Varielky is a bit surprised about the woman's reaction to poison. She was convinced the woman and her accomplices are the ones responsible, but instead it seems like they share her own beliefs about such despicable ways of fighting. Well, at least partly. Crossbows and costumes weren't so honourable either. They don't have to be allies, but if they share a goal, maybe they can help each other a bit? It sure seems like the woman has more information than Varielky did. Varielky decides she has to get to the bottom of the matter, but she can't do it while being shot at. Eventually, the woman will hit if she does nothing about it.
Varielky wants to push the woman off the cart and jump after her but knows she can't let the cart keep running wild and hit something or someone. This skirmish was less important than finding those responsible for the poisoning. Besides, Varielky could already tell her foe is formidable and, if she didn't lie about not using poison, at least somewhat honourable as well. While her spot in Hallvala wasn't guaranteed, it wasn't impossible either. "If I promise to stop attacking you, will you tell me more about the Amazighs? If you satisfy my curiousity, I'm willing to pretend I didn't see you." She jumps back to the driver's seat, hoping she left enough of an impression for the woman to understand the benefits of stopping the fight.
If the woman at least seems to agree to her offer, Varielky will focus on trying to gain control over the horses and stop their charge.
Acrobatics, if needed: 21 (+2?)
Athletics to get to the driver's seat, I think it was needed the first time: 13(+2?)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Hoping his charmed victim doesn't find a hidden reservoir of willpower, he turns his attention to the dragonfly flitting about and causing mayhem. Wincing in pain from his wounds, he points at the bug, and a pair of spectral jaws appear in the air that chomp down upon its chitinous form.
Action: cast frostbite on the bug. DC 14 constitution saving throw or take 4 cold damage and have disadvantage on its next attack.
17 Mittens casts frostbite at the buzzing Alyasub, but the icy jaws find no purchase on its thick shell, and do no damage.
15 A Guard on the wall has been watching the melee, and takes action, firing his crossbow at the creature which has just struck down Ednyss. You see the bolt pass through its cloak, dead center, and plunk into a post inside the carriage house next to Mittens' foot.
14 Dolkum moves to M5 starts punching the Driver (Azhvuv #3), and hits for 4HP. The desert wraith screams in surprise, then whirls up into a tight siphon of spinning sand which shoots into the sky and dissipates into nothing with a haunting cry.
12 Ednyss please make a death save for this round and the next.
Azhvuv #2 [charmed by Mittens] strikes at the Alyasub and hits with her dagger, then makes her WIS saving throw, bucking off the effects of Mittens’ spell, and turns her sharp-eyed gaze upon him.
Alyasub #2 strikes back at the Azhvuv in self-defence, and hits, hard enough that she too loses her form and spins off into nothing more than a haunting wail. The dragonfly buzzes off to the south and out of view, escaping.
The melee is over, and the carriage house guards finally arrive with heavy crossbows readied.
The Runaway Carriage
The Runaway Carriage torpedoes ahead, the horses beginning to lather with perspiration, and the vehicle reaches the south end of the carriage house, where two guards standing just outside the structure quickly assess that the coach is run amok. They exchange a word, and one guard then runs west toward horses tied outside the carriage house, while the other dashes east, toward the carriage, shouting to Varielky, “I’m coming, hang on!” and is springing up to leap onto the kickboard when he passes out of Varielky’s view.
Varielky sees that the Azhvuv is weighing her bargain as they careen onward, but the desert wraith, seeing the guard’s approach, whips on the lead horse while watching Varielky warily. Varielky is mid-leap back to the drivers’ seat when she hears a loud crack from the rear of the carriage. Just in time, she takes hold of the driver’s seat as the acid-damaged rear kickboard shatters under the weight of the leaping guard, and the drag -- a grilled weight attached under the kickboard which is used to slow down the coach when going downhill -- falls out of place and makes contact with the ground. The tension from this sudden pull causes the half-disintegrated spokes on the rear left wheel to succumb to their terrible corrosion and burst, and the wheel rim flies atop the carriage house as the spokes splinter away. The drag is ripped from its corroded linkage one one side, the rear of the carriage bucks up, then slams down again, the wheel-less corner drags the vehicle’s trajectory out of line, and the carriage tips, stands on one front wheel for a moment, then flips onto its side, throwing Varielky off and onto the ground where (OOC: her rolled 20 acrobatics roll saves her!) she combat-rolls once, then slides, on her left side, protected by her shield, taking only 4HP damage and ending up prone.
The momentum of the overturning carriage continues, and Varielky looks up in time to see the singletree she’d been standing upon just moments earlier forced upwards as the carriage rotates, pulling the fourth horse half-way aloft as it whinnies in terror then slams into the third horse, before both of the lead pair of horses crash into the ground head first with bone-splitting force. The Azhvuv, looking back, locks eyes with Varielky for a split second, her expression impossible to read, before she is forcefully thrown off the lead horse, then crushed under its weight as it rolls and slides on top of her. As one carriage wheel shoots ahead, bouncing and spinning on the ground before it smashes against the castle wall, the entire assemblage, groaning, slides to rest, the horses crying in agony.
From under the lead horse, a sudden wind whips up into a narrow tornado of dark sand and funnels upwards, shrieking mournfully away into the north sky, as the Azhvuv’s body disappears. One of the guards is yelling something to the other one, but Varielky’s ears are ringing and she can’t make it out even though they’re only a dozen paces away.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries //Dev Horndin Curious Critters
As his spell fades away, Mittens looks sheepishly at the woman and grins as he says, "Can't blame me for trying." Then, the big but swoops in and apparently kills her. Blinking in surprise, he says, "Well, guess that worked out after all. "
He takes a moment to survey his surroundings before he realizes that Ednyss is down. He mentally chides himself for not noticing earlier as he rushed over. He runs his gaze frantically over his companion, searching what what wounds he can find. Calling upon his knowledge of the body, he attempts to stopper Ednyss's wounds.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Death Save 1: 13 Death Save 2: 12
Ednyss jerks for a moment and just as Mittens removes his paws from him, Ednyss shudders as he takes in a breath and shakes himself back to consciousness. Glancing around, still on the ground, he asks Mittens, "What happened? Where did the Azhvuv go?"
Varielky slams her fist on the ground before getting up to make sure the body really is gone. This turned into the worst case scenario. She didn't get to fully appreciate the woman's prowess and whether or not she was truly worthy of ascending to Hallvala, she didn't learn more about the poisoning, other than one name, and she couldn't stop the carriage in time. At least, whatever the dark sand was, it went upwards, towards Hallvala. Perhaps the woman truly is a respectable warrior; her words may have contained the truth, or at least part of it.
Maybe one of the other women knows the same. There isn't really any reason that only one of them would hold this information. Her trusty shield saved her, thankfully, so she begins to run back to the others. The guards can handle the mess; if they had done their job better and stopped the assassins from entering the palace grounds, this wouldn't have happened. Come to think about it, what were the assassins sent for? Clearly not just for killing a driver and a footman and then hijacking an empty carriage. She has to hurry if she wants answers.
Varielky stands up and dashes towards the others and will continue doing so until she gets there unless somebody tries to stop her.
The guards near Mittens help Ednyss to his feet and brush him off, then poke at the fallen Alyasub. Scratching their heads, they lift one set of torn orange floral livery off of the ground, look at each other askance, and shrug. The crashed coach is barely visible on the lane past the far end of the carriage house, a misshapen shadow, and the horses there continue to cry out. The nearest guards see the other guards at the south end of the carriage house, in lamplight, and decide to leave the crash to them, then turn back to the waiting coach drivers and tell them “All right people. Nothing more to see here. Go ahead and mount up and we’ll get those doors open for you. Turn left out of the house. Turn left please!”
Everyone but Varielky can hear that the clapping within the amphitheater has stopped.
Varielky sees that the guard who had attempted to jump on the back of the carriage, a youngish, muscular Orracan, has suffered a compound fracture to his right leg, and he is on his back, wincing in pain, sweat dripping off of him. The other guard, an older Orracan with white moustache and eyebrows, his imperial livery perfectly fitted around his thin form, asks Varielky, “You okay?!” before she runs off, then kneels in front of the injured man, assesses the seriousness of his fracture, then tries to yell to the north end of the carriage house for attention, but there’s too much hubbub to be heard by Mittens and crew. However, guards in the nearest tower poke their heads out with a lantern, gawking at the wreckage. The white-moustached guard motions frantically and yells for them to come with healing.
Varielky makes it to the north end of the carriage house without issue, so all four of you are now gathered at your own carriage.
(OOC: Flint wanted you in front of the theater when he and Strewn and the others exited. He would then leave Strewn in your care, collect the carriage, and return with it to pick him up.)
What do you all do?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries //Dev Horndin Curious Critters
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ednyss moans as he gets on his feet picking up his war pick and shield. Seeing the injured guard, he touches the emblem on his shield gently to the injured guard's chest and whispers an incantation to send a small surge of healing energy through the guard and healing him for 8 HP. Backing up Ednyss turns to the others, "Looks like the performance is over. We had best get to the theatre to pick up Strewn and warn Flint about what happened. I'm not sure how he's going to take it." Turning to Varielky he asks, "You okay, you took quite the tumble from the top of that carriage and I lost sight of you after that. Also, what happened to the footman? Did you manage to catch them?"
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“The mark of a successful DM is when you have caused more player deaths with doors than dragons, demons, or devils.”
When Varielky reaches the others, she looks around for the women while catching her breath. "Is any of the women still alive? I ought to ask them something." As the words leave her mouth, Varielky realises she can't even hear herself. Probably not the others either. She wondered if the guards called after her as she ran. As she can't see any woman looking like the woman she was riding with, she figures they must have shared a similar fate.
If she sees anyone trying to speak, and Varielky truly can't hear them, she'll just say: "I can't hear you. My ears are ringing. Tell me later."
If she sees the others going away, Varielky will say: "You go ahead, I'll follow in a moment." And go look for the axe she has thrown away earlier before running back to catch up with her short-legged companions.
Ednyss ...Seeing the injured guard, he touches the emblem on his shield gently to the injured guard's chest and whispers an incantation to send a small surge of healing energy through the guard and healing him for 8 HP.
(OOC: The injured guard was at the far southern end of the carriage house, but we'll say the folks in the tower brought down a board to carry him toward the administration building, and you will cross paths a bit later in the evening, after picking up Strewn. The young man will be plainly annoyed with himself for having gotten hurt on duty, and will thank Ednyss and offer him everything he has on hand, 3GP, as payment.)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries //Dev Horndin Curious Critters
When Varielky reaches the others, she looks around for the women while catching her breath. "Is any of the women still alive? I ought to ask them something." As the words leave her mouth, Varielky realises she can't even hear herself. Probably not the others either. She wondered if the guards called after her as she ran. As she can't see any woman looking like the woman she was riding with, she figures they must have shared a similar fate.
If she sees anyone trying to speak, and Varielky truly can't hear them, she'll just say: "I can't hear you. My ears are ringing. Tell me later."
If she sees the others going away, Varielky will say: "You go ahead, I'll follow in a moment." And go look for the axe she has thrown away earlier before running back to catch up with her short-legged companions.
The hearing-loss was very temporary, and already 99% recovered. She finds the axe, and Dolkum's javelin is near it, still in one piece. Dolkum's hammer is still in good shape too, and he finds it where it dropped off the coach when it sped off.
Dolkum reaches a hand out to Ednys (2hp) and Mittens (3hp) <Lay on Hands for both> I'm so sorry, both of you, my healing abilities are still quite rudimentary. And Varielky,Ishall be forever in your debt for the return of my Javelin and Warhammer. Aye, and your family's, too! {oof} Two of us ought to bring the carriage around front, yes?
Ednyss takes Dolkum's healing and the guard's payment graciously, but being a more experienced battle-healer, he offers a pointer to Dolkum. "Generally healing is best served for two things, mending broken bones and bringing warriors back to consciousness. The difference between the minor healing that you granted now is nice, but it would be much more significant if it was administered when a warrior was unconscious because even the smallest amount of healing can put a fighter back in the brawl and even if it's only temporary, sometimes a few extra seconds is all that is needed." As they walk towards the amphitheater, Ednyss glances back, pausing just long enough for Varielky to catch up and for him to ask, "Are your ears better? How are you feeling?"
(OOC: Just a heads-up to anybody inexperienced with DnD... Any healing administered to an unconscious character will instantly bring them back to consciousness... So strategically, it is generally (there are exceptions to this) best to save healing for when a player goes unconscious, to revive them for at least one more round rather than spend it after the fight (logically, 1 HP versus 3 HP is just as likely to go down in one hit...) Just a strategy pointer! Ignore me if you knew this or if you'd rather play your character differently!)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“The mark of a successful DM is when you have caused more player deaths with doors than dragons, demons, or devils.”
As they begin moving towards their meeting place, Mittens says, "Are we not going to address who we just fought? I'm pretty sure that those people were stories told to scare kids, so why the heck would they be here of all places?"
He also asks Varielky, "How did the carriage crash?"
As the walk along, Mittens is almost walking with a spring in his step. Despite being injured, he almost seems pleased about something. Mentally, he keeps replaying his spells in his mind. Oh, how he loved magic!
As the ringing dims and is eventually gone, Varielky can finally hear the others talk. She hears the end of what Ednyss said first. "Indeed, the priest is right. Besides, if you're unconscious, anyone can end your life without any effort. A smart warrior will either disable you or confirm the kill so you can't wake up and attack them from behind. A battlefield is the best place to sleep in if you don't plan on waking up again."
Varielky looks down at Mittens. He was right - whoever called the women to get revenge on the Amazighs could have probably hired any assassin for the job but asked for the elite. They too must have resources. "It broke into pieces. I'm not sure what was the last straw, but suddenly it all fell apart. It lost its wheels and the drag fell off. In the end, it crushed on the horses and the last woman. And we were just starting to talk. If she didn't lie, I believe she could have been an ally to us. She said they were out to get revenge on some family who should be responsible for the poisoning in the Beauty Pageant. Ahmezighs? Amasighs? Something like that." You may have noticed already, but Varielky wasn't great with names. She prefers calling people with nicknames she invents, most of the time.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Thank you both for the healing advice. I always knew there was a difference between the class room and real life. I'm starting to understand the scope of the difference now, a little...
He walks with the others to the meeting place, vigilant for more trouble...
The guards and drivers who saw anything of what happened are a bit awestruck by you, your livery indicating that you are mere footmen, while the bravery and skill you demonstrated defeating such an unusual, supernatural threat show you to be anything but. One young man beams a toothy grin, clenching his fist and forearm in a muscular salute (“YEAH!”), and the guards give you plenty of room as you walk confidently, four abreast, back to the amphitheater entrance.
Soon after your return to the front of the theater, Granophyre Strewn, Omar el Idrissid, and Adekite, Priest of Sashia exit the building accompanied by the Jenghen provincial governor, Therodurk Ullaz and four of his Bakar Elite, followed at a close distance by Flint Strewn and Benita la Cass. Omar el Idrissid, plainly distressed behind a wide smile, is speaking, agreeing to give the Governor a private lecture on Orracan history in two evening’s time. The Governor then bids him good night, nods at Adekite, and to Strewn says, coughing with every other sentence, “How fortunate for me to have met the esteemed Dwarven scholar. If there is anything you need in our Library, or even, borrowed from Jen Ghessa, you need only ask and I will make it so. (cough.) Enjoy the rest of your travels up the coast, I’m sure you will find that our province compares with the the most ruggedly inspiring landscapes of the Empire and beyond. (cough)”
He then parts with the Bakar Elite, entering the palanquin which its carriers have, at a jog, conveyed to his side. They hoist the palanquin upon their shoulders smoothly, and Governor Ullaz is then transported along the lane on the far edge of the reflecting pool to the royal palace.
Strewn, El Idrissid and Adekite huddle, engaged in conversation about the Governor.
Flint edges in briefly to whisper to Strewn that he will fetch the carriage, and stops in his tracks when he sees your livery which, to a person, is ripped and dirtied. But he makes to continue with Benita, toward the carriage house. Do you tell him anything before he goes?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries //Dev Horndin Curious Critters
If Flint seems unfazed by the torn livery, then Ednyss sees no urgency in informing the dwarf about what occurred in the stables. Besides the threat had been dispatched already and they could fill everyone in together when they returned to the Villa. Although according to what Varielky was saying, these assassins were supposedly not the real threat. Ednyss had assumed that these were the people that were responsible for the poisoning or at least hired by one of the gangs that were behind it. However, this was a conversation that could wait until they were somewhere private so Ednyss just mutters to the whole group, "We can discuss what transpired when we return to the Villa. We should wait until we have some semblance of privacy." As Flint heads off to retrieve the carriage Ednyss just waits by Strewn and keeps his eyes open.
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“The mark of a successful DM is when you have caused more player deaths with doors than dragons, demons, or devils.”
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Varielky is a bit surprised about the woman's reaction to poison. She was convinced the woman and her accomplices are the ones responsible, but instead it seems like they share her own beliefs about such despicable ways of fighting. Well, at least partly. Crossbows and costumes weren't so honourable either. They don't have to be allies, but if they share a goal, maybe they can help each other a bit? It sure seems like the woman has more information than Varielky did. Varielky decides she has to get to the bottom of the matter, but she can't do it while being shot at. Eventually, the woman will hit if she does nothing about it.
Varielky wants to push the woman off the cart and jump after her but knows she can't let the cart keep running wild and hit something or someone. This skirmish was less important than finding those responsible for the poisoning. Besides, Varielky could already tell her foe is formidable and, if she didn't lie about not using poison, at least somewhat honourable as well. While her spot in Hallvala wasn't guaranteed, it wasn't impossible either. "If I promise to stop attacking you, will you tell me more about the Amazighs? If you satisfy my curiousity, I'm willing to pretend I didn't see you." She jumps back to the driver's seat, hoping she left enough of an impression for the woman to understand the benefits of stopping the fight.
If the woman at least seems to agree to her offer, Varielky will focus on trying to gain control over the horses and stop their charge.
Acrobatics, if needed: 21 (+2?)
Athletics to get to the driver's seat, I think it was needed the first time: 13(+2?)
Animal Handling? 14
Persuasion? 14 (+2 if Intimidation)
Varielky
I just realized you meant to push the Azhvuv, not the Alyasub. The result is the same however, so we can just move forward.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters
Hoping his charmed victim doesn't find a hidden reservoir of willpower, he turns his attention to the dragonfly flitting about and causing mayhem. Wincing in pain from his wounds, he points at the bug, and a pair of spectral jaws appear in the air that chomp down upon its chitinous form.
Action: cast frostbite on the bug. DC 14 constitution saving throw or take 4 cold damage and have disadvantage on its next attack.
DM- Azalin's Doom
DM- Surviving the Unsurvivable
<o that wailing....>
Gritting his teeth against the sense of wrongness, Dolkum moves forward to the Ashvuv and starts punching it...
Unarmed attack Attack: 24 Damage: 4
Round 5 Results
The Carriage House
17 Mittens casts frostbite at the buzzing Alyasub, but the icy jaws find no purchase on its thick shell, and do no damage.
15 A Guard on the wall has been watching the melee, and takes action, firing his crossbow at the creature which has just struck down Ednyss. You see the bolt pass through its cloak, dead center, and plunk into a post inside the carriage house next to Mittens' foot.
14 Dolkum moves to M5 starts punching the Driver (Azhvuv #3), and hits for 4HP. The desert wraith screams in surprise, then whirls up into a tight siphon of spinning sand which shoots into the sky and dissipates into nothing with a haunting cry.
12 Ednyss please make a death save for this round and the next.
Azhvuv #2 [charmed by Mittens] strikes at the Alyasub and hits with her dagger, then makes her WIS saving throw, bucking off the effects of Mittens’ spell, and turns her sharp-eyed gaze upon him.
Alyasub #2 strikes back at the Azhvuv in self-defence, and hits, hard enough that she too loses her form and spins off into nothing more than a haunting wail. The dragonfly buzzes off to the south and out of view, escaping.
The melee is over, and the carriage house guards finally arrive with heavy crossbows readied.
The Runaway Carriage
The Runaway Carriage torpedoes ahead, the horses beginning to lather with perspiration, and the vehicle reaches the south end of the carriage house, where two guards standing just outside the structure quickly assess that the coach is run amok. They exchange a word, and one guard then runs west toward horses tied outside the carriage house, while the other dashes east, toward the carriage, shouting to Varielky, “I’m coming, hang on!” and is springing up to leap onto the kickboard when he passes out of Varielky’s view.
Varielky sees that the Azhvuv is weighing her bargain as they careen onward, but the desert wraith, seeing the guard’s approach, whips on the lead horse while watching Varielky warily. Varielky is mid-leap back to the drivers’ seat when she hears a loud crack from the rear of the carriage. Just in time, she takes hold of the driver’s seat as the acid-damaged rear kickboard shatters under the weight of the leaping guard, and the drag -- a grilled weight attached under the kickboard which is used to slow down the coach when going downhill -- falls out of place and makes contact with the ground. The tension from this sudden pull causes the half-disintegrated spokes on the rear left wheel to succumb to their terrible corrosion and burst, and the wheel rim flies atop the carriage house as the spokes splinter away. The drag is ripped from its corroded linkage one one side, the rear of the carriage bucks up, then slams down again, the wheel-less corner drags the vehicle’s trajectory out of line, and the carriage tips, stands on one front wheel for a moment, then flips onto its side, throwing Varielky off and onto the ground where (OOC: her rolled 20 acrobatics roll saves her!) she combat-rolls once, then slides, on her left side, protected by her shield, taking only 4HP damage and ending up prone.
The momentum of the overturning carriage continues, and Varielky looks up in time to see the singletree she’d been standing upon just moments earlier forced upwards as the carriage rotates, pulling the fourth horse half-way aloft as it whinnies in terror then slams into the third horse, before both of the lead pair of horses crash into the ground head first with bone-splitting force. The Azhvuv, looking back, locks eyes with Varielky for a split second, her expression impossible to read, before she is forcefully thrown off the lead horse, then crushed under its weight as it rolls and slides on top of her. As one carriage wheel shoots ahead, bouncing and spinning on the ground before it smashes against the castle wall, the entire assemblage, groaning, slides to rest, the horses crying in agony.
From under the lead horse, a sudden wind whips up into a narrow tornado of dark sand and funnels upwards, shrieking mournfully away into the north sky, as the Azhvuv’s body disappears. One of the guards is yelling something to the other one, but Varielky’s ears are ringing and she can’t make it out even though they’re only a dozen paces away.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters
As his spell fades away, Mittens looks sheepishly at the woman and grins as he says, "Can't blame me for trying." Then, the big but swoops in and apparently kills her. Blinking in surprise, he says, "Well, guess that worked out after all. "
He takes a moment to survey his surroundings before he realizes that Ednyss is down. He mentally chides himself for not noticing earlier as he rushed over. He runs his gaze frantically over his companion, searching what what wounds he can find. Calling upon his knowledge of the body, he attempts to stopper Ednyss's wounds.
Medicine: 4
((Hehe, oops...)
DM- Azalin's Doom
DM- Surviving the Unsurvivable
Death Save 1: 13
Death Save 2: 12
Ednyss jerks for a moment and just as Mittens removes his paws from him, Ednyss shudders as he takes in a breath and shakes himself back to consciousness. Glancing around, still on the ground, he asks Mittens, "What happened? Where did the Azhvuv go?"
“The mark of a successful DM is when you have caused more player deaths with doors than dragons, demons, or devils.”
Varielky slams her fist on the ground before getting up to make sure the body really is gone. This turned into the worst case scenario. She didn't get to fully appreciate the woman's prowess and whether or not she was truly worthy of ascending to Hallvala, she didn't learn more about the poisoning, other than one name, and she couldn't stop the carriage in time. At least, whatever the dark sand was, it went upwards, towards Hallvala. Perhaps the woman truly is a respectable warrior; her words may have contained the truth, or at least part of it.
Maybe one of the other women knows the same. There isn't really any reason that only one of them would hold this information. Her trusty shield saved her, thankfully, so she begins to run back to the others. The guards can handle the mess; if they had done their job better and stopped the assassins from entering the palace grounds, this wouldn't have happened. Come to think about it, what were the assassins sent for? Clearly not just for killing a driver and a footman and then hijacking an empty carriage. She has to hurry if she wants answers.
Varielky stands up and dashes towards the others and will continue doing so until she gets there unless somebody tries to stop her.
Varielky
POST #10
The guards near Mittens help Ednyss to his feet and brush him off, then poke at the fallen Alyasub. Scratching their heads, they lift one set of torn orange floral livery off of the ground, look at each other askance, and shrug. The crashed coach is barely visible on the lane past the far end of the carriage house, a misshapen shadow, and the horses there continue to cry out. The nearest guards see the other guards at the south end of the carriage house, in lamplight, and decide to leave the crash to them, then turn back to the waiting coach drivers and tell them “All right people. Nothing more to see here. Go ahead and mount up and we’ll get those doors open for you. Turn left out of the house. Turn left please!”
Everyone but Varielky can hear that the clapping within the amphitheater has stopped.
Varielky sees that the guard who had attempted to jump on the back of the carriage, a youngish, muscular Orracan, has suffered a compound fracture to his right leg, and he is on his back, wincing in pain, sweat dripping off of him. The other guard, an older Orracan with white moustache and eyebrows, his imperial livery perfectly fitted around his thin form, asks Varielky, “You okay?!” before she runs off, then kneels in front of the injured man, assesses the seriousness of his fracture, then tries to yell to the north end of the carriage house for attention, but there’s too much hubbub to be heard by Mittens and crew. However, guards in the nearest tower poke their heads out with a lantern, gawking at the wreckage. The white-moustached guard motions frantically and yells for them to come with healing.
Varielky makes it to the north end of the carriage house without issue, so all four of you are now gathered at your own carriage.
(OOC: Flint wanted you in front of the theater when he and Strewn and the others exited. He would then leave Strewn in your care, collect the carriage, and return with it to pick him up.)
What do you all do?
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters
Ednyss moans as he gets on his feet picking up his war pick and shield. Seeing the injured guard, he touches the emblem on his shield gently to the injured guard's chest and whispers an incantation to send a small surge of healing energy through the guard and healing him for 8 HP. Backing up Ednyss turns to the others, "Looks like the performance is over. We had best get to the theatre to pick up Strewn and warn Flint about what happened. I'm not sure how he's going to take it." Turning to Varielky he asks, "You okay, you took quite the tumble from the top of that carriage and I lost sight of you after that. Also, what happened to the footman? Did you manage to catch them?"
“The mark of a successful DM is when you have caused more player deaths with doors than dragons, demons, or devils.”
When Varielky reaches the others, she looks around for the women while catching her breath. "Is any of the women still alive? I ought to ask them something." As the words leave her mouth, Varielky realises she can't even hear herself. Probably not the others either. She wondered if the guards called after her as she ran. As she can't see any woman looking like the woman she was riding with, she figures they must have shared a similar fate.
If she sees anyone trying to speak, and Varielky truly can't hear them, she'll just say: "I can't hear you. My ears are ringing. Tell me later."
If she sees the others going away, Varielky will say: "You go ahead, I'll follow in a moment." And go look for the axe she has thrown away earlier before running back to catch up with her short-legged companions.
Varielky
(OOC: The injured guard was at the far southern end of the carriage house, but we'll say the folks in the tower brought down a board to carry him toward the administration building, and you will cross paths a bit later in the evening, after picking up Strewn. The young man will be plainly annoyed with himself for having gotten hurt on duty, and will thank Ednyss and offer him everything he has on hand, 3GP, as payment.)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters
The hearing-loss was very temporary, and already 99% recovered. She finds the axe, and Dolkum's javelin is near it, still in one piece. Dolkum's hammer is still in good shape too, and he finds it where it dropped off the coach when it sped off.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters
Dolkum reaches a hand out to Ednys (2hp) and Mittens (3hp) <Lay on Hands for both> I'm so sorry, both of you, my healing abilities are still quite rudimentary. And Varielky,Ishall be forever in your debt for the return of my Javelin and Warhammer. Aye, and your family's, too! {oof} Two of us ought to bring the carriage around front, yes?
Dolkum starts feeling more like himself, with his colour perception a little washed out, perhaps. The sound in his ears... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw4jhNeIRC4
Ednyss takes Dolkum's healing and the guard's payment graciously, but being a more experienced battle-healer, he offers a pointer to Dolkum. "Generally healing is best served for two things, mending broken bones and bringing warriors back to consciousness. The difference between the minor healing that you granted now is nice, but it would be much more significant if it was administered when a warrior was unconscious because even the smallest amount of healing can put a fighter back in the brawl and even if it's only temporary, sometimes a few extra seconds is all that is needed." As they walk towards the amphitheater, Ednyss glances back, pausing just long enough for Varielky to catch up and for him to ask, "Are your ears better? How are you feeling?"
(OOC: Just a heads-up to anybody inexperienced with DnD... Any healing administered to an unconscious character will instantly bring them back to consciousness... So strategically, it is generally (there are exceptions to this) best to save healing for when a player goes unconscious, to revive them for at least one more round rather than spend it after the fight (logically, 1 HP versus 3 HP is just as likely to go down in one hit...) Just a strategy pointer! Ignore me if you knew this or if you'd rather play your character differently!)
“The mark of a successful DM is when you have caused more player deaths with doors than dragons, demons, or devils.”
As they begin moving towards their meeting place, Mittens says, "Are we not going to address who we just fought? I'm pretty sure that those people were stories told to scare kids, so why the heck would they be here of all places?"
He also asks Varielky, "How did the carriage crash?"
As the walk along, Mittens is almost walking with a spring in his step. Despite being injured, he almost seems pleased about something. Mentally, he keeps replaying his spells in his mind. Oh, how he loved magic!
DM- Azalin's Doom
DM- Surviving the Unsurvivable
As the ringing dims and is eventually gone, Varielky can finally hear the others talk. She hears the end of what Ednyss said first. "Indeed, the priest is right. Besides, if you're unconscious, anyone can end your life without any effort. A smart warrior will either disable you or confirm the kill so you can't wake up and attack them from behind. A battlefield is the best place to sleep in if you don't plan on waking up again."
Varielky looks down at Mittens. He was right - whoever called the women to get revenge on the Amazighs could have probably hired any assassin for the job but asked for the elite. They too must have resources. "It broke into pieces. I'm not sure what was the last straw, but suddenly it all fell apart. It lost its wheels and the drag fell off. In the end, it crushed on the horses and the last woman. And we were just starting to talk. If she didn't lie, I believe she could have been an ally to us. She said they were out to get revenge on some family who should be responsible for the poisoning in the Beauty Pageant. Ahmezighs? Amasighs? Something like that." You may have noticed already, but Varielky wasn't great with names. She prefers calling people with nicknames she invents, most of the time.
Varielky
Thank you both for the healing advice. I always knew there was a difference between the class room and real life. I'm starting to understand the scope of the difference now, a little...
He walks with the others to the meeting place, vigilant for more trouble...
Perception 22
POST #11
The guards and drivers who saw anything of what happened are a bit awestruck by you, your livery indicating that you are mere footmen, while the bravery and skill you demonstrated defeating such an unusual, supernatural threat show you to be anything but. One young man beams a toothy grin, clenching his fist and forearm in a muscular salute (“YEAH!”), and the guards give you plenty of room as you walk confidently, four abreast, back to the amphitheater entrance.
Soon after your return to the front of the theater, Granophyre Strewn, Omar el Idrissid, and Adekite, Priest of Sashia exit the building accompanied by the Jenghen provincial governor, Therodurk Ullaz and four of his Bakar Elite, followed at a close distance by Flint Strewn and Benita la Cass. Omar el Idrissid, plainly distressed behind a wide smile, is speaking, agreeing to give the Governor a private lecture on Orracan history in two evening’s time. The Governor then bids him good night, nods at Adekite, and to Strewn says, coughing with every other sentence, “How fortunate for me to have met the esteemed Dwarven scholar. If there is anything you need in our Library, or even, borrowed from Jen Ghessa, you need only ask and I will make it so. (cough.) Enjoy the rest of your travels up the coast, I’m sure you will find that our province compares with the the most ruggedly inspiring landscapes of the Empire and beyond. (cough)”
He then parts with the Bakar Elite, entering the palanquin which its carriers have, at a jog, conveyed to his side. They hoist the palanquin upon their shoulders smoothly, and Governor Ullaz is then transported along the lane on the far edge of the reflecting pool to the royal palace.
Strewn, El Idrissid and Adekite huddle, engaged in conversation about the Governor.
Flint edges in briefly to whisper to Strewn that he will fetch the carriage, and stops in his tracks when he sees your livery which, to a person, is ripped and dirtied. But he makes to continue with Benita, toward the carriage house. Do you tell him anything before he goes?
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters
If Flint seems unfazed by the torn livery, then Ednyss sees no urgency in informing the dwarf about what occurred in the stables. Besides the threat had been dispatched already and they could fill everyone in together when they returned to the Villa. Although according to what Varielky was saying, these assassins were supposedly not the real threat. Ednyss had assumed that these were the people that were responsible for the poisoning or at least hired by one of the gangs that were behind it. However, this was a conversation that could wait until they were somewhere private so Ednyss just mutters to the whole group, "We can discuss what transpired when we return to the Villa. We should wait until we have some semblance of privacy." As Flint heads off to retrieve the carriage Ednyss just waits by Strewn and keeps his eyes open.
“The mark of a successful DM is when you have caused more player deaths with doors than dragons, demons, or devils.”