Heavy is the Head - Campaign thread

"I wish to. Bury. My body. Under. The. Stars.                       If. This. Is. In. Accordance. With. SHA-GRAVIS's. Goddess. Then. He. Can. Bury. It.               I. Am. Not affiliated. With. Any. Particular. God.      However. If. The. Body. Must. Be. Sacrificed. To. These. Men. To. Save. A. Living. Person. Then. That. Is. OK.           I. Would. Also. Like. To. Prevent. This. Man. From. Finding. His. So.called. runaways.      He. Sounds. Cruel.            I. Fear. That. Strixwell. Would. Be. Able. To. Extract. Secrets. From. The. Body.             How. It. Would. React. To. A. Speak. With. Dead. Spell. Is. An. Experiment. I. Have. Not. Conducted.         Theoretically. The. Soul. Is. In. Me, not. In. The. Afterlife.             There. Is. Some. Academic. Disagreement. About whether. Such. Spells. Access. The. Soul. Or. Only. The. Body.         I. Would. Go. On. But. Speaking still. Takes. Effort."

The construct's speaking is already becoming slightly more natural, with some words having a little better flow. This is not the case for Sha-Gravis' name, which it says by stringing together many brief sound recordings.

A woman's scream can be heard outside. Eliza has been discovered, and she is afraid.

- I hadn't considered she would be able to speak to your dead body. In that case it is imperative that we do not hand it. Why don't you keep it here somewhere? The rest can advance while you hide it.

Saoirse freezes for an instant when she hear Eliza's scream. She didn't like the wizard one bit, but she just couldn't stand cold-blooded violence without doing anything. She urged the rest to move towards the voices...

Hemlock makes his way to the door, but let's Lam and Saoirse take the lead.

"I do not like the sound of that. I do not think diplomacy will be an option with whoever these folk are. It may be best to strike hard and fast".

Lam listens to the construct, carefully considering its words. One unintended consequence of the still-developing flow in the construct’s voice is that the slower speech is easier for Lam to follow, even with the tone of voice being altered from a normal person’s speech. It sounds like it’s important for these people not to find Fitzwhistle’s body, and probably best if they don’t figure out who the construct is supposed to be either.

Lam has tensed up, holding his greataxe. He briefly locks eyes with Saoirse when he hears the scream and takes the look on her face as permission for him to advance- without waiting to hear what Hemlock is saying, he silently tries to open the door and stalk towards the voices.

Lam sneaks gracefully through the door, and stalks towards Eliza after the three men. He slips effortlessly between the shadows - even when they seem to small for a man his size to possibly fit. A light suddenly flashes in his eye - and he looks up to se Ali perched above Eliza in a tree, angling an arrowhead to reflects the moonlight and catch Lam's attention. His back flat against the trunk. Ali nods, his bow strung tight. He is ready, should you give the signal.

The three men could not be more different. One is a firbolg, but dressed in a way that immediately suggests he has no connection to the culture Hemlock is from. His hair is shaved down to a thin green fuzz, and he wears a leather jerkin still splattered with blood from his last fight - short sleeves reveal arms bulging with muscle, and his stance suggests that he is ready to use it. He carries no visible weapon - but those hands are a weapon of their own. The second, tall and thin, could be human or elf - hard to tell in the dim light. He carries a rapier as thin and straight as himself, which moves as if it were an extension of his own self. The third is short for a human, but does not have a dwarf's stoutness or the ears of a gnome or halfling. It is his oily voice that was clearly in charge. He is enjoying Eliza's predicament, and talking to himself as much as to her.

"Well, well, well. My second-most promising ward, run away from home and immediately caught up in something too big for her to handle. You owe me for taking you in from the streets, for training you, and you think to just run off! It seems like you'll have to relearn some discipline, we clearly were not hard enough when you were a child. And we'll of course have to add some years of service for me saving you now."

"No, no... it was for you! For the guild... I would have brought the bounty back to you. I know that I am yours. Please, please, I remember discipline. I'll be good." Eliza is terrified of this man, and her voice is higher when talking to him. She seems a scared child.

"None of that nonsense now. I know why you ran off, sweetling. Didn't you trust that I would bring Saffron home myself? She owes me, even more than you! Taking an assassination contract, without my permission, and then cocking it all up on top of that? Oh, don't worry, she'll come home. I'll be making a deal with the esteemed lord of Springdawn myself."

Owlbear: https://www.owlbear.rodeo/room/5nRs1L_uFdxM/HeavyistheHeadPBP

Hemlock creeps after Lam but stays well back once outside and waits for Lam to be in position and ready to strike, readying himself to strike as soon as needed. The fear in Eliza's voice is enough to tell him that these folk will give no quarter once combat is engaged.

As he watches from his position a short distance away, he pays close attention to the other firbolg, who seems so different to himself. He feels a sense of sadness at preparing to fight his kin.

Saoirse moves quietly next to Lam. She draws both her weapons, but she's not sure what they should do. Causing the anger of the Thieve's Guild doesn't look like a great idea, as they have enough enemies on their plates. But, can they really let Eliza go with them? She has seen Fitzwhistle alive, so it's not like they can lie about that and tell these people that the artificer was long dead and his body to rotten to be handed to Strixwell. As scared as she is, if they tried to lie about this, she would surely blow everything up.

So, all in all, is killing these people the only possible outcome?

As she's thinking this and the heated conversation continue, she locks eyes in the firbolg. She will run up to him if things get south.

The leader springs behind Eliza with frightening and surprising agility, and a knife darts out from his cloak. Eliza's robe falls from her shoulders, catching low on her back where the ropes you tied hold her. The thin shift she has underneath is too little for the chill dusky air. Eliza flinches and whimpers. 

"Ah, clever girl. I see how you've managed to subvert my brand now. Very naughty. I suppose this is how Saffron has slipped away from me as well? And your other little friend - the boy who followed you like a lost dog. (He must be referring one of her companions who you killed before entering the tower.) You know better than that. The brand makes it easier, but I will always be able to find you, girl, no matter what tricks you try. I have eyes and ears everywhere. It's no matter. I'll just brand you again."

He produces a short rod, with twisted metal at the end, and he holds the metal over his left hand, in which he produces a flame. You can see the metal slowly begin to glow in the heat. The light from the flame also illuminates Eliza's back. There are old scars on that back - Eliza knows the sting of a whip. And something else... a raised mark, surrounded by a strange tattoo. The leader is clearly interested in this mark and the tattoo.

"No.... please.... no... you don't need to.... I'll be good..." Eliza is weeping, but she knows her pleas for mercy are falling on deaf ears.

The swordsman and the giant have turned away from the scene. They are scanning, guarding their leader... but it is also clear that this is not something either of them likes to see.

Ali looks pointedly at Lam. He is still waiting for a signal to act, but his eyes bulge with fury. He is struggling not to attack.

Fitz2 ponders the scene. "I do not. like. this. but. I am. afraid. to. risk. this. new body. If you. do not. intervene. then. I will."

Anyone paying attention to Lam can see that he doesn’t like anything about the way this leader is talking. Lam’s breath gets shallower and his eyes get a wild look to them, and it seems to be harder for him to control himself. Anyone watching his face sees that it will happen before it does- when the leader brings out a metal rod and produces a flame, Lam is barely able to nod to Ali before he runs into the fray, roaring with wild fury. He takes a wide berth around the Firbolg and bolts straight towards the leader, wrath in his eyes and a battle cry in his voice.

Hemlock Initiative: 4+2=6

Leaving my initiative for now: 7.

Sha-gravis' initiative is 14

Lam charges in, roaring, and the three men drop into fighting stances.

"So you're the bait in a trap, are you girly? Willing or unwilling, you'll pay for this too."

Initiative: Surprise round(Ali, Sha, Saoirse, Hemlock, Lam, Eliza, Fitz2); Then Ali, Swordsman, Giant, Sha, Leader, Saoirse, Hemlock, Lam, Eliza, Fitz2

https://www.owlbear.rodeo/room/5nRs1L_uFdxM/HeavyistheHeadPBP

Ali leans forward and fires his bow, the arrow knocks the leader's brand out of his hand, but does not wound him. It is Sha-Gravis' turn.

Sha moves like the wind gets into a position to see what is transpiring.  dash and feline agility if necessary.

Saoirse runs up to the firbolg, rapier and dagger drawn, and presses both weapons against his back. From that position, she speaks to the leader:

- You, and your actions towards your trainee, disgust me. I suggest you leave this place at once, if you want to keep your head on your shoulders. And you - this time, she looks at Eliza - I suggest you understand once and for all who you should side with.

Hemlock sighs, so much for his suggestion of going in hard and fast. He wonders if they have lost the advantage of surprise by engaging in conversation, but can't fault Saoirse for wanting to try and resolve this peacefully. The fear in Eliza's voice makes him doubt that is possible though.

Using his innate firbolg abilities, he becomes unseen and moves forward to get a better view, at the same time drawing on the power of his star map to begin conjuring a radiant blast. If their foe do not heed Saoirse's warning and leave immediately as she asks, he will strike out at the leader.

Quote from MakingMerryMusic >>

Anyone paying attention to Lam can see that he doesn’t like anything about the way this leader is talking. Lam’s breath gets shallower and his eyes get a wild look to them, and it seems to be harder for him to control himself. Anyone watching his face sees that it will happen before it does- when the leader brings out a metal rod and produces a flame, Lam is barely able to nod to Ali before he runs into the fray, roaring with wild fury. He takes a wide berth around the Firbolg and bolts straight towards the leader, wrath in his eyes and a battle cry in his voice.

His initiative is… 6.

All he will do for the surprise round is dash to the leader and go into a rage. When he does go into a rage, he will become surrounded by multicolored lights which will hopefully draw attention to him, and definitely raise his AC by one.

 

 

 The leader's eyes are shrouded by a hood, even as he turns to face the raging barbarian. A thin, black flute raises to his lips.

Eliza struggles fruitlessly against the ropes, and twists her face to look at Lam. "You can't beat them. Just run away. Find your other friend, and live!" She pointedly does not mention Saffi's name.

Fitz2 carefully places the gnome corpse behind a tree, then jogs towards the commotion, trying to keep behind cover. 

Ali aims his bow at the swordsman, pulling back an arrow which glows green with prepared magic. "Heed the Genasi or perish!" (Ready action: ensnaring strike.)

The leader gives a subtle whistle (free action), and the swordsman darts towards Lam. Ali's looses his attack, but after an imperceptible flash of the blade, two halves of the arrow land on either side of him, each sprouting a tiny and useless patch of vines. (Just flavor, Ali missed). As he runs towards Lam, a bolt of brilliant light flies past him, slamming into the hooded figure. The leader's body begins to shine with starlight, making him easy to hit despite the shadows. The light still does not touch his eyes. The swordsman reaches Lam, his blade leading his body in his left hand. His right fist follows, surprisingly deft, aiming to strike and stun Lam. 

The firbolg spins towards Saoirse, and the forearm of her sword hand disappears in his giant fingers, intending to hold her and squeeze the life out of her.

It is Sha's turn.

Initiative: Ali, Swordsman, Giant, Sha, Leader, Saoirse, Hemlock, Lam, Eliza, Fitz2

Sha-Gravis seeing the chaos of battle focuses on two things, Saffi and Saoirse are in danger of this vicious giant of a person.  A silent prayer as he drops his javelin takes Alptraum in both paws rushing into the fray, to strike at the giant 15 damage 9

The leader puts his black flute to his lips and a horrible, 3-tone dissonance pierces the air. It is grating and distracting, but somehow also catchy, echoing in your mind repeatedly. Fortunately, Hemlock and Fitz2 are far enough away that the magic music is not loud enough to dig into their minds. Then, he pulls his dagger out with his other hand, and Lam can smell an acrid poison coated on the blade.

It is Saoirse's turn, and she is grappled. If you use your action to escape, he'll try to hold on so the DC is (don't look until after you decide whether to try)

 Initiative: Ali, Swordsman, Giant, Sha, Leader, Saoirse, Hemlock, Lam, Eliza, Fitz2

Owlbear: https://www.owlbear.rodeo/room/5nRs1L_uFdxM/HeavyistheHeadPBP

Also - Saoirse look after your turn: