Devil in the Basement
The night is deep and the sky is clear which allows the stars to glimmer in the veil of shadows. It's cold, with a wind that bites at your heels and reminds one that though summer is not yet past, that fall is well on its way with winter not far behind. You stand outside the Arcanist's guild, a stern-looking guardsman standing before you. He's not the most remarkable sort, but his eyes are steady and his uniform marks him as a lieutenant in the service of the city.
"Your job is a fairly easy one, but no less possibly dangerous. Albus Kinkade was just recently found dead in his room at the Arcanist's guild, and it turns out that he kept a small home here in Alexandria as well. We need that home searched for any signs of who might have killed him, or any artifacts which he might have left behind. This last bit you need to be particularly careful with as he was known to make some things which might be dangerous to handle. Once I've answered your questions I'll take you to the house in question, but I'll leave the searching of it to you." He nods once. "Any questions?"
Dirk listens to the leftenant's instructions with a dour frown, idly cleaning the bowl of his pipe with his pocketknife. He's got his goods and gear strapped up and ready for action, and Lulu perches atop his shoulder, watching the guardsman with her wide, unblinking golden eyes. "How was he found?" he asks. "Do we -know- it was murder? Or did he just blow hisself up? Or was it natural causes?"
Her cart up on blocks... because she is mid-upgrade on the thing, Alaryn stands there on foot. her leather helmet with is configured to shine the light spell from its quartz crystal attachment in a forward arc only at the moment. So the guardsman is well lit so to speak.
"I'm not exactly an investigator, but I'm happy to help. Murder most foul is very foul. I might have some skill at figuring out anything at his home."
She shrugs and shakes her head, "I mean, yeah... -how- did he die? That'd be an important detail, right?"
Khepri towers over the others, even with its slightly hunched posture and jutting plague-doctor face. "The cause of death was not publicized, which suggests something... untoward occurred." The hollow tenor echoes slightly, as the war golem tilts its head at the guardsman. "I presume any security systems have been deactivated? There was an unpleasant story making the rounds about uncontrolled mannequins in an artificer's shop."
The golem Executor looks at the others, measuring them with its blank yellow eyes, head tilting this way and that before its gaze moves back to the guardsman again.
"He got sucked into an evil book," Dolan answers. He seems a simple enough sort, ready adventuring gear, breastplate, and a massive greatsword over his back. It's clear that he and the redheaded Daeusite are closely attached, but the most remarkable thing about him is the stare he directs at first the guardsman, then at the others. His left eye is chocolate-brown, the other is nowhere to be seen. Instead, set into a furrowed and melted right half of his face is a golden gem in a bronze-and-steel ring where the eye ought to be.
"Dunno who did it, but it was definitely done to him. Take the warning about that house seriously, though. That book he was found it was pretty nasty."
And the redhead that lingers close to Dolan snorts a little. "What Bry here is trying to say is that it's not just a little fuckin' papercut that did the guy in," Andelena says. "Take caution with this shit. Weird stuff's afoot."
Her steel-grey inspect the area with more than a grain of wariness. She practically glares as she looks around, her gaze only softening slightly as she looks at Dolan. Dirk pauses in mid-scrape, eyes blinking wide at Dolan. "He got sucked... intae a -book-," he says. Blink blink. He and Lulu exchange glances. Blink blink. "If he got sucked intae a book, then where was his body found? Did he even -leave- a body?"
The guardsman starts to speak, but with Dolan's words he sighs and starts again. Clearly saying something other than what he'd been about to say. "Yes, it was certainly foul play. The body was found with its throat cut and his soul is indeed inside a book now. We're not sure yet the details, so we'd rather if you didn't spread the cause of death, or how he is currently trapped in a book around." The guardsman looks at Andelena and nods seriously. "We don't think he has any protective spells on his house, but if there are any, I'm certain that the lot of you can handle it. Come on. We should be on our way."
With that he begins to lead the way through the city, though he moves slowly enough that if there are any further questions, they can be asked.
Of course, that golden gem makes Alaryn's eyes go wide. It's not that it might be worth money. It's the magic in the crystalline structure that draws her interest. That's how she works artifice.... not through clockwork windups or gears and oversized mechanisms. She stores mana in crystalline form and uses it to power sleek devices. "Well, I can scan for magical defenses, and potentially disarm them if the need arises." she offers, her head bobbing in a nod that makes her light arc bob too.
Khepri tilts its head, listening to the guardsman's tale. "Disturbing," it intones flatly. As the group moves out, it stalks along on its gangling legs, the charms around its neck jingling. The birdlike head turns to regard Alaryn.
"If you have not done so already, please make sure to fill out a Next of Kin notification. The adventuring life is dangerous work. We are well stocked for religious duties as well, so if you feel the need to make a confession before we reach our destination, it can be arranged."
"Yeah. Um, sorry." Clearly discomfited by the rebuke, Dolan scratches at the back of his neck with one gloved hand and studies the cobblestones quite intently. He shoots a sideways grin at Andelena, and nods sharply, but doesn't say anything else, merely following the guardsman through the streets.
Snorting, Alaryn shakes her head, "I am the last of kin for my family. And the only thing I need to confess to is that I have yet to finish upgrading my cart. Aside from that, let's just go figure this thing out." And then her eyes flicker back to that golden gem, "Any chance I could examine that gem sometime?" she asks, and then she adds quickly, "Not right now, just some time in the future, it looks like the sort of thing I'd make, and I'd love to figure out how it was made."
Andelena fires back a wry grin at Dolan, too, patting him on the back as they walk to soothe his slightly bruised ego from being rebuked. She /does/ offer the guard a bit of a steely glare into the back of his head as she follows him, making sure to keep at the front with Dolan. "Don't worry, Speaker," she calls out to Khepri, "I'm leaving everything to my cat."
It doesn't take long to reach the house. It's a small little thing on the edge of districts. The guardsman opens the door for you. Just to make sure that there aren't any defensive spells to worry about. He leaves the door hanging open and offers you a polite salute before heading back the way that he came. He moves smartly, clearly he still has some business to attend to. Which leaves you to search the small abode on your own.
Dirk raps the bowl of his pipe sharply against the heel of his palm, knocking out the scrapings. He tucks it into his breast pocket and folds his knife, stowing it in his hip satchel. Hefting up his thuderbelcher, he slings it over his shoulder with a nod. "Right. So. Evil soul-eating demon-book. Odd curious an' kick-knacks. See if we can find out who killed the poor man. Got it." He goes to lumber along with everyone else, whistling a quiet tune under his breath as he goes. Nowhere near as cheerful and boisterous as his usual speed, but it's not every day he's called upon to help investigate a murder.
GAME: Dirk casts Speak With Animals. Caster Level: 6 DC: 13 GAME: Khepri rolls perception: (5)+10: 15 GAME: Dolan rolls perception: (11)+12: 23
So, upon arrival at the house, Alaryn doesn't take anything for granted. She reaches up and lowers her goggles down over her eyes. With a murmured command, she activates their ability to detect magic, and will maintain that as long as possible. Scanning ahead of her for any auras of magic energy.
GAME: Dirk rolls Perception: (18)+11: 29
"Patches? Knight's holy balls, I see where I fit in now. I've been displaced by a furball," Dolan adds plaintively as they approach the house, with a grin for Andelena, but the request about the gem makes him look up and over, his eye sharpening on the woman. "Yeah? Maybe you can help the makers work out why it goes haywire when it sees strong evil."
When they approach the house, though, he sharpens up. Gone is the sheepish demeanor, and he straightens, suddenly watchful and wary.
GAME: Andelena rolls Perception: (4)+8: 12 GAME: Alaryn rolls perception: (13)+9: 22 GAME: Alaryn rolls fortitude: (5)+6: 11
Dirk tips his tricorne to the leftenant as the man takes his leave, before turning and lumbering into the house. He relies on his natural darkvision to find his way through the gloom, his heavy boots thunking noisily on the floorboards as he walks carefully along the hall. He runs his fingertips over the wall, but pauses by an ornate portrait. "Eh?" He peers at the portrait, then down at its frame. He squints at an ornate bit of carving, and presses his thumb to the center of it. With a click, a door swings out from the hallway wall, opening onto some stairs going down. "Oy, think I found the way tae the root cellar!" he calls.
Khepri studies the house with that same blank lack of expression -- not surprising, considering it's a golem. But one hand absently rests on the pommel of its khopesh, fingers twitching. "Perhaps the.." It pauses to consider its words. "...fault is not in the eye. To behold the presence of darkness can be disturbing, even loathsome to mortal souls. It can provoke a reaction if one is not expecting it."
Turning her head left, then right... Alaryn catches sight of an emanation of power from one side. She takes a step around a corner and peeks towards the source of it, only to squeal like she just got stabbed in the face, and lift her hands up to rip those goggles off of her eyes.
She holds them in one hand as her other hand rubs desperately at her eyes. "What in Hell's left nipple is -that-?" she asks out loud, shaking her head and still rubbing at her eyes... tears streaming down her face.
Meanwhile, Dolan has wandered into one of the nearby rooms at the front, his eye drawn by something. "No, it damn well malfunctions, Speaker-" He stops short in his searching, though, pausing near bookbinding materials that he hasn't touched. He'd seen whatever it was Alaryn was looking at, but she was quicker than he, and her plight has his attention now. What he's staring at, that she was looking at, was a box. "Careful with the box, looks like it got her."
Andelena's all business like her Corona counterpart as he inspects the place, her grin fallen away to make room for a more investigative expression. Steel-grey eyes scan about the place, but there's an edge in her eyes, like she expects something to leap out at her at any moment... Which ironically prevents her from witnessing whatever it was that got Alaryn and Dolan's heckles up. "Box?" Andelena asks, looking in Dolan's direction.
Khepri approaches where Dirk has apparently located a secret door. "Excellent," the golem intones. It inspects the portrait as well, taking note of the construction, before peering down the staircase. When Dolan, Andie, and Alaryn comment on the box, Khepri intones, "Secure it. Dirk has located a passage down." Pause. "I do not believe this was part of the original house construction."
To note, Alaryn hasn't commented on a box. She's just rubbing her eyes and crying from some eye-tearing pain. She bends over and places hands on her knees. "I... I can't see." she mutters before she blinks a few times. "Wait... okay, there's a light blur rather than a dark blur. That's good."
"Just a minute." Dolan strides over to the box he mentions and opens it, peering inside. What lies inside is a statue, an ugly and twisted thing that looks like parts of different creatures all randomly stitched together. This item should look familiar to Andelena and, if he was looking, Dirk, but from his expression, it _definitely_ looks familiar to Dolan. "Oh, good," he says. "Sorry," he adds to Alaryn, turning his head towards her sympathetically and snapping the box closed. "You just looked at an artifact of divine origin. I've been hunting these for a while, and I'll tell you more when we get out of here."
Palming the box, he looks around for where Dirk and Khepri have gotten off to, and then for Andelena.
Okay. After a few more moments, Alaryn's eyes begin to clear. She puts the goggles back on, but lifts them to her forehead instead of having them cover her eyes. "What's strange is... I have never heard of anything being so powerful that anyone looking at it with a divination spell would be hurt or blinded. So what in the name of all that's scientific -is- that thing?" she asks, seemingly a little upset, frustrated and scared all at once.
Dirk looks over his shoulder as the box is revealed, and he trundles over with a dour scowl. When Dolan shows that statue, the burly old snowbeard's eyes get wide. "Great Gilead's Ghost!" he gasps, taking a step back. He grips his thunderbelcher a bit more tightly. "He had one o' -those- things?!" He looks around furtively. "Thank the gods whoever done 'im in dinnae find the damn thing. But... what's tae be done about poor Alaryn? I'm nae a healer." He looks up to the war golem. "Kephri? There aught ye can do for 'er?"
Andelena's face twists up into a scowl as she looks at the statue, even when it's being palmed by her significant other. "It's something fucked up, is what it is," she informs Alaryn. "Something that keeps something that should be locked up... locked up."
She looks to Alaryn. "Guess it just happens to anything engineered, huh," she mutters in thought. "Weird. Interesting, too."
Khepri impassively inspects Alaryn. "Her vision is already clearing. This sort of exposure can be disconcerting but rarely results in side effects." The golem pauses, then regards Andelena and Dolan with its stare. But it says nothing, instead continuing with, "We should inspect the cellar though. Ensure there is nothing untoward here."
Finally able to see once again, after half a minute or so, Alaryn shakes her head. Her eyes are reddened by her tearing up and rubbing, but other than that, she looks determined. In such cramped quarters, she doesn't reach for her Thunderbelcher. She reaches into a small pouch on her belt and withdraws a Dragnspitter that is bigger than the pouch it was in. Magic is weird. She makes sure the pan is primed, and then levels it towards the cellar door, "Let's do that then." she adds, her light still shining right on the door to the cellar.
"Want me to open it from here?" she asks as she lifts her left hand and speaks a soft command to activate her Mage Hand function in the glove.
"Yeah. Let's go look downstairs." Dolan takes the statue from the box, sets the empty box where he'd found it, and turns to follow the others.
Andelena follows close behind Dolan, making sure to look over her shoulder as the group heads downstairs... perhaps out of concern that they don't get jumped by something as they descend.
Dirk eyes that dragonspitter, giving his beard a thoughtful tug. "I need tae get me one o' those," he mutters under his breath. But he doesn't give up his thunderbelcher--it's the best thing he's got. He lumbers down the stairs along with the others, peering this way and that as they go.
The basement is quite a bit down, and much larger in size than one might have thought. It's fairly barren minus a magical circle written into the stone floor, but that's not what gather's the eye. Instead what does, are the three goblins and the human standing in the center of the room quietly talking to one another. They stop talking just before you arrive, and thus their conversation remains unknown, but they look VERY surprised to see you. "What are you doing here?" Asks the human.
Okay. With the door opened, and the passage downstairs revealed, Alaryn pulls her crystal-headed rod out of its leather sling and extends it to full four foot length. Energy crackles about the head of it as she prepares her 'Death Ray'. What an odd name for such a nifty thing.
Either way, she shines the light up ahead, and follows along... tears drying on her cheeks as she moves along.
When they reach the bottom and find the person down there, her brows both go up and she inclines her head, "Great Reos." she mutters.
Khepri stares at the group down in the basement. "On behalf of the Alexandrian City Watch, I must insist on asking your business as well." Its yellow eyes glow ominously. "I do not think you are supposed to be here. Speak your names and how you came to be here in this place."
The war golem's hand rests on its weapon hilt once more, the free arm shifting to bring its shield into play.
Steel-grey eyes flare to life in Andelena's face as she steps forward, her white Sunguard cloak announcing her station quite well. She glares at the human. "And we're with the Temple of Daeus," she says, pointing to herself and Dolan. "This is an active crime scene. I'm gonna have to ask all of you to identify yourselves and fess up why you're here, or your asses are coming with us down to the Watch."
Dirk's shaggy white brows furrow into a dour scowl. "An' what is -that- fer?" he growls, nodding at the magicked circle drawn on the ground. "Most circles -I- ever seen are fer teleportation or demon summonin. Either one's a serious crime under Alexandrian law, me buckos. So let's all stay nice an' calm, right? No need fer everyone tae get their knickers in a twist. Just take things nice an' easy."
The foursome stare at you and the human - who seems in charge of the little gang speaks up again. "I think there's been a misunderstanding. We were told to search the house; as I'm sure you were. There's no need for violence." His eyes narrow. "Unless you want to start something."
One of the goblins's pipes up, "This is how we found it. WE didn't draw the circle!"
GAME: Dirk rolls Sense Motive: (2)+2: 4 GAME: Andelena rolls Sense Motive: (6)+10: 16 GAME: Dolan rolls sense motive: (16)+15: 31 GAME: Khepri rolls sense motive: (13)+8: 21 GAME: Alaryn rolls spellcraft: (2)+13: 15
Khepri stares levelly. "Anomalous. We were tasked by the guard to inspect the home and look for clues as to the demise of Albus Kinkade." A pause, then the golem looks to the others. "...I do not suppose we were issued paperwork? Written documentation is always superior to verbal orders, save in times when speed is of the essence."
That stern mechanical gaze sweeps back to the human and goblins. "Very well. We will all withdraw from this place and seek clarification with the watch. Errors will be amended."
From his position at the back of the group, Dolan quietly conceals the statue in his hand inside the breastplate he wears, and only then does he draw attention to himself. "Wait, Speaker. Who told you to search the house?"
GAME: Dolan rolls dexterity: (5)+1: 6
Andelena's gaze narrows as she looks at the man as Dolan speaks. Her stance shifts subtly; she's preparing in case the next thing to leave the speaker's mouth is an answer that neither she nor Dolan likes very much. It's a quiet sort of intimidation--mess with Dolan, and you get the Sunguard in your face.
GAME: Dolan rolls dexterity: (14)+1: 15
"Okay. Let's sort this all out. We are all here for something similar. It's possible one of our groups was lied to. It's possible one of us groups -is- lying."
That said, Alaryn smirks and reaches hands up. She lowers her goggles once more. "Don't worry. These are divination only." And that said, she activates her detect magic once more. Just in case.
The lot seem entirely calm if not particularly pleased. "I think that we'll not be answering your questions. Just in case you are working for someone noisome yourselves. Robes of Daeus don't make you servants of him after all." A look at Andelena. "How about we all head out then, and we'll talk to the watch as your friend suggests."
The man motions to Khepri and then Alaryn lowers her glasses and the man sighs. "I suppose that'd be too easy." With that the lot of them drop the illusion that they are mortal creatures. Standing before you suddenly are four devils, all with glowing dark eyes; and they move instantly to attack!
GAME: Alaryn rolls will: (4)+2: 6 GAME: Khepri rolls Will+4: (7)+7+4: 18 GAME: Dirk rolls Will+2: (1)+4+2: 7 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Dirk rolls Will+2: (16)+4+2: 22 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+11: (17)+11: 28 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d10+6+2: (8)+6+2: 16
The devil's work in concert, the three smaller ones activate spells, trying to turn the party and force them to flee, while the largest one - who had been human only a moment before - steps forward and slices at Khepri, damaging the construct heavily with one solid blow that causes it to leak from a noxious wound.
GAME: Andelena casts Bless. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14
"Of course you're devils--but at least you're more fun to deal with compared to those hairy motherfuckers," Andelena mutters, before she goes into intoning a holy prayer to Daeus to bless their strikes. The light of the Knight washes over herself and her allies, and she strides forward, drawing her sword in the process.
"Fucking /come/ at me," she dares them. "Bry can't have all the fun with you shitheads." Her sword, surprisingly, doesn't buzz in protest this time with her language usage.
GAME: Dirk rolls Shoot: aliased to Ranged+1-2: (16)+9+1+-2: 24 GAME: Dirk rolls Shoot-5: aliased to Ranged+1-2-5: (20)+9+1+-2+-5: 23 (THREAT) GAME: Dirk rolls Shoot-5: aliased to Ranged+1-2-5: (5)+9+1+-2+-5: 8 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg: aliased to 1d12+4+1: (5)+4+1: 10 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg: aliased to 1d12+4+1: (3)+4+1: 8 GAME: Khepri casts Divine Favor. Caster Level: 4 DC: 14 GAME: Alaryn casts Cure Moderate Wounds. Caster Level: 5 DC: 17 GAME: Alaryn rolls 2d8+5: (12)+5: 17
Dirk narrows his eyes as the devils throw off their mortal guises. "Oh, piss up my arse, I -knew- ye were hinky!" he growls. He takes a step back, reaching up to thumb one of the loops on his bandolier. A series of gems light up over the remaining loops, shifting their pattern as he racks his rifle. He lifts the weapon to his shoulder, narrowing his eyes as he sights down the barrel. He fires, racks, and fires again in quick succession, silvered ammunition slamming into the lead devil. CHK-BOOM! Taking a guard position, he whistles sharply three times. "Lulu, that one, get 'im!" With a hoot, Lulu hops off his shoulder and wings over to one of the smaller devils. She flutters her wings and brandishes her little talons. So menacing!
Khepri's head snaps back and to the side, as the metal of its face is rent by the devil's brutal blow. A chunk of its 'beak' bounces off the floor, as it staggers, but then straightens. The golem's plague-doctor face has been half-torn away, revealing something white like ivory beneath, and an angry yellow magicite eye glaring from it. "Unwise," the golem grates, as it backsteps, the khopesh sweeping out, and it raises its fist. "I call upon the power of the Harpist -- guide my blade." A crackle of ominous shimmering energy outlines the Executor's form.
GAME: Dolan casts Align Weapon. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15
The mobile half of Dolan's face twists into a black scowl. "Fuck. Lackeys. Guess that just means I get to fuck more of you assholes up." He reaches back and touches the haft of the sword behind him. "Holy Knight, shine your light upon my blade." A brief sunlit glow surrounds the half, but it fades, and he strides forward, loosening the harness holding the blade. The leather slides to the ground, and he takes hold of the hilt of the suddenly sunlit and naked blade. "Go back whence you came, you little shits."
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+8: (5)+8: 13 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+8: (17)+8: 25 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+8: (10)+8: 18 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+11: (12)+11: 23 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d4: (1): 1 GAME: Dolan rolls fortitude: (2)+11: 13 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d10+6+4: (10)+6+4: 20
The devil's attack in concert, the smaller ones harrying Dolan and Andelena with wicked looking stingers while the largest cuts deep into Khepri again. More of his life slips away, and the devil grins wickedly at him. "Vardama may not be able to protect you this time construct." It teases.
GAME: Andelena rolls weapon7+1-1: (19)+8+1+-1: 27 (THREAT) GAME: Andelena rolls weapon7+1-1: (18)+8+1+-1: 26 GAME: Andelena rolls damage7+2: aliased to 1d8+5+2: (1)+5+2: 8 GAME: Andelena rolls damage7+2: aliased to 1d8+5+2: (3)+5+2: 10 GAME: Dirk rolls shoot: aliased to Ranged+1-2: (15)+9+1+-2: 23 GAME: Dirk rolls shoot-5: aliased to Ranged+1-2-5: (1)+9+1+-2+-5: 4 (EPIC FAIL)
Dirk hunkers down, eyes narrowed as he sights down his thunderbelcher's barrel once more. He fires, then racks, then fires--CHK-FZZzzzz... his jaw drops as the shot jams. "FUCK!" he snarls. He skips a step back, fumbling in his hip satchel, keeping a wary eye on the remaining devils. Lulu, meanwhile, continues to be meanacing. "Hoo-oo! Hoo!"
GAME: Khepri rolls weapon6+2: (6)+7+2: 15
Andelena shows what it means to be a Sunguard.
The blessing of her god is upon her sword, and His name is on her lips as she opens her mouth. "But the Knight is with /us/!" she snarls, red hair streaming like the rays of the sun behind her as she slams her longsword down into one of the smaller devils, carving down into it with an instantly lethal strike.
She looks around at the rest of the devils, steel-grey eyes filled with the gaze of the Knight's justice. She will give the infernal no rest today.
Khepri is rocked by -another- blow, stumbling again, damage mounting. It makes a guttural, frustrated sound, a spatter of sparks coming from its chest, as it suddenly swings its khopesh in a fast arc that almost looks like Khepri is being -dragged- by its own sword. The strike passes by, though, and in a fit of frustration the Executor digs its free hand into the torn edge of its faceplate, trying to pry it clear so it can -see- properly.
It refuses to sally with the devil verbally, either, just making grating sounds of contempt.
GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1+1+2: (9)+9+1+2: 21 GAME: Dolan rolls 2d6+5+2+2d6: (6)+5+2+(8): 21
And so, terror is terror. However, Alaryn saw an ally get hurt before the terror really struck her. She whipped out a salve of curative oils blended with mana infused powdered crystal fragments... and this was rubbed onto Khepri's back before her eyes went into thousand yard stare mode... and then with a girlish scream, she turned and fled for her life.
"Ow, you little shit. Who sent you? Was it Jal'goroth?" Dolan's not playing, for all that he doesn't seem to be seriously hurt. "The Sunlord's power be the bane of devilkind!" He does not, however, remember to give the little devil time to respond, instead slamming the blade point-down _through_ the little creature with a flash of power, pinning it briefly to the floor like the bug it is. It vanishes, and he looks around. "Who else wants some."
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+8: (4)+8: 12 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+11: (20)+11: 31 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d10+6: (2)+6: 8
The devil on Dolan continues to harry him, but doesn't manage a solid strike. The devil attacking Khepri is toying with the construct now, purposefully pulling his strike a little though he could have easily dispatched it. "Where are your gods? I SEE ONLY MORTALS HERE!" He laughs.
GAME: Andelena rolls weapon7+1-1: (3)+8+1+-1: 11 GAME: Andelena rolls weapon7+1-1: (17)+8+1+-1: 25 GAME: Andelena rolls damage7+2: aliased to 1d8+5+2: (2)+5+2: 9 GAME: Dirk rolls craft/gunsmithing+2: (4)+10+2: 16
Dirk fumbles a length of bristled wire out of his hip satchel and breaks the action on his rifle. He hastily scrubs out the barrel, leaning in to blow a sharp breath through the breech, making a low FWOOOMMPH! Stuffing his cleaning tool back into his satchel, he racks the action, loading a fresh round. "I'm nae out o' this yet, ye sheepfuckers!" he snarls.
GAME: Khepri rolls weapon6+4: (8)+7+4: 19
Andelena sees the devil. Hears the devil, too. It's impossible not to, with the way he's taunting them. Her nostrils flare, and she lunges at the devil, longsword raised. "How about you see yourself into an early fuckin' grave," she growls, scoring a hit on the infernal creature.
GAME: Khepri rolls 1d8+7: (4)+7: 11 GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1+1+2: (10)+9+1+2: 22
Khepri seems to stumble from the next blow... but turns it into a deft step that places the devil between itself and Andelena. "Mortality is merely a state. Change is inevitable. You cannot change your nature. You are frozen in place, unable to grow, advance, develop. You will never be more than you are. You will most likely be much less." Suddenly the golem feints with its shield, and slashes a cut across the devil's chest.
GAME: Dolan rolls 2d6+5+2+2d6: (8)+5+2+(10): 25 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+10: (11)+10: 21
Meanwhile, Dolan is steadily working his way towards the larger one, and the last of the smaller devils, utterly unable to reach him, evaporates into nothingness at the flash of power and slash of a blade. "Coming!" he shouts, turning and striding towards the desperate Khepri. "Hang in there!"
GAME: Khepri rolls weapon6+4: (16)+7+4: 27 GAME: Khepri rolls 1d8+7: (1)+7: 8
The devil remaining makes a quick grab for Khepri, it's claws wrapping around the construct's throat even as the construct cuts a thin line into its arm. For a second the devil flinches at the minor wound, but it manages to grasp the larger creation anyways. Bristling the devil threatens. "Give me the statue and we all leave here. Do not, and this one at least will perish. I'm sure you found it."
GAME: Andelena rolls Diplomacy: (8)+3: 11
Andelena stays her blade, glaring at the infernal creature in front of her. Her face twists in anger. "You cowardly... Fuckin' /dipshit/," she growls. "That's a war golem. It doesn't need to breathe. Now put it down."
GAME: Dirk rolls shoot: aliased to Ranged+1-2: (13)+9+1+-2: 21 GAME: Dirk rolls shoot: aliased to Ranged+1-2: (6)+9+1+-2: 14 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg: aliased to 1d12+4+1: (7)+4+1: 12 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg: aliased to 1d12+4+1: (10)+4+1: 15 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d6+4: (3)+4: 7
Dirk narrows his eyes. "Aye. We -did- find it," he snarls, lifting his thunderbelcher. He sights down the barrel. "An' you'll get it over -my rottin' corpse-! NOW GO TAE HELL!" He fires off two shots in rapid succession. CHK-BOOM BOOM! The silvered bullets fly true, piercing the devil's eyes one after the other and tearing out the back of its skull. "BOOM! HEADSHOT!" he thunders, pumping his fist.
As the devil's body turns to ash, it's claws tear through Khepri's neck, leaving gouges that bleed in its wake.
As the devil's head explodes, Khepri replies, in its distorted voice, "Counteroffer: you get nothing and go back to hell." The devil's claws tear into the golem's neck, and there's a spray of -something- -- it doesn't look like blood really. The golem wavers, then collapses onto its back with a crash like a collapsing smithy.
GAME: Andelena casts Remove Curse. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16 GAME: Andelena rolls 3d8+5: (9)+5: 14 GAME: Andelena rolls 1d20+5: (4)+5: 9 GAME: Dolan casts Stabilize. Caster Level: 5 DC: 13 GAME: Dolan rolls 1d20+5: (12)+5: 17
Andelena goes over to Khepri as the melee finally clears. She murmurs a healing prayer from the Shining Knight over the war golem's body, but growls in frustration as she watches her healing magic... have no effect. "That devil got 'em good," she mutters darkly, before she looks over at Dolan. "Bry! Can you come on over and give it a try?"
Dirk grips his thunderbelcher, the barrel still curling a wisp of smoke from the end as he looks around furtively. "Think that's all of 'em?" he growls. He's no help in healing their downed comrade, so he stands watch. Lulu wings her way back to her master's shoulder, settling down and fluttering her wings. "Hoo! Hoo hooooo!" she hoots softly.
"Yeah. Bastards make wounds that won't heal sometimes." Dolan's sword clatters at once to the floor, the sunlight fading from within it as he strides quickly over and drops to his knees next to the inert war golem. "Start by making sure he doesn't bleed out." With that, he reaches out towards the shorn plague doctor beak, as the easiest thing to reach. "Sunlord grant that you remain with us."
It takes a minute. It's uncertain. But he doesn't give up, and doesn't move, until the sunlight forms beneath his hand, and sinks into the metal form. "Knight be praised. Now let's try to bring him around."
GAME: Dolan casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14 GAME: Andelena casts Sanctuary. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14 GAME: Andelena rolls 2d8+5: (11)+5: 16
Khepri looks... rough. Its armor plating is cracked from repeated blows, and its plague-doctor faceplate is half torn away, revealing something white beneath, like ivory. The remaining lens on the mask is cracked, and it's clear Khepri will be in the artificers' hands for a bit. When Dolan and Andelena finally manage to restore it again, the eyes light up, and it makes a grinding sound before rasping, "That was unpleasant."
GAME: Dolan rolls 1d8+5: (7)+5: 12
The healing prayer that Andelena tries with Dolan works, and Andelena's relieved as she sees Khepri moving and talking again. "I can imagine," she says. "Sorry about that. Didn't want to try and take a chance at it when it had you in its grip--then Dirk came in with the nice fucking shot."
She calls over her shoulder to Dirk. "That was one hell of a shot in the nick of time. Good work, man."
Dirk all but melts with relief as Kephri re-activates. "Oh, thank Dana," he says, reaching up to wipe the sweat from his brow. "Don't you worry, lad, we'll get ye tae the artificers. They'll have ye right as rain in no time!" He settles his thunderbelcher over his shoulder, puffing up his burly chest with pride at Andalena's compliment. "Well, I couldn't let the bastard have 'is way wi' our friend, now could I?" he says. "You all were pretty handy wi' yer godly magicks yerselves!" Lulu puffs up her feathers, hoo-hoo'ing softly at Andalena as well. "Aye, that's right Lulu," he says. "It -is- much better when we work together!" He chuckles, but then pauses, looking around. "Och, where'd Alaryn get to?" he asks worriedly. "I hope she dinnae run intae any magicked contraption..."
When the golem is moving again, Dolan lets out a sigh and rolls back to his feet. "These creatures are damned nasty," he agrees, "and they can fuck you up good. He didn't get what he wanted, though. Damned good shot," he nods to Dirk. "Think you can get up, or do you need a minute? We've got to search the rest of the house, but you can stay put if you think you need to."
A quick search of the house reveals nothing further, but that doesn't mean you're leaving empty-handed. Does it?
-End