Reaction - Eldritch Blast on Guard Leader - Attack: 21 Damage: 12
Then before the guard captain can swing again, Cob brushes across the strings of his fiddle, letting the energy quickly recharge and release.
Action - Eldritch Blast on Guard Leader - Attack: 14 Damage: 7
(Cob sees through the darkness - would he see where Fenton went?)
Hearing the exchange between the guard leader and Fenton, and the sounds of more fighting, Drexon soon realises his efforts to end this without further violence had not gone well. He continues to move around to the west and then north, trying to get out of the darkness, knowing there was nothing he could do without being able to see.
As he moves, he reaches out to Eremoz over their telepathic link, "What is happening?".
Movement: 35ft west then north
(OOC: Will carry on the turn once I know if he exits the darkness and what he sees if he does).
Eremoz sees the guard leader fall and without a thought, he sprints after Fenton. Going after Fenton. He moves as fast as his body will allow. With the adrenaline from the fight still surging, he lunges at Fenton. Eremoz dives on top of him and does his best to utilize his large form and restrain the interloper.
Full movement: 35 feet.
Action: Dash to Fenton
Action Surge: Grapple Fenton with advantage from Giant’s Might
Athletics: 20
Temp hit points: 5
(Temp HP Round 8: 7 , Temp HP Round 9: 8 )
Eremoz and Cob retaliate in kind as the guard leader remains confrontational despite Fenton's reluctance at Drexon's words. With a final mighty blast from within the darkness and Eremoz's massive form blocking most of the guard leader's sight, the eldritch energy slams into the guard leader's head and flings him back to hit the wall. He slumps to the ground as his head is cracked open from the impact.
Seeing the guard leader down, Eremoz rushes toward the eastern side door just in time to see Fenton rushing toward a window. With a grunt and a burst of speed, he catches up and grabs him by the collar. The abrupt speed change causes Fenton to slam to the ground with Eremoz on top of him.
Seeing no way out, Fenton stops struggling and lets out a long sigh. "Very well, then," Fenton says defeatedly, "I know when I am beaten. Prison or not, I know my time is limited with this failure."
Back in the room, Drexon and Cob, you two can tell that despite the battle ending, there is still something amiss. Hotis Garaton, the Grand Mason of the Verdant Mason, is still standing by the door, albeit no longer looking at it quite intently but remaining calm and watchful. He nods, particularly at Cob as if he can see through the magical darkness, looking a little bit relieved at the civilians who are slowly picking themselves up and shambling out of the grand room due to Dvark's powerful invocation.
Dvark himself is still kneeling on the ground. Cob, you are the only one who can see that the orc is looking exhausted and in pain. He had alluded that he was researching about an illness before, but you are just now realizing that he is the one who is sick. You can see veins of green and yellow veins bulging from his neck, akin to the people you've seen infected by the Meanwhiles when you escape the Re-Shop Mall at the beginning of your journey.
Karm remains unmoving and with only a glance you can tell that your scholarly friend is no longer with you. He has departed. However, the reddish glow around his body suddenly expands abruptly, surrounding him akin to a cocoon, and changes into a bright prismatic light.
{{The combat officially ends.}}
Drexon watches as the guard leader drops and Eremoz chases down Fenton, relaxing only slightly as his attention then turns towards the Grand Mason, who might not have joined the violence but certainly a part of this attempted coup.
"Grand Mason, I would ask that you also stand down and explain your part in this", he says as he walks towards him cautiously, knowing from earlier he not to be trifled with. It is then he notices what is happening to the body of Karm, and stops his advance to watch as the cocoon of light engulfs his companions body.
"What the...?!", he exclaims as he tries to make sense of what he is seeing.
"A supervisor, if you would," Hotis says. "The truth is that today's excursion was not planned by me. Fenton, the child that he is, went behind my back with this foolishness, but I managed to take a magically enforced contract from him that he would only take the lives of the people that he had listed. That list included all three Clarents and Mayor Ute. I am honestly surprised that he found a loophole in the contract by bringing in his nemesis, the one your friend killed last. I am sure his presence here is deliberate as he would not go with whatever Fenton had said, case in point the cold-blooded murder of your friend there who is curiously glowing. Fascinating."
Hotis doesn't move from his place, but he cranes his neck to see Karm better. "Powerful magic," he comments. "It is not divine or arcane magic. The taste is different. While I cannot tell what is currently happening to him because of my speciality in artifice and not arcane study, I can tell that it is ancient magic. Although, I can tell that it is not necromantic magic. Unfortunately, despite what is happening to your friend there, your friend is already dead."
"I am certain the Mayor and the Clarents will be relieved to hear you were only accepting of their deaths, that will be of huge comfort", Drexon replies with a touch of sarcasm. "Are you not worried about repercussions of that?".
With regards Karm, he masks his feelings a little better, waiting for Cob and Eremoz to join them and merely staring at the cocoon and racking his brain to see if he has seen anything like this before.
Arcana (with Guidance): 8+2+2=12
"What's one or three lives compared to the death of everyone in this manor?" Hotis wonders. "What's a few life in exchange for the survival of this city? And what's the worth of a city if its annihilation would pave the path to prosperity in the world? You will come to learn these lessons. Your friend, there, the one who invoked this twilight zone, should understand. The acolytes of the Night Mother are known in certain circles to preemptively strike against those who dove too deeply into necromancy to prevent the rise of the undeath even if they have to massacre an entire city. Because the alternative is an apocalyptic event."
"What I did, I did because the alternative is worst. The alternative is the destruction of this manor and everyone in it. The Scarlet Barony didn't just come upon the cache of black market goods by chance. The lack of guards in the western part of the manor is also not because of luck. I may be the Grand Mason, but a higher power is playing with pawns and I tried my hardest to prevent these pawns from eliminating the other pieces on the board. Secrecy is key and the game is long. Fenton is but one of the few pawns used in this game. I too am a piece on the board. Now, you too have been added to the board. The question is: will you pick a side in this game, create your own faction, or flip the board and change the game entirely?"
"Mayor Ute will understand my reasoning. In the end, this is the best outcome with only two civilian deaths. Perhaps a few injuries to the people fighting outside the estate if what I heard from Fenton is correct that he had commissioned several people to incite a riot outside. Even if I am to be imprisoned, I am content to stay in prison after the stressful years I had wrangling Fenton and his friends. I suppose it is time for the Verdant Mason to close before its wealth and research are exploited by more nefarious organization. Dealing with the Residuum is already exhausting as it is."
Drexon, you try a few things. You try casting your psychic probe toward the cocoon, but it passess through harmlessly without picking up any mind or familiar magic. You try to touch it, and it is solid. You have never seen anything like it, but the presence of the enery surrounding Karm reminds you of thatsame feeling you felt during that first few moments you open your eyes in the middle of nowhere and cannot remember anything but your name.
Cob lets the darkness fall and flutters over to Karm, placing a hand on his cocoon for a moment trying to connect the wizard with the webs of energy Hyrsam and the ancients have. He doesn't expect it to work, but it's the only thing close to healing power he has (casts Spare the Dying).
He then goes over to check on Dvark. "We need to get you some help, big man," Cob says, looking up at the orc. "You're not looking so great. I wonder if that blood sucker who worked on Drexie could whip something up for you."
Eremoz returns to his normal size and places Fenton in an escort hold. “The more you struggle, the more this will hurt. Now walk.”
After a minute of speaking to Fenton, they to the others. He scans over the casualties, living and dead. “We should get Lady Zelena. She will want to know what happened.”
Drexon listens intently to what the Grand Mason says, some of which makes hi wonder if the Grand Mason thinks they know more than they actually do, but he doesn't want to give that away.
"You speak of a grand game, but we are merely a group of people hired to work security at a party", he replies. "Perhaps we could speak more about this though, once everything is sorted out. I would even visit you in prison if that helps", he adds with a smile.
When Eremoz mentions Lady Zelena he looks around. "I guess we should, and also let Lord Daven and Lord David know it is safe to come out", he says and moves to the door which the Grand Mason was trying to open and knocks on it.
"Lord Daven, Lord David. It is safe to open the door", he calls through.
Dvark shakes his head. "The invocation was too powerful," he says with a long, heavy sigh. "I'm afraid I will not be able to continue with you. I have to find answers and I cannot find it here. The Goddess... she spoke to me when I invoked her power. She knows that we're not from this time. I cannot follow you to Saikhan, friend. The answer I seek lies on the other side of the continent and I need to find it fast. Don't worry. We will meet again in the future. Be it in the near future or the far future. I just know we will meet again one last time."
With a nod, Fenton stands up, still grasped by Eremoz, and walks with him back into the grand room. He grimaces when he sees the three dead bodies in the room. You notice a hint of regret in his eyes, but there is also a veil of resolve and understanding that it is an acceptable cost for what he's trying to do.
Eremoz, when you see the chrysalis around Karm's fallen body, you recognize the feeling it emits. You were once filled with the same energy when a dying Ancient touched you and bestowed upon you some vocabularies of Primordial runes. For a brief moment, a runic symbol of the sun pops up in your mind. This chrysalis, however it came to be here, is Ancient or Primordial in origin.
"If I am to be imprisoned, you are welcome to visit me," Hotis nods. "If not, you should visit Vortesso. I hear a tea shop there has a magnificent blend of jasmine. And, I suppose we will see each other again in Timaril during the unveiling of the Jeweled Tower. My alarm spell has been triggered. The Rangers are coming through the gate now. I will present my case to them."
"An advise," Hotis adds, "if you would hear it. The coins you are using have not been made or distributed yet. The mint would not be released until next year. Not many will notice the difference, but some parties will recognize this peculiarity. It makes you stand out, enough to be considered a new player on the board. Be careful. I suggest, with your newfound connection with the Clarent and upcoming payment for this well-done work, you use the money specific for this time period."
Hotis starts to walk out of the grand room calmly if no one tries to stop him. On the way, he gives a curt nod at Fenton, "I suppose you understand your position now, Fenton. The days where I cover up your mistakes are over. You will have to deal with the consequences yourself from now on."
Drexon, when you call out, you hear no response. They are maybe too far away from the door to hear you. The original plan you made did say that in the case of an attack, the Clarent should try to retreat to the mausoleum, which is in the middle of the back garden, about 120 ft. to 150 ft. away.
Cob, as you cast your spell, the chrysalis glows brighter before it shatters into motes of light. Within it, you see Karm's body slowly disintegrating into light. The motes of light coalesce and form a sphere before the sphere cracks open. Inside the sphere, you and the people still in the grand room see four sleeping babies, each with a different skin colour and elements swirling around them. A red-skinned baby has plumes of fire for hair. A blue-skinned baby has ice and snowflakes swirling around them. A pale-skinned baby has its lower extremities alternating between flesh and a small whirlwind. And lastly, an earthen-skinned baby has vines for hair and crystals for eyes. Each of the babies then slowly glows with their elements before they each hardened to form a gemstone the size of an adult's palm.
For a moment, the gemstones hovered in place before three of them flew off into the distance. A blue gemstone speeds toward the far west. A white gemstone flies high into the sky before moving south. An orange-brown gemstone takes a jaunt to the east. A red gemstone, the last of them, just hovers in place before you.
Cob reaches out and takes hold of the red gemstone. Whether or not it's Karm's last gift to them, it feels good to at least keep part of him near for now until they figure out what all of that means.
Cob, when you touch the gemstone and cradle it in your palm, you see a scene being played on the surface of the gemstone. It is a very brief scene, one moment it is there and another it is gone. You see a gargantuan archway, not so different than the one you found in Bast Trench but much, much larger. Stepping out of the archway is a huge blurry figure without any discernable features accompanied by a smaller feminine figure with wings made of light sprouting from her back and a crown of fire hovering just a few inches above her head.
The gemstone is magical with a semi-sentience. It seems to prompt you to bond with it, but there is a reluctance from the gem itself after a while. It gives off the sense that you are not strong enough yet to fully wield it if you so desire.