Seeing that the battle has thankfully ceased, Amelia plops down on the ground with an exhausted breath, pressing her back against a nearby wall to rest for a short moment. She gives acknowledgement to the stranger with an idle wave. "If you're not here to join us and wanna fight us instead, can I at least take a five minute break?" She laughs weakly. "Ow, ow..."

Second Wind: 9

Corrin gives a pair of puppy dog eyes over to Misha as she takes her dagger from the paladin. "Sowwy." 

Allynna raises an eyebrow as the last one falls. It would appear that not only was that not the right one, but all these people like the Acheronian.

Yes, I suppose so. It was a fifty fifty chance. Play nice for now, 'Lynna. Don't want all that turned on you.

The elf before you is tall and dark skinned, with black hair back in a loose braid. She wears a dark blue blouse that exposes a smooth midriff, and pants with wide legs, the top settled around her waist comfortably. Simple, yet tasteful, silver earrings hang from her earlobes, and she wears a silver necklace with a pendant that holds a red jewel that seems to glow faintly with its own light. Everything about her speaks of sophistication and just enough wealth to keep her comfortable. "Well, I wasn't intending to join you. Just heard the noises of the fight and thought I'd come check. But I'm actually headed back to the Gate, I was informed a caravan headed there from Waterdeep would be stopping here for a bit." She smiles.

Picture:

"Yes. That is us. Allow me to go make some room in the carriage. Again." Jill walks like she's going to the carriage, but as soon as she passes Allynna, she turns around and starts tickling her exposed midriff. "Come Misha! Don't you want to be the one doing the tickling for once!?" She says, inviting her friend to join in and tickle the newcomer.

Misha embraced Jill and kissed her forehead. "Misha ees ok, Jeel. Eet was like lookin into mirror! Can understand it was confusing! Do not be cirdulicus, Misha always be your friend!" The Acheronian kneeled and looked over Amelia. "Are you alright? Thet creature heet hard, no? Teeth still rattling in skull, ya?" and she laughed, trying to make light of the situation. She picked up Corrin and gave her a big kiss on the cheek. "Misha ees ok, leetle one! You hef good aim! Or..bad?" and she made a silly face, jiggling you in her arms, booping your nose before setting you down.

Misha took a moment to study the newcomer, a bit more relaxed knowing she wasn't, perhaps, a doppelganger reinforcement. "Well." she finally said. "It looks like we heppen to be headed you way. How very fortunate. Time for initiation."

And with that, Misha joined in on the tickling.

"Do not ask how we did it on the gorf." she said, nodding to Meep.

Using her rarely used secret Thieves’ Cant language, Persephone queries Corrin:

Seemingly quite melancholy, Persephone slinks up to the newcomer, and without regard for personal space, leans in and closely inspects the red jewel pendant.  “Fascinating....” is all she mutters before turning on her heel, and walks towards the carriage. 

Allynna giggles as Jill and Misha tickle her, but doesn't collapse or anything like Misha does. Not even knowing my name, and they're already tickling me and examining my pendant. Certainly a strange group, nothing like the people at court.

Don't let your guard down. The Acheronian at least would be...less than happy to learn of your connection to me.

Mmm. I'll be careful. I don't think the one with the eye markings trusts me very much, but I bet I can change that.

Well, it's the Acheronian you should be worried about, 'Lynna.

Yes, yes. The "Acheronian", as you call her, seems nice. And cute, too.

I thought I was the only one for you, 'Lynna. He sounded a little hurt.

Please. You know you are, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate others.

Allynna smiles as the tickling finishes. "That's certainly an...interesting initiation ritual. I apologize if I'm causing you any trouble."

"You aren't, but can we know the name of the person that we're taking with us?" Jill asks as she walks over to Amelia and starts cleaning the words Real 1 off of her forehead.

Corrin blinks at Persephone in confusion. “What the heck did you just say to me?”

Amelia brings herself back to her feet with a groan, taking a second to stretch while the other two began tickling the newcomer.. for some reason. When she finished stretching, Jill had approached her to take off the paint. “Thanks, hun.” With the paint wiped away she questions the group. “We ready to go? I don’t wanna deal with more of those face stealers.”

Allynna smiles. "My name is Allynna H...Allynna Varen." The hesitation in her words lasts barely a moment. "Obviously you're Jill, and you are Misha." She carefully reties her hair back. "Might I ask why I walked into a fight involving doppelgangers and paint?"

You're wasting your time, dear. They don't matter.

Maybe. But they're my ride back, I might as well make casual conversation and see what I can learn about the Acheronian, as you cal her, hmm?

I suppose so. A brief chuckle sounded in her head. You are a clever one.

You know it. That's why you like me after all, isn't it?

"Just a teepeecal day on our journey to Baldur's Gate!" Misha laughed. She turned to the dead doppelganger bleeding out in the alleyway. "Have a nice day!"

EPISODE TEN - ESCAPE FROM ELTUREL

So close to Baldur's Gate, we passed through the town of Elturel. It was a beautiful day, and we got to know our new companion somewhat well. As we stepped out of the caravan to enjoy the smells, the sights, and the weather, we heard a horrible buzzing noise and looked up into the sky. Like a massive infernal flock of doom, hundreds of spined devils in the air descended upon the masses and began wreaking havok and killing commoners. It was complete chaos. We decided to head back to the caravan and attempt an escape, but it involved pushing past the crowd again, and avoiding attacks.

Having been singled out, twenty spined devils are on your tail during the attacks. Rolls will be made in an attempt to try and lose and many as you guys can before you reach your caravan. Each character needs to make 3 rolls. We are looking for an amount of successes equal to the number of players.

The DC is 12, and you can use any skill you think of like Athletics to run and dodge and weave, or Stealth to try and hide, or even Deception to try and blend in to the crowd.

Athletics:

24

6

16

Jill was accustomed to having to run for her life, so she was ready to push past the people who weren't so prepared in order to save her own skin. Mostly.

Amethletics: 6, 16, 18

Coryelth:  18, 10, 18

Cory felt a little better this time and did her best to keep up! Amelia ****s up the first few feet but picks up the pace!

This doesn't have anything to do with you, does it? Allynna asks silently, worried.

I don't think so. I haven't gotten any sign that they've gotten closer. Still...don't get caught, 'Lynna. I couldn't bear it if something happened to you.

Don't worry, I'll be careful, I promise. And if they are after you...well, I'm hardly the weak violist I was ten years ago.

My fierce Allynna. I don't want you to get hurt because of me.

Allynna feels the small mark on her back warm slightly as she slips quietly through the crowd.

Stealth: 10 + 1

Again: 18 + 4

And One More Time: 7 + 4

Stop thinking about me and focus on where you're putting your feet. I'm serious about you getting hurt. His voice was definitely worried.

I did fine on the Crynth job after I slipped, didn't I? Just calm down. Am I going to see you tonight?

Don't get killed and then you'll find out, won't you?

Mishathlete: 10, 24, 17

Nok Nok no no: 11, 21, 22

Meep hears the tiny devils, spotting them as they get closer. As the group flees, she tries to remain close to them, ninjaing between and on top of buildings using her froglike agility and acrobatics.

You know you make me want to JUMP! 8

Throw my hands up and JUMP! 15

Throw my arms up and JUMP! 21

EARLIER

While the group turns and makes their way back to the caravan, Persephone quickly hides in the shadows (Stealth: 26) and scrambles over to the corpse of the shapeshifter lying on the ground, and searches through the pockets for any useful loot (Investigation: 18).  And before anyone notices that she's gone, she teleports back to the back end of the walking group and proceeds onwards as if nothing happened.

NOW

Recognizing the tiny devils for the troublemakers that they are, Persephone melts into the shadows as they quickly make their way back to the caravan-

Stealth checks: 14 15 24

You guys manage to roll enough successes between all of you that you escape the spine devils back to the caravan. Misha is ready to take on all twenty, but even a brave Acheronian knows that it would be suicide with the odds of that battle.

As the caravan passed on, Jill looked back at Elturel, with all the people that they couldn't help. She wondered how many children were now orphaned as a result of this attack and if they would find a new home or end up like her. She thought of them wandering the country, from city to city. Maybe some of them would end up with Natasha in Waterdeep. She would take care of them. And then she wondered if something like this was happening back there. Jill knew that Natasha would do all she could to protect the children under her care, but didn't want to think about one of the few friends she had perishing while she was too far away to help.

Jill silently sat there in the wagon, nervously fiddling with a holy symbol of Kelemvor as the city got smaller on the horizon.