Sin's In (Part 3)

A few words from the beautiful individual in the priests quarters seem to have been all that were needed to capture Malik, and Halani is enticed to join the priest even as the lovely individual stands up and meets the gaze of the priest. "Deal with these adventurers. You dearest, do as the he tells you." It's hard to say how they intends for the priest to do that, but the moment they finish speaking they vanish, the last of their words meant for Malik.

Back with the rest of the group once again, Aya quickly informs the rest of the group that Malik and Halani have met up with what seems to be trouble. Though her explanation is vague and short to save on time in what is hopefully to be the rescue - though she does offer up that now could be the time to retreat as well.

Almost at once, Seldan gets to his feet from where he'd been waiting in the trees just outside the bounds of the city, wide-eyed, serious, and even worried as Aya tells her tale. "They are captured? By mind?" He scowls angrily, but immediately goes into his pack, fishing out a scroll in short order, his next question asked quickly. "Hun'rar, can you cast the blessing that shields you from evil? I will not abandon them, and I have the means to break such tricks. I should have blessed them before they left."

"A foot to the skull may also jar the mind loose," Aya suggests. After a moment, she adds, "In a non-shattering manner, if need be."

Hun'rar looks to Malik "I don't have that spell but I think its time to barge in a bit and cause some ruckus then. Gilead will protect my mind" he says as his form begins to change in flashing sparks of fire and smoke. In just a few moments a red dragon stands in his place. "Something fast and unexpected. I can cause a ruckus and you take the opportunity to help our friends."

Seldan's entire bearing has become one of focused anger and worry, but he nods to Hun'rar. "Wait for my signal. I will be swift. Aya, this spell will not harm you, but it will protect your mind, and any demons they summon may not approach you. It lasts only a few minutes, so we cannot dally." So saying, he places his hands together, his symbol of the crescent and sphere looped over them. "Eluna, All-Wise Dreamer and Seeress, shield me from the tricks and wiles of evil."

The holy symbol glows silver-white, then flashes across his skin, leaving a faint, silvery glow where it passed, and he looks up, satisfied. The scroll he reads from, though, is an arcane one, and the words are short. The scroll vanishes into golden-white dust that forms itself over Aya's skin in a similar manner.

GAME: Seldan used a Scroll of Protection Against Evil.
GAME: Seldan casts Protection From Evil. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16

Malik, for his part, doesn't move. It's unclear what might be going on in the wizard's head, or if he's really even aware of his surroundings at the moment. He just stares blankly ahead, giving the pretty figure a nod of understanding at their order.

Play for time. Play for time. Halani takes another wipe at her nose with her sleeve and she doesn't really have to try too hard at looking like she's feeling awful. This doesn't stop her from taking a half step back when the creepy, gorgeous... person? gets up and starts giving commands. And then disappears. "So.. ah.. you said you could heal this?" She holds up her arm, the trail of snot not quite yet soaked into the fabric of her robe.

The priest smiles benevolently at Halani. "Oh yes, I can. And for a small favor as well. Here, sit down and drink this tea." He offers her a cup of tea. Then he glances toward the window and pulls the shade tightly closed. He then settles down on the couch himself comfortably close to Malik. As if this were a friendly meeting.

Hun'rar nods to the other two as the spell is cast and leaps into the air towards the town, letting his powerful wings propel him forward in a flurry of wind and leaves. He stays close to the ground of course, to maintain some sort of semblance of stealth and not to alert the whole town despite rocketing forward in a small hurricane of wings and talons, full speed at the door.

Aya takes off on foot, not wing, but swiftly nonetheless. Her initial target is a spot outside the room previously known to contain everyone, with the window as a reference point.

Seldan takes off at a quiet run as well, since he has not yet invoked armor. Indeed, as he runs, he pulls up the hood of his cloak over his head, and he slows a little to speak an arcane word. His appearance - shifts. The blue cloak becomes an unremarkable brown, the blue and silver robe over his clothing becomes a leather overtunic - and his skin shifts to a pitch, matte black wherever it is visible. Instead of following Aya, though, he follows Hun'rar right to the front door, although he ... lets the dragon go first.

Halani doesn't refuse the cup, but she doesn't drink from it either. She does take a reflexive sniff, though any aroma is unlikely to penetrate the sinus which has completely barred its doors to invaders. "Ah... not really that thirsty, yeah? Can't really taste much anyways. Had lots to drink on the way up here, too, hey?" Prattle prattle. "So what kinda favour? Something things this... I mean, I just won't do, yeah? No nude dancing, no funny stuff with... well, let's just say no funny stuff, yeah?"

Malik, already sitting, starts to reach for the tea, attempting to follow the orders of the priest as the pretty being told him to.

"Drink. The. Tea." The priest says the words slowly and distinctly and laughs. "Do it now." He lounges backwards, wrapping an arm around Malik. They look downright chummy, but there's a knife in the priests hand where there hadn't been one before and the threat now is clear. Malik will sit there blithely while he's killed. Because he's been told to.

Meanwhile at the front of the church chaos is ensuing. The dragon that is Hun'rar can not /fit/ inside the front door (being as that dragons are not built for such a thing), and people are yelling about the well... dragon that is 'attacking' the church. One man takes off like a bat to go and warn Alexandria that a /dragon/ is attacking the village, and the rest gather up arms against the creature though... in truth they look more like they're about to dead faint away at the sight of the dragon than they do like they're ready to fight it.

Aya, is alone. In the quiet dark and quite by herself.

GAME: Hun'rar rolls strength+2: (15)+10+2: 27

Aya places her hands on the wall, or closed shutters if in reach, to see what she may... well, see as well as hear within the room.

Hun'rar lashes out with his claws, pulling the door apart in a flurry of shattered wood. "My wings..." he growls to Seldan. "I need to change back." to the crowd he lets out a bellowing roar as best he can, hopefully scaring them away from seeing what is about to happen.

Halani eyes the knife. "Well.. see.. I am sure if he was, you know..." Halani uses her free hand to point at her head, "All there right now, he would say 'Halani, don't do it! Save yourself!'." Then she sighs. And lifts the tea cup to her lips and begins to drink. Just as the cavalry breaks down the door.

"Get away from the Temple! A plague monster lies within! If you would not contract Alexandria's plague, get away from the Temple!" Seldan's hoarse shout is drowned out in the bellowing roar of the dragon's fury, but if he can, he will not waste time, instead attempting to slide beneath Hun'rar's wing and into the door.

GAME: Seldan rolls acrobatics: (17)+2: 19

If Malik notices the knife, he gives no sign of it. When the tea is taken away, his hand just lowers back down into his lap, staring blankly forward still.

The dragon bursts into the middle of the church, surprising the men inside who immediately jump to their feet with weapons drawn. They level the weapons in the dragons' direction, but... it's a /dragon/. Seldan's words don't seem to concern them at all, and the leader of the three steps forward. "Get out of here! There's no plague monster! There's a DRAGON!" He points behind Seldan as if the paladin might be dense enough to have missed it.

Outside people are hastily getting away from the dragon, well... most of them. A few of those with sturdier will and a desire to protect their families from this menace are pulling weapons from where they've got them stashed. A little kid peers out his window and yells out. "LOOK AT THAT DRAGON MOM!"

Aya can see and here everything. The commotion that can be heard from just outside the priest's room, the fact that a little trickle of blood is flowing down Malik's neck now as the priest's eyes narrow on Halani. "DRINK!" He orders, knife completely prepared to end her charade.

Halani's eyes wide as she sees the blood. All else fades a bit into the background; the screaming villagers, the raging dragon, the exploding door.. her focus is on the knife at Malik's neck. So instead of the slow drink she'd been going for, she quickly gulps the rest.

GAME: Halani rolls fort: (13)+12: 25

With awareness of the interior and, most specifically, the knife at the throat of one and the imbibing of unknown things by the other, Aya acts. She ceases to exist in the prime material, stepping though the Shadow and stepping out inside the room. One gloved hand extends for the knife held by the priest and the immediate threat to the exceptionally blase' one. The magic flares briefly as it reaches out for the metal blade.

"The dragon at least will kill you quickly, fools. Unless you wish to look like this." Seldan snarls as he pulls the hood of the cloak down to reveal pitch-black skin and greasy black hair. "The plague monster is in the adventurer, and if Father Mathus touches her, he will contract it as well. If you would protect him from such a fate, get out of my way. I know how to stop it."

Hun'rar continues to roar, smoke billowing from his nostrils and creating a fus though not doing anyone serious harm if he can help it. Regardless if the people run or not he soon stops and begins to change, quickly taking on the form of the Dragon Knight instead, wielding sword and shield. "I am here for your priest, if you value your lives then I suggest you run!"

GAME: Hun'rar rolls intimidate: (5)+20: 25

The priest grins broadly at Halani and lifts a finger of his free hand. A drop of blood flows down the finger slowly. "Drinking a demon's blood binds you to it girl, our contract will be seen through yet." At which point Aya appears, her hand outstretched toward the priest.

In the foyer the men blanche at the sight of Seldan, moving further away from him. "He's in there!" Yells one of the men pointing at the door to the priest's room. They start arguing among themselves, but they're not /currently/ in Seldan's way anymore.

"Kill the mul." Says the priest to Malik, rising to his feet slowly and.... changing as he does. His body becomes that of a demons, his arms becoming wicked pincers that clack as he moves and his grin only widens and widens into a wicked thing. He's a monster, and this is his true form; revealed at last.

GAME: Malik rolls will: (3)+10: 13
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+19+2-1: (15)+19+2+-1: 35
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+19+2-1: (1)+19+2+-1: 21 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+19+2-1: (16)+19+2+-1: 36
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+19+2-1-5: (18)+19+2+-1+-5: 33
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+19+2-1-10: (2)+19+2+-1+-10: 12
GAME: Halani rolls 2d6+2+2: (7)+2+2: 11
GAME: Halani rolls 2d6+2+2: (5)+2+2: 9
GAME: Halani rolls 2d6+2+2: (8)+2+2: 12
GAME: Malik rolls Will: (3)+10: 13

Blood? Halani blanches... but then the sign she'd been waiting for happens. Well, a sign. Well, something that could be interpreted as a sign. Such as Aya appearing out of nowhere. She'll have to throw up later. The cup gets dropped as Halani snaps forward, jabbing Malik just under his ribs with a four fingered stab. Then she turns, crouching down low to snap at the priest-demon's legs. Her hooked leg misses, but she follows up with a quick one-two elbow-punch as she straightens again, ending up face to face with the pincer armed monster.

GAME: Seldan spends ONE use of SMITE EVIL.

Malik's eyes snap to Aya at the order, already reaching for the rapier at his side as he tries to rise to his feet. Fortunately, or perhaps not, he gets hit with that blow to the ribs, forcing him back down onto the seat as he struggles to catch his breath.

Seldan doesn't answer questions, as the men in the foyer fall to arguing among themselves. He dashes for the priest's door, jerks it open, dashes inside, and stops short at the tableau before him. "YOU!" he roars. "Unholy spreader of evil, in Eluna's holy name, go back whence you came!" The roar is as loud as he can make it. Hopefully Hun'rar hears it.

The priest, or rather the demon waves a hand almost dismissively at Halani and the woman... vanishes without a trace. He leers at the rest of you, outright laughing at Seldan. "Do I look afraid of you? Or your measly goddess? Eclavdran rules here, and even if you vanquish me he will only see me restored. Your allies fall around you goodman."

GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+20: (17)+20: 37
GAME: Aftershock rolls 2d8+10: (4)+10: 14

Hun'rar comes running up behind Seldan, pushing through the doorway and in his haste pushing his elbow into Seldan's side. "Come on, lets Smite and Ignite this piece of filth, pin it down before it tries to run." he says as he rushes into melee. He takes a hit on the way in but at least some is absorbed by his armor before he raises his shield to ready against the beast

-TBC