Heavy is the Head - Campaign thread

The beginning of a smile appears in the blood hunter's face as Lam approaches. And when Hemlock so wisely mentions fire, she seems to straigthen up, as if the druid has reminded her of her inner strength. The already not so whimpering Saoirse looks towards her friends again and extends a hand:

- I am fire - she says, producing a small flame, which she casts at the firepit. Then she presents the other towards Lam - ... and I am blood. Try me, Lam, if you prefer that I do not reach for my weapons myself. You know what will happen if the slightest drop touches them - she shoots a glance at Saoirse, the pride of a Hunter's Bane survivor echoing in her voice - Mimic that, I dare you. 

She then adds, looking back at her friends:

- If you need to hurt me to end your doubts, do it. But remember that I'm used to do that myself. I can spare you the trouble.

"No, she's still trying to..." The other Saoirse begins to counter, but sees the futility - you all know the score, now. Her hair recedes into her head, her skin goes grey, and her eyes loose all colour but for an inky black, as they grow just barely too big to look natural in her face. "Hm. I guess the jig is up - but I'm not out of tricks yet. Say, Rhys, you know the artefact they're looking for is the Crown of Divine Right, right?" Almost immediately, the entangling vines go limp and begin to recede into the ground. As the doppelganger's true waist becomes visible, so does a belt with several pouches, and the lightly colored potion of feather falling it pulls from its belt and gulps down. It runs towards the edge, preparing to jump off and escape.

Rhys' hand goes up to his forehead, as the other steadies him on his staff. He looks like he suddenly has a serious headache. "No, the Crown does not exist. Just a legend. Must be something else. That's not what it is. The Crown does not exist."

Tesfaye's spear flies through the air, and narrowly misses the doppelganger. If the monster still had Saoirse's hair, the spear would have cut off a lock of it at neck height. "You decieved me, and I nearly impaled her! You're an abomination!" They are crying in rage and shame.

(If you can beat the doppel's 17 initiative roll, you can try to do something before it leaps from the platform.)

Saoirse's:  17 (her Dex is +4)

Sha-Gravis initiative 13

The doppleganer twists out of the way of Hemlock's mote of fire, but this gives Saoirse the chance to rush around the Doppelganger and push it towards Lam, who reaches out to grab it in his powerful arms. The doppel twists and ducks to try to dodge out of the way, but it is taken off guard - it didn't expect anyone to react fast enough to stop it. Grappled, its confidence is wiped from its face. After only a few moments of struggle in Lam's arms, it stops fighting to escape, and instead addresses you all.

"Alright, alright, you've got me. And hey, I can feel how angry you all are with me, but you need me! I can figure out which poor, defenseless villager is actually my partner. I can tell you about Vince - or spy on him for you. But I will only help you or tell you anything if I know for sure that I walk away alive. And darling Saffi, the answer to your question is that yes, it's possible, though not definite."

It is clear that the doppelganger is saying whatever it thinks it needs to to survive... but whether it would make good on any of those promises is an unknown.

Saffron gasps in insulted surprise. She does not appreciate the doppelganger reading the question in her thoughts, but the answer is impossible for her to ignore.

As soon as the doppleganger is revealed, Hemlock starts to throw the flame in his hand. Even as the doppleganger speaks and the bones recede, the flame is arcing through air.

Reaction: Throw flame at doppleganger. To Hit: 7+x6=13, Damage: 8 [fire]

With the doppel under control, the Saoirse quickly begins to back away. To the rest, it could look like she's backing away from the monster. Or from Rhys, who she's still wary of. But then it becomes clear that she's looking for the closest place with any kind of barrier that can prevent any fall down. It will take her some time to be fine with heights again. If she is ever fine with them again, at all.

When she finds such a place, she crouches and puts a hand on her heart, which is still beating furiously, and then takes a series of breaths to calm herself a little. All the time she's doing this, she's looking at the doppelganger and listening to what he says. Is he really going to help them find the other doppel? Is the other doppel still in Village Tree, for that matter? He could have very well left the moment the fight started. (Insight: 15)

When she does seem to regain control of her body and senses, though, the first thing she does is stand up again and rush to where Tesfaye, Hemlock and the rest are standing. And though she's never liked displaying her weaknesses so publicly, there's no reaching a lower point in her life after what has transpired. So, what sense is there in hiding how she's feeling? Why not be weak when she needs to? As such, Saoirse runs to Tesfaye and hugs them, sobbing quietly. With her face buried in the Tortle's chest, she says:

- I'm sorry ... I'm so sorry ... I didn't mean what I said... I don't know what got over me...

Though she's talking to the Tortle, it's clear those words are not directed only to them.

Saoirse is pretty sure that the Doppelganger is telling the truth about there being another in the village, and about being willing to help them as long as it believes that that's its best chance at survival.

Everyone else gets the same sense - but Hemlock's magically enhanced perception also sees a slight tick in the doppel's face when it addresses Saffron. Whatever it implied to her was a bold-faced lie.

Tesfaye holds Saoirse tightly, their shield still hanging on their arm as it wraps around her. The effect is that Saoirse is surrounded by shell and shield and completely protected. Tesfaye speaks a few soft words in their language, though the meaning is clear through tone and context. "ደህና ነህ። አግኝተናል፣ ደህና ነህ።"

Lam takes a few steps carefully away from the edge of the platform, holding onto the doppelgänger in both arms. He watches his friends consider its words. He doesn’t want to let it survive after what it nearly did to Saoirse, but will not go against his friends’ wishes to kill it. He directs his words at mainly Hemlock and Sha when he says, “This is… not safe. Look at Rhys. Look at Saffron.” This thing can cause too much damage just by opening its mouth. He doesn’t make a move to attack the doppelgänger, but he doesn’t try to let it go, either. He watches his friends to see what they will do.

Hemlock leans across to Saffi, "Whatever that thing was talking about, it was lying. My senses are magically enhanced right now, so trust me, whatever it is, ignore it".

He then considers the rest of the doppleganger's words, but doesn't address them right now as Lam draws his attention to Rhys. Instead, he turns to his fellow druid.

"Are you ok? Don't think about what the thing said right now, focus on the present. I know the Tree is not set up for it, but is there anywhere we can lock this thing up whilst we figure out what to do with it? We also need to figure out how to block it from reading our thoughts", he says, then turns to the doppleganger. "Short of removing it's head of course, which I am prepared to ask Lam to do if it opens it's mouth once more without the words being a direct answer to a direct question"

If she is reading his mind at that moment, she will be able to tell that he has a grim determination about him. And his thoughts turn to the Nothic's that made a similar offer, which was not accepted either.

Saoirse stays in that shell and shield protection for a few more moments and would remain there longer, where it not for the conversation about how to deal with the monster. She does say something to Tesfaye, though, before stepping a little aways from them.

Quote from PolarisUnmoored >>

"Thank you. I am sorry - sneaking and fighting are not my strengths." Tesfaye leans on Saoirse for support, and tries to walk with her up towards Hemlock. "I am in all of your debt." 

Quote from FairIthilien >>

Saoirse replies to Tesfaye lowering her voice:

- Strength comes in many forms. You helped me a while back with your healing, remember? - the fire genasi presses the tortle's arm a little as she's saying this, so as to give them confidence. Then she adds - ... we'll manage, all together.

- See what I meant that day? You are strong, and brave, Tesfaye. I'm proud to call you my friend - a smile shines in the genasi's face, in total opposition to what she had been displaying before.

Then, changing topic, she says:

- There must be some limitation to their mind reading ability. I'm no expert in doppelgangers, but every other creature I've studied has limitations. Take mind flayers, for example, they cannot use their mind blast ability all the time, they need to recharge it after they've used them. Perhaps our new friend here will care to explain the extent of his ability. Unless he prefers to loose his head, just as Hemlock's said.

The next question, she addresses directly to the doppel:

- What shape has been your companion been wearing here? What are they wearing now?

(Insight: 22)

Saffron jumps forward and stabs a psychic blade deep into the Doppel's shoulder, and it cries out in pain. It is not an attack meant to kill the creature, but only to punish it for the lie Hemlock exposed. She whispers, but Lam is close enough to hear, and nothing can slip past Hemlock right now. "I will find him. Someday I will. But if you try to play me again, I will kill you painfully and slowly." 

That attack, plus a slight fearful shudder as it looks at Lam, have the doppelganger looking quite compliant and fearful for its life. It answers Saoirse carefully, and seems to all of you to be telling the truth. "I can read minds continuously, with no need for a break, but I can only focus on one mind at any given time, and can not project my own thoughts. It is more difficult through solid objects, especially stone or metal. I can't read through lead at all. Vince has taken to wearing a lead-lined helmet when he speaks with us, and I am quite irritated by the fact that it seems to work." There is a hint of occupaitonal pride as it says the next thing - it knows it is good at its job. "My partner was a dryad - the one our Nothics killed - when we came up here. Now, I don't know. We always shift forms soon after arriving to go undercover, and don't know who the other is unless we happen upon each other, or until our scheduled check-ins. Once we have found each other, we quickly shift again, to hold our cover even from each other. You will need me to detect her - and you will need my mind's ear to be free to wander." There is a hint of doubt at that last... you did out this one without help, after all.

Tesfaye is standing a little taller and prouder after Saoirse's praise, but does mutter "I think I have a sheet of lead alloy..." as an automatic response to what they are hearing.

Rhys still seems to be struggling, but he takes several long, deep breaths and steadies himself. "It seems that there is a blockage in my mind, some possibilities I can not consider." He winces again, as his thoughts brush against what is not permitted. "I have not seen this sort of thing since the great war, hundreds of years ago. Mind flayers indeed, young Saoirse... I will need time to meditate, and to find the space that my mind can not go. Even then... I fear that I should perhaps not be trusted until this mystery is solved. As for imprisoning the creature... I believe one of the centaur families has an heirloom that could do the job, a trunk that is larger on the inside and can only be opened from the outside. It may be possible to convince them. Or I could encourage village tree itself to enclose the doppelganger within the trunk of one of its branches - 

"Not that, please not that. I panic enclosed in tight spaces. I beg you, do not bind me in a space where I can not move. I beg you." This sudden panic seems very real.

Saoirse can't help but wonder what it is that the doppel told Saffi to cause that reaction. But this is not the time nor the place to be thinking of that, and as such the blood hunter keeps paying attention to the rest of the conversation. The doppelganger seems intent in collaborating, and has indeed said a couple of interesting things. "Scheduled check-ins, huh?", she thinks, but she still doesn't say anything aloud. Even Rhys saying that he had participated in the great war didn't make her speak. Though she definitely needed to ask after that!

It is when the halfling suggests that they imprison the one that almost killed her in a tiny space that she blinks. Wait. Could they really ... even if that monster had almost...? She held Tesfaye's forearm, but not because she actually needed them to steady her - even though she was still pretty hurt - but because she wanted to feel a kind touch. Could they really do this? The blood hunter looked at everyone, checking their reactions to Rhys' suggestion. Would they agree to do this? 

Saoirse turned then her gaze to the doppelganger and did something she never expected she would be doing after what that had happened:

- What's your name? - she stopped. Was she going crazy? Had she actually asked that? Surprised at herself as she was, she just continued - Tell us about those check-ins. When was the last one? When will the next one be? Do you still have time to meet that check-in, or are you already late?

Hemlock listens to everything, his enhanced sense of hearing not just picking up on the words but on the inflections and subtle changes in intonation.

"It is all very interesting information, and I believe what you are saying", he says to the doppleganger.

He considers Rhys' suggestions about the trunk or a branch, but it is to Tesfaye he turns whilst Saoirse asks the doppleganger some questions.

"How quickly can you shape that sheet of lead into a helmet. I am assuming if it works to keep them out, it will work to keep them in as well", he says looking at the doppleganger and suggesting they will be wearing the helmet.

He then asks a question of the creature itself, "Does the other one have any tells? Like a kind of signature when they change. A certain eye colouration perhaps".

"Saoirse." The Doppelganger's instinct to give its most recent cover as its name seems instant... it takes it a moment to realize what you're actually asking. "No, I'm Hermes...  when I'm not someone else." It shakes off the pause, subtly shifting its facial features to be slightly more in line with most other humanoids, with slightly smaller eyes. "The next check in is in an hour and a half. There are no tells, no signature. If we couldn't manage our eye color we would have been executed a long time ago." Hemlock can tell that the boast might be a little exaggerated - a shift in the eyebrow suggests that it has thought of something that could be a partial tell.

"What quality of helmet? A quick wrap that covers the head and still looks like a sheet of metal - just a few minutes. Barely concealing the lead inside an existing helmet, 15 minutes or so. A functional, stylish, quality helmet, that barely meets my standards, at least an hour."

Hermes winces at Tesfaye's words - it does not like the idea of being cut off from its telepathic systems, and it does not like the tortle.

"Oh dear", Hemlock says and shakes his head. "You are keeping something from me, which is not how this process works".

He turns to Tesfaye, "Let's go with the regular helmet, lined with lead. We will need two, both with clasps to lock them in place. As soon as you have one finished, bring it to us before you start on the second. Remember they can change their size, so that clasp needs to cope with that".

He turns back to the doppleganger, "So, is there more you want to tell me? Trust has to be earned, and you have not paid anywhere near the price required. Do not let your pride over rule your instinct for self preservation".

When Saoirse hears that Tesfaye might leave to start working on the helmet she grabs their arm. Gently, but firmly:

- Wait. Not alone. I'll go with you, and I can rest while you work on this. I need it.

The way the blood hunter says this implies that she's not asking for an opinion, she just won't leave the Tortle on their own. And there's really not much to discuss about how badly she needs a quick rest. 

- But before - she continues, and turns to the doppel - Hermes: let me suggest once again that you do as Hemlock says. You won't be able to deceive him, so be smart about this. That's what I would do if I were you, but that's your choice ultimately. Heard that? You have a choice here. Aren't we just the same as Vince, huh? - She pauses for a moment, checking the doppels reaction to this. When was the last time this creature had done something because it wanted to, not because it was forced by someone? - In any case: I have another question. How is Vince controlling you? - at this point Saoirse eyes Saffi, too. They already knew something about this, but wanted the creature to answer in case their bond of servitude was differrent to Saffi and Eliza's - Oh, and also: we are going to check your belongings. Will you be wise and let us do that, or do we need to do this the hard way?

Hemlock

Intimidation (with advantage): (8,19)-1 = 18 (If guidance allowed) +2 = 20

Hemlock rolls intimidation with advantage. If under 10:

If over 10:

Hermes eyes Saoirse, considering her words. It does not seem moved. "Vince has given me great freedom. Yes, I work for him, but I spend most of my days luxuriating as a noble in Springdawn, and do as I please. I owe Vince my happy life. And yes, he does also know the covers and identities and locations of myself and those few I truly care about, but I like to believe that that threat is a minor part of our working relationship. He has given me far more freedom than the false choice you are presenting now. Yes, look through the few belongings I have on my person, I am at your mercy, after all." Hermes hands over his belt with pouches.

Whoever looks through it, make an investigation check (not a hard one).

Tesfaye considers the situation. They would prefer to wait for Saoirse as well, it seems. "A variable-size helmet and clasp is more difficult than you might think, though elastics can do much of the job. Should I prioritize this or the anti-shapechange potion and device? I still would like to be able to remove their guises completely." The doppelganger barely suppresses an angry hiss at this, and Saffron looks even angrier than that, but she stays silent despite her clenched jaw.

"You see now you are getting how this works, that is very helpful. Tell me though, where is this meeting due to happen?", Hemlock says not finished with his interrogation. "Even though you believe you owe Vince for your happy life, I do not believe that you have not accumulated knowledge about Vince, that he would not want shared with his enemies. How about you tell us some of those things".

Turning to Tesfaye, he quickly answers the tortle, "I think the helmets are most important, we have good leads on Poniros now. We'll search Hermes' belongings and then please work as quickly as you can".

"Assuming everyone agrees?", he adds almost as an afterthought.