26: The Dragon Dies

[Ebiris]

[14:03] <@Ebiris> With the party refusing to let the Lotus Dragon stay and collect her ill gotten loot, and initiating hostilities by casting spells and drinking potions in readiness for combat, the Lady of the Lotus clearly has had enough, her green eyes narrowed above a snarl as she raises her rapier, ready to fight for her life and her loot if that's what it'll take! But not everyone was unprepared for such...
[14:03] <@Ebiris> OOC: Lucie
[14:04] <@Lucie> "Shoulda given up while you had the chance," Lucie says, stepping forward and extending one hand. "Did you really think we'd let you walk out of here with your plunder?" Space warps before her, spreading a wave of disruption and disorientation. (OOC: color spray, DC 16)
[14:05] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
[14:05] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 and gets 24." [1d20=18]
[14:06] <@Ebiris> She raises her hand to shield her eyes, squinting and blinking as the light washes over her, but seeming undeterred! To her side the crested lizard hunches defensively, blocking one of her flanks from attack. "You might have butchered my gang, but I didn't get to lead them with good looks and money!" she counters, flicking her blade through the air!
[14:06] <@Ebiris> OOC: Rocky
[14:08] <@Rudy> The elemental plods towards the leader, and Rudy averts his eyes whilst it tries to disfigure her pretty face!
[14:08] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+6 fist
[14:08] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+6 fist and gets 19." [1d20=13]
[14:08] <@Ebiris> OOC: is it coming at her from her left or her right?
[14:09] <@Rudy> OOC: The side the thing is not on
[14:09] <@Rudy> OOC: Right
[14:09] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
[14:09] <@Glenn> "It certainly wasn't with brains either if you really thought after all you put us through we'd let you leave with your loot!" Glenn agrees with Lucie.
[14:09] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 13." [1d20=6]
[14:10] <@Ebiris> As the elemental crosses the seemingly passable flank, its suddenly set upon by another green lizard that appears out of thin air, snarling and biting down! But it can't do more than scrape the stony surface, failing to inflict proper damage!
[14:10] <@Ebiris> OOC: hit for rocky
[14:10] <@Rudy> roll 1d6+4
[14:10] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d6+4 and gets 5." [1d6=1]
[14:12] <@Ebiris> While Rocky passes by the initial surprise attack and pounds the Lady's side, making her flinch as her armour buckles under her waistcoat! She turns slightly, brandishing her blade as the previously invisible lizard attempts another attack, flanking the elemental!
[14:12] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
[14:12] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 22." [1d20=15]
[14:12] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+1
[14:12] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d8+1 and gets 6." [1d8=5]
[14:14] <@Ebiris> Rocky crumbles at that, his constituent parts disappearing as they tumble. Nodding at that, the Lady turns back to the group, "I'm not so stupid that I haven't planned for this," she retorts to Lucie, before gesturing at Glenn and spitting out a harsh grating sylable that sounds like screeching chalk!
[14:14] <@Ebiris> OOC: will save, Glenn
[14:14] <@Ebiris> *retorts to Glenn
[14:14] * Retrieving #dunes modes...
[14:14] <@Glenn> roll d20+3 nooo, not will save
[14:14] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+3 nooo, not will save and gets 21." [d20=18]
[14:15] * Ebiris changes topic to 'Lucie > Gut-Tugger > Lotus > Rudy > Henrietta > Glenn'
[14:16] <@Ebiris> Glenn feels his potion mixtures quivering against him, his glasses shaking halfway down his nose, but quickly grabbing at them and steadying himself, he halts the chain reaction before something disastrous can occur!
[14:16] <@Ebiris> OOC: Rudy
[14:16] <@Rudy> "But did you plan for this?!" blurts out Rudy, clenching his jaw, and a surge of rock pops up behind the Lady of the Lotus and unleashes another crushing blow!
[14:16] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+7 derp
[14:16] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+7 derp and gets 22." [1d20=15]
[14:17] <@Rudy> roll 1d6+5
[14:17] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d6+5 and gets 10." [1d6=5]
[14:17] <@Ebiris> "Oww!" she cries out as the elemental's fist smashes into her thigh with a satisfying meaty thump, her vision twisting in pain for a moment and forcing her to adjust her stance, favouring the other leg!
[14:18] <@Ebiris> OOC: Henrietta
[14:18] * Ebiris changes topic to 'Lucie > Gut-Tugger > Lotus > Rudy > Rocky II > Henrietta > Glenn'
[14:19] <@Henrietta> "And... and you are not the only one who knows powerful magics!" Henrietta exclaims, gesturing at the Lady of the Lotus. "Become a... a farmyard animal, just like you deserve!"
[14:19] <@Henrietta> OOC: Will dc16
[14:19] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+14 she is totally using her hero point on this
[14:19] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+14 she is totally using her hero point on this and gets 16." [1d20=2]
[14:21] <@Ebiris> The Lady makes a startled squealing noise that sounds almost like a pig's, but slaps her free hand over her mouth, seeming to force back the transformation with sheer force of will, and glaring bloody murder at Henrietta.
[14:21] <@Ebiris> OOC: Glenn
[14:22] <@Henrietta> "It's not like I used that spell because I liked it!" Henrietta snaps at her.
[14:22] * @Lucie breaks into open laughter!
[14:22] <@Rudy> "Do it again!"
[14:22] <@Henrietta> "Hmph!"
[14:24] <@Glenn> "Let's see how good your work actually is, Rabbanni," Glenn mutters as he pulls out the poisonous gas bomb the old fart made and lobs it at the Lady's face.
[14:24] <@Glenn> roll d20+8 bombs away
[14:24] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+8 bombs away and gets 15." [d20=7]
[14:25] <@Ebiris> OOC: hit, effect?
[14:26] <@Glenn> ooc: dc12, blindness
[14:26] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
[14:26] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+3 and gets 9." [1d20=6]
[14:26] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
[14:26] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 24." [1d20=17]
[14:27] <@Ebiris> The pellet smacks off her chest and breaks, spilling chalky white gas across half the room! The Lady's eyes start to water and turn red as it quickly gets to her, but the lizards seem unbothered as nictitating membranes flick over their eyes!
[14:27] <@Ebiris> OOC: Lucie
[14:31] <@Lucie> "Shame to ruin that pretty face--" and Lucie can hardly close in for combat with a poison cloud around the enemy anyway! "--so let's see what we can do with your mind." Lucie concentrates her will on the Lady of the Lotus, trying to instill primal terror into the other woman! (OOC Cause Fear, will DC 16)
[14:31] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
[14:31] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 and gets 23." [1d20=17]
[14:32] <@Lucie> OOC: ah well. shaken 1 round, then. Well, unless she's 6Hd or more, in whichcase I belatedly notice she'd be immune.
[14:32] <@Ebiris> "Rrrh... Gut-Tugger, kill the sorceress!" she gasps out, her voice scratchy as she rubs her eyes in pain, the lizard on her right hissing and rushing forward to bite Henrietta!
[14:32] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5
[14:33] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+5 and gets 9." [1d20=4]
[14:33] <@Henrietta> OOC: AC16
[14:34] <@Ebiris> But its jaws only scrape off her invisible shield of force, eyes bugging out at the unexpected barrier! The Lady herself staggers to the North out of the poison cloud, stepping onto and *through* the lizard on her left, which promptly vanishes as she casts a spell!
[14:34] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+9 concentration
[14:34] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+9 concentration and gets 14." [1d20=5]
[14:35] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+3 fort vs poison
[14:35] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+3 fort vs poison and gets 14." [1d20=11]
[14:35] <@Ebiris> But she can't quite manage properly, whatever spell she was trying only fizzling prematurely!
[14:35] <@Ebiris> OOC: Rudy and Rocky
[14:36] <@Rudy> The elemental continues his destructive rampage, completely unfazed by the poisonous gas and throwing another deadly fist into the Lady's back!
[14:36] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+7
[14:36] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+7 and gets 23." [1d20=16]
[14:36] <@Rudy> roll 1d6+5
[14:36] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d6+5 and gets 7." [1d6=2]
[14:37] <@Rudy> Rudy seems more concerned for dealing with the lizard in their midst, and fires a bolt towards the little beast assasiling Henrietta!
[14:37] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+7
[14:37] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+7 and gets 22." [1d20=15]
[14:37] <@Ebiris> OOC: hit
[14:37] <@Rudy> roll 1d8+1
[14:37] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d8+1 and gets 3." [1d8=2]
[14:38] <@Ebiris> Rudy's crossbow bolt shears a few scales off the beastie's tail, drawing blood but not inflicting a terrible wound, while the Lady gasps as another fist pounds her, this time in the hip! "Tartarus take you!" she snarls blindly at her assailant, unable to muster much of a defence while so blinded!
[14:38] <@Ebiris> OOC: Henrietta
[14:39] <@Henrietta> "You think you can escape?!" Henrietta yelps, holding onto her hat with one hand as she jumps back a few feet , her flail held in the other to ward the lizard off. "You are wrong about that!"
[14:39] <@Henrietta> A flick of her wrist produces two white roses, and they are soon on their way to imbed themselves in the Lotus Dragon's neck.
[14:39] <@Henrietta> roll 2d4+2
[14:39] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 2d4+2 and gets 5." [2d4=1, 2]
[14:39] <@Ebiris> The roses fly straight and true, but are blocked from her neck by an invisible barrier, vibrating as they seem to strike thin air before vanishing into nothingness! The Lady doesn't even notice since she can't see the magical display.
[14:40] <@Ebiris> OOC: Glenn
[14:40] * @Glenn goes to help Rudy with the lizard in their midst, biting into it's scaly flank.
[14:41] <@Glenn> roll d20+8
[14:41] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+8 and gets 20." [d20=12]
[14:41] <@Ebiris> OOC: hit
[14:41] <@Glenn> roll d8+1
[14:41] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d8+1 and gets 5." [d8=4]
[14:41] <@Ebiris> The lizard flares its crest in rage and flicks out its tongue at Glenn. "You're next!" it hisses malevolently!
[14:41] <@Ebiris> OOC: Lucie
[14:45] <@Lucie> "You know, you'd make a nice pair of boots," Lucie hisses at the lizard before swinging her mace at its head.
[14:45] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+4
[14:47] * Joins: Henrietta (corwin@bzq-79-176-48-209.red.bezeqint.net)
[14:47] * ChanServ sets mode: +o Henrietta
[14:47] * Joins: Penuche (~penuche@c-98-197-243-233.hsd1.tx.comcast.net)
[14:48] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+4 smashy
[14:48] <Penuche> Lucie invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d20=20]
[14:48] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+4 crit?
[14:48] <Penuche> Lucie invokes Penuche's magic: < 6 > [d20=2]
[14:48] <@Ebiris> OOC: normal hit
[14:48] <@Lucie> roll 1d8+2
[14:48] <Penuche> Lucie invokes Penuche's magic: < 7 > [d8=5]
[14:49] <@Ebiris> The spiked mace embeds in the creature's scaled hide, several scales ripping loose as Lucie wrenches her weapon free with a bloody squelch! It seems to hesitate in the face of such ferocity!
[14:49] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
[14:49] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 23 > [d20=20]
[14:52] <@Ebiris> But only long enough for the Lotus Lady to wipe the tears from her eyes and shoot a murderous look at the party before she leaps gracefully away from the elemental molesting her, crossing around the room to come at Glenn's flank! "If you'd let me smash your potions you'd have lived longer," she says in a deadly whisper, leaning close to him and letting her blade snake out!
[14:52] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+10 -2 expertise
[14:52] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d20=2]
[14:53] <@Ebiris> Glenn dodges enough for it to pass under his arm, but Gut Tugger takes the chance to turn and retaliate for his bite with one of its own!
[14:53] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
[14:53] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 11 > [d20=4]
[14:53] <@Ebiris> A quick kick with the back of his heel sees off that attack, however, keeping Glenn safe!
[14:53] * Retrieving #dunes modes...
[14:53] * Ebiris changes topic to 'Lucie > Lotus > Gut-Tugger > Rudy > Rocky II > Henrietta > Glenn'
[14:53] <@Ebiris> OOC: Rudy and Rocky Power Hour
[14:55] <Rudy> With Lucie and Glenn having the lizard well in hand, Rudy turns his crossbow to the Lady with a grimace. Both he and Rocky attack with perfect timing, albeit without much enthusiasm.
[14:55] <Rudy> roll 1d20+7 punch!
[14:55] <Penuche> Rudy invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=11]
[14:55] <Rudy> roll 1d20+7 shoot!
[14:55] <Penuche> Rudy invokes Penuche's magic: < 14 > [d20=7]
[14:56] <Rudy> OOC: wait, rocky would be flanking her
[14:56] <Rudy> OOC: +2!
[14:56] <@Ebiris> OOC: no he wouldn't, her back's to the wall
[14:56] <Rudy> OOC: that's actually possible? Ok then
[14:57] <@Ebiris> This time she brings up her blade, flexible steel bending but not breaking as she parries the attack, quickly jerking her head back as the bolt whizzes past to slam into the shelves behind her!
[14:57] <@Ebiris> OOC: Henrietta
[14:59] <@Henrietta> The Lotus Dragon was ready for her magic, so this time she will attempt something unexpected. Certainly, this method of attack failed with Lucie in the way, before, but she knows how to use her whip better now! Thus summoned, the whip sneaks past the melee, intending on tripping up the hopefully-unaware enemy sorceress!
[14:59] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+11 trip
[14:59] <Penuche> Henrietta invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d20=18]
[15:00] * @Henrietta circles around warily, giving Glenn and the lizard a wide berth. This time around, she will be ready and standing just next to the Lotus Dragon, ready to bash her head in with her flail!
[15:00] <@Ebiris> It works very well indeed, the floral vine snaking amidst the crowded melee and trapping her ankle! She cries out as it's yanked away, dropping her unceremoniously to the ground!
[15:01] <@Henrietta> "Surrender yourself and your possessions, or perish!" Henrietta announces in the most menacing voice she can manage, looking down on her.
[15:01] <@Ebiris> OOC: You'll provoke an AoO from the lizard any way you go, the room just isn't that big and it's threatening all the space around the door
[15:02] <@Henrietta> OOC: Okay, I'll risk it
[15:02] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5
[15:02] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d20=19]
[15:02] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+1 and fort save
[15:02] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 2 > [d8=1]
[15:02] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+6
[15:02] <Penuche> Henrietta invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=15]
[15:03] <@Ebiris> Gut Tugger lunges up as Henrietta squeezes past Lucie to approach his mistress, managing a grazing bite on the back of her hand that stings painfully but isn't a huge impediment to one such as her!
[15:03] <@Ebiris> OOC: Glenn
[15:04] * @Glenn cracks his knuckles as he turns to focus on the woman, her words about smashing his potions infuriating him. "You just reminded me how much I owe you for blowing up my home...wrong move when you're on the ground next to me, lady!" Glenn growls, forgetting the lizard temporarily as he tries to savage the woman.
[15:04] <@Henrietta> "Oww! You will regret it, and your little pet, too!" Henrietta promises, glaring.
[15:04] <@Glenn> roll d20+8 claw
[15:04] <@Glenn> roll d20+8 claw
[15:04] <Penuche> Glenn invokes Penuche's magic: < 25 > [d20=17]
[15:04] <Penuche> Glenn invokes Penuche's magic: < 17 > [d20=9]
[15:04] <@Glenn> roll d20+8 bite
[15:04] <Penuche> Glenn invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=8]
[15:04] <@Ebiris> OOC: all hit
[15:04] <@Glenn> roll 2d6+d8+3
[15:04] <Penuche> Glenn invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d6=5,4][d8=7]
[15:06] <@Ebiris> Her contemptuous air vanishes as Glenn lunges down on her prone form, ripping apart flesh and clothes with ease in his claws, a vicious bite in her neck drawing great torrents of blood! At least she tastes a lot better than those massive bugs, her skin clean and soaped and a sweet perfume worn that's quickly lost in the iron tang of blood! She screams in agony and terror, Glenn's mauling far more of a fright than any spell Lucie could conjure!
[15:06] <@Ebiris> OOC: Lucie
[15:07] <@Henrietta> "See? You are already regretting it!"
[15:07] * @Lucie flails away again at the lizard, intent on putting the beast away for good!
[15:07] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+4
[15:07] <Penuche> Lucie invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d20=15]
[15:07] <@Ebiris> OOC: hit
[15:08] <@Lucie> roll 1d8+2 smashy
[15:08] <Penuche> Lucie invokes Penuche's magic: < 7 > [d8=5]
[15:09] <@Ebiris> Lucie's weapon bounces off the monster's little skull with a crack, squashing its yellow crest and making it see stars, swaying dizzily! Meanwhile, gulping in desperate breaths as her wide eyes see threats on every side, the Lady fumbles in her waistcoat for a potion bottle, bringing it to her lips but leaving herself perilously open!
[15:10] <@Ebiris> OOC: that provokes an AoO from Glenn, Henrietta, and Rocky
[15:10] <Rudy> A cavalcade of blows ensues!
[15:10] <Rudy> roll 1d20+9
[15:10] <Penuche> Rudy invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d20=20]
[15:10] * @Henrietta brings her flail down on the Lady's wrist, even as she cannot help but look a bit squemish.
[15:10] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+7
[15:10] <Penuche> Henrietta invokes Penuche's magic: < 26 > [d20=19]
[15:10] <Rudy> roll 1d20+9 threatened
[15:10] <Penuche> Rudy invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d20=4]
[15:11] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+7 crit?
[15:11] <Penuche> Henrietta invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d20=6]
[15:11] <Rudy> roll 1d6+5
[15:11] <Penuche> Rudy invokes Penuche's magic: < 8 > [d6=3]
[15:11] <@Glenn> "Like I said, brains? Not what you were leading with, lady!" Glenn states before attacking.
[15:11] <@Henrietta> roll 1d10+4
[15:11] <@Glenn> roll d20+8 bite
[15:11] <Penuche> Henrietta invokes Penuche's magic: < 9 > [d10=5]
[15:11] <Penuche> Glenn invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d20=16]
[15:11] <@Glenn> roll d8+1 bite
[15:11] <Penuche> Glenn invokes Penuche's magic: < 2 > [d8=1]
[15:13] <@Ebiris> The potion shatters in her spasming hand, evaporating into a fine pink mist... which is what most of her body is turning into under the furious rain of blows, crushing bones under stony fists and steel flails, meat and muscle going down Glenn's throat and caking his claws as he feasts in an orgy of violence and horror!
[15:13] * Ebiris changes topic to 'Lucie > Gut-Tugger > Rudy > Rocky II > Henrietta > Glenn'
[15:14] <@Ebiris> The lizard emits a keening wail of loss and grief, attacking Glenn with desperate vengeance as he devours its mistress!
[15:14] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5
[15:14] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 25 > [d20=20]
[15:14] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5 crit check
[15:14] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 23 > [d20=18]
[15:14] <@Ebiris> roll 2d8+2
[15:14] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 5 > [d8=2,1]
[15:15] <@Ebiris> OOC: fort save, too
[15:15] <@Glenn> roll d20+6 (+2 more vs poison)
[15:15] <Penuche> Glenn invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=10]
[15:16] <@Ebiris> It rips a shred of flesh from Glenn's alchemically toughened thigh, blood dripping and skin dangling from its jaws, but seeming far hungry for  more!
[15:16] <@Ebiris> OOC: Rudy and Rocky
[15:16] <Rudy> Rudy seems to be turning slightly green at the ensuing carnage. At least the elemental is not so phased, as it ambles towards the lizard and steps on it.
[15:16] <Rudy> roll 1d20+7
[15:16] <Penuche> Rudy invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d20=12]
[15:16] <@Ebiris> OOC: hit
[15:16] <Rudy> roll 1d6+5
[15:16] <Penuche> Rudy invokes Penuche's magic: < 7 > [d6=2]
[15:17] <@Ebiris> The lizard is rocked by the punch, swaying drunkenly but seeming singlemindedly determined to bring Glenn down before it dies!
[15:17] <@Ebiris> OOC: Henrietta
[15:18] * @Henrietta swiftly turns away from the fine mist the Lotus Dragon's body had become, stepping towards the lizard and bringing her flail down upon it!
[15:18] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+7
[15:18] <Penuche> Henrietta invokes Penuche's magic: < 22 > [d20=15]
[15:18] <@Henrietta> roll 1d10+4
[15:18] <Penuche> Henrietta invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d10=8]
[15:19] * Joins: Hatbot (~Hatbot@cpe-24-28-0-36.austin.res.rr.com)
[15:19] <@Ebiris> A cracking sound is heard as Henrietta snaps its long neck with her flail, the creature collapsing in a bloodied burbling heap!
[15:19] * Penuche was kicked by Ebiris (Hatbot's here now)
[15:21] <@Henrietta> "Umm."
[15:21] <Rudy> Rudy presses a hand against the wall. After a few moments of stunned silence, he shakes his head. "I think I need to go outside."
[15:22] * @Lucie kneels down, wipes the gore off her mace on a scrap of the Lady's clothing, stands up again and looks around. "Messy, but at least she won't be coming after us again this way. Everyone alright?"
[15:22] <@Ebiris> The chalky mist on the far side of the room seems to have settled during the violence, making it traversable.
[15:23] * @Glenn starts frowning as the battle ends and he starts coming down from the battle high, looking at his claws and shaking them to flick the blood off. Not much he can say to make the scene less bloody. He does lean down to check on the Lady's body, just to see if there's any sign of life at all left in her at all.
[15:23] * @Henrietta edges away from Glenn to the other, now safe, side of the room.
[15:24] <@Ebiris> No, she's quite dead, Throat torn out, face pulped and caved in, ribcage mostly collapsed under her armour and silken waistcoat... she isn't getting up from that.
[15:24] <Rudy> "Yeah, I really do. I'll... fuck, there's still one of those things.. maybe this way... hey, Rocky, you tell me how to get up, right?" says Rudy, wandering towards the elemental.
[15:24] <@Lucie> "There are other doors here. One of them was surely meant as an escape route." Lucie walks to the nearest unexplored door, opens it.
[15:25] <@Ebiris> OOC: North or South?
[15:25] <@Lucie> OOC: s
[15:25] * @Glenn sighs and gets up, pulling out a stopper from one of his potions and downing it. Well, he can't say he didn't want to kill the woman, but he would have felt better if there was enough left of her to take to jail. Oh well, no use crying over a person like her, and her death means he was better off using his alchemy to heal himself instead.
[15:25] <@Glenn> roll d8+1 clw
[15:25] * Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d8+1 clw and gets 3." [d8=2]
[15:27] <@Ebiris> Lucie opens the door, this one showing a room plastered and carpeted much as your current location, painted a soothing light green. A delicate crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling, over a dressing table next to a padded stool. A large canopied bed with silk sheets dominates the East of the room, a heap of oversized cushions next to it on the floor.
[15:27] -> *Henrietta* There's some magic on the Lady's corpse.
[15:29] <Rudy> Rudy finds himself heading to the other one and pushing it gingerly open.
[15:29] <Rudy> *other door
[15:30] <@Henrietta> "Umm," Henrietta eloquently repeats, catching up to Lucie and tapping her shoulder. "I see something magical... back there...." She gestures behind her, in the general direction of the Lady's corpse.
[15:30] <@Ebiris> Rudy finds a bathroom, all surfaces covered in white marble tile, every inch sparkling cleanly. In the middle of the room is a five by ten foot pool of clear water, and an unlit iron brazier stands to the Northwest.
[15:31] <@Lucie> "Classy, for a cave." Lucie turns around. "Oh yeah? and you can't look for it yourself." She shrugs, walks to the Lady's body and kneels down next to it to search for anything of value. "Can't be squeamish if you're gonna be involved in this kinda business, Henri."
[15:32] <@Henrietta> "Father never said anything about eating people while adventuring!" Henrietta protests, keeping her distance.
[15:32] <@Lucie> "Well, we can't all choose the company we keep, can we?"
[15:33] <Rudy> "You can't pick your friends, just your enemies, huh?" Rudy glances at the remains of the Lady. "Ugh..."
[15:33] <@Henrietta> Unable to answer to this properly, Henrietta makes herself focus on the Lady's other belongins, trying to see just what was worth dying for.
[15:34] <@Ebiris> Her clothes perhaps had value once, but are quite ruined now. Still, the chain shirt worn under her waistcoat may still be valuable. Her rapier looks exquisite, a ruby jewelled pommel and a golden hilt, the silvery blade seeming to ward off all the blood around it. There's a broch in the form of a tiny kite shield made of mithral or silver pinned to her breast as well... and strapped to her hip is a strange black rod, one end twisted and gnarled, but the other clean and smooth, adorned with elaborate runes. It feels *wrong* just to look at.
[15:34] <@Ebiris> OOC: anyone with knowledge history or religion can roll it after looking at the rod
[15:34] * Joins: Zeph (~zephisawe@108.120.107.51)
[15:34] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+6 K:R
[15:34] * Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+6 K:R and gets 22." [1d20=16]
[15:35] -> *Lucie* That rod, the runes on it are symbols of the Undying Emperor. Jovar's boogeyman and devil rolled into one. You've heard he made tools that can animate the flesh of servants and enemies, leaving them still with the skills they had in life but mindlessly obedient to the bearer of the rod, but to the Undying Emperor above all.
[15:36] <Rudy> "I don't really wanna pretend we were in this for any of the good reasons..." mutters Rudy, pausing by the door. "'least we can tell milady she won't need to worry 'bout not waking up. Guess that's something, eh?" He glances around the room. "Wonder what's gonna happen to all this."
[15:37] * @Lucie looks over the array of expensive merchandise the Lady was sporting. "Was doing pretty well for herself, wasn't she?" She sets the rapier and brooch aside for anyone wishing to examine them, then gets to the nasty business of removing that chain shirt. Can hardly use or sell it while it's on the body. "What's gonna happen to all this is we strip it for anything worth a copper. What, you
[15:37] * @Lucie want to leave it for the watch to collect?
[15:38] <@Ebiris> Looking around the bookshelves, Henrietta can see some very nice ornaments - a rearing silver unicorn statuette, a succubus in alabaster with wings posed coyly around her body, a lunging onyx styx hound... the stuffed animals are much like Nemien's display pieces, favour snakes and large insects, and also a prodigious mouse, rivalling a housecat in size. She can see two jewellery boxes, one iron adorned with patterned fey engravings, the other green jade, and a couple of dozen books.
[15:38] * @Lucie doesn't touch the strange black rod. "This thing...this here's got the symbol of the Undying Emperor. Could animate the dead, so the story goes. Must be involved in what they did to Mort?"
[15:39] <Rudy> "You think? Let's burn it. Does it burn?"
[15:39] * @Henrietta whirls about. "Can your elemental break it?"
[15:39] <@Lucie> "One way to find out." Lucie gingerly unstraps it from the Lady's body, rolls it across the floor to Rudy. "All yours if you want to try."
[15:40] <Rudy> "I dunno, but better than that leaving it lying around for some creep to grab," replies Rudy, instructing Rocky to try snapping it in half.
[15:41] <@Ebiris> Rocky strains his untiring muscles as he holds the gnarled black rod, slowly bending it... the runes across it flare brightly for an instant as it snaps in half, a dark miasma flowing out on a chill wind!
[15:41] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+4
[15:41] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+4 and gets 16." [1d20=12]
[15:41] <@Ebiris> OOC: fort saves everyone
[15:41] <@Glenn> roll d20+6
[15:41] * Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+6 and gets 25." [d20=19]
[15:41] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+3
[15:41] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+4
[15:41] * Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+3 and gets 7." [1d20=4]
[15:41] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+4 and gets 13." [1d20=9]
[15:42] <Rudy> roll 1d20+4
[15:42] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+4 and gets 11." [1d20=7]
[15:42] <Rudy> roll 1d20+4 rock
[15:42] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+4 rock and gets 24." [1d20=20]
[15:42] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+3 hero point reroll?
[15:42] * Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+3 hero point reroll? and gets 4." [1d20=1]
[15:43] <@Ebiris> The mist swirls bleakly around the room, caressing you all in its vile embrace! For half an instant, both the Lady and her pet twitch in their repose, while the living feel clammy and weak... but it passes, fading behind into nothingness...
[15:44] * @Lucie shudders. "What...was that? Rudy! Next time you break a magical device, have your goon do it at a safer distance!"
[15:45] <@Glenn> "Agreed," Glenn says with a shudder of his own. "Still, good riddance and let's hope we don't have to deal with undead ever again now that that thing is gone."
[15:45] * @Henrietta inconspiciously moves to the bedroom to look through it, in case more horrible magical devices will be broken here, their powers unleashed upon her delicate form.
[15:45] <Rudy> "How should I know what's gonna happen?!" retorts Rudy. "You guys are the mages, you tell me!"
[15:46] <@Ebiris> The bedroom has a dressing table covered in almost two dozen bottles of perfume, a big closet currently closed, and a likewise big four poster bed to explore!
[15:46] <@Ebiris> OOC: can roll search if just looking around for stuff beyond the obvious
[15:46] <@Lucie> "It's unknown magic! You don't take chances with it!"
[15:46] * @Henrietta starts with the closet. It is a nice enough distraction, until everyone catches up and helps her look in earnest.
[15:47] <Rudy> "But doing anything would constitute taking a chance! As would leaving it al- you know what I don't care, I'm gonna summon Myra and let her do everything," vows Rudy, lapsing into a trance.
[15:47] * @Lucie wanders in after Henrietta, to look around the table by the bed. Looting is indeed a nice distraction.
[15:48] <@Ebiris> Opening the closet, Henrietta finds some fine ladies clothing! Fit for a courtier or a noble, perhaps, they're of a similar cut and style to what the Lady was wearing, in other colours and with subtle differences. At the back, however, is a scandalously cut robe of shimmering lavendar silk, layers and ruffles used to add depth, but lots of empty space that would show bare skin quite daringly.
[15:49] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+10 for thoroughness of looting?
[15:49] * Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+10 for thoroughness of looting? and gets 13." [1d20=3]
[15:50] * @Henrietta uses Prestidigitation to make herself far more presentable, before holding the shimmering silk robe against herself and admiring the way it looks.
[15:50] <@Ebiris> On the dressing table are lots of perfumes, all sorts of brands from Isernia and nearby kingdoms, as well as two that seem to be from Cimmeria if the elven script labels are any indication. One feels very special in Lucie's hands, however, called Aphrodite's Dew by the label, the crystalline bottle almost sings with potential.
[15:51] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+2 my own perception
[15:51] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+2 my own perception and gets 20." [1d20=18]
[15:51] * @Lucie glances at Henrietta while rifling through the perfume collection. "Nice find. It'd look good on you." Lucie uncaps that one bottle, sniffs lightly at the contents.
[15:52] <@Ebiris> The robe would look quite good on Henrietta's figure, she reckons as she looks in the mirror. She definitely has the body for such a revealing garment. As she putters around, however, she does notice a few other things... the paint on the Northeast wall is a bit discoloured, and she thinks she can see a sheaf of paper sticking out under the bedsheets below the mattress.
[15:52] <@Glenn> roll d20+8 perception
[15:52] * Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+8 perception and gets 12." [d20=4]
[15:53] <@Henrietta> "Lucie?" Henrietta asks, folding the dress and placing it carefully back into the closet. "Can you take a look on the wall, here?" She points out the mismatched paint, deciding to focus on that for now.
[15:53] -> *Lucie* Lucie feels immediately aroused and intoxicated by the perfume, in a *good* way. It makes her feel happy and confident, like she could take on the world. It's the scent of success, she's sure of that.
[15:55] * @Lucie smiles happily. "Ah...oh my." She openly pockets the perfume, as if daring anyone else to contest it. Then she walks to the discolored wall, pushes at it experimentally.
[15:56] <@Ebiris> The wall recesses slightly, exposing a seam and allowing the hidden door to be pushed aside, revealing a short narrow corridor with a door at the far end on the Eastern wall. It's unfurnished like the rest of the hideout.
[15:57] <@Henrietta> Given that Lucie is starting to collect their winnings and the corridor doesn't appear to immediately lead anywhere of interest, Henrietta decides to place the robe in her backpack for safe keeping.
[15:57] <@Lucie> "Knew she'd have an escape route here somewhere. Do we want to try it out or go back the way we came and meet up with the Cobras? We *do* still have that war room to look at. It might tell us something of use about their plans." Lucie strolls down the corridor just to take a peek at what's on the other side of the door.
[15:58] <@Ebiris> The door, it is locked!
[15:58] * @Henrietta focuses on the sheaf of paper while Lucie does that.
[15:58] * @Lucie returns with a shrug. "Locked. Well, that answers that one."
[15:58] <@Ebiris> Under the mattress, Henrietta discovers a whole pile of papers! They look like letters, but it'd take some time to read through them all.
[16:00] * @Henrietta decides to just skim the one that drew her attention.
[16:00] <Rudy> "Yeah, I'll go check that out. You guys.. gather things up? Yes. Myra, help them," states Rudy, letting his abominable minion handle lifting (heavy or otherwise) while he heads to the war room.
[16:00] -> *Henrietta* It's a letter from Vanthus to 'his little dragon'. A very racy one! Wow, can people do that?
[16:00] * @Glenn helps out with gathering stuff and carrying things that the others find, since they're apparently having better luck searching for all the hidden stuff.
[16:01] <@Ebiris> Rudy finds the war room much as it was left, nobody having come this way during the fighting or looting.
[16:01] * @Lucie takes a moment to look around the room with the pool, just because no one else has, before deciding to move on.
[16:02] <Rudy> It's clearly time to hunt around and look for everything, and Myra does much the same!
[16:02] <@Henrietta> Eyebrows climbing, Henrietta gathers the stack of letter for later review. With nothing else catching her interest in that room, she picks a bottle of perfume from Cimmeria and then returns to the central room for a second look.
[16:02] <Rudy> roll 1d20+2 my search
[16:02] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+2 my search and gets 16." [1d20=14]
[16:02] <Rudy> roll 1d20+12 myra's search
[16:02] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+12 myra's search and gets 13." [1d20=1]
[16:02] <@Lucie> OOC: taking ten for 20?
[16:02] <@Ebiris> The bathroom is quite bare, the water cool and clear at the moment.
[16:02] <@Ebiris> No other secret passages or hidden caches are revealed by anyone's investigations...
[16:03] * Rudy starts rifling through the papers in the war room, hoping to get an idea of what they're all about!
[16:03] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+2
[16:03] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+2 and gets 12." [1d20=10]
[16:03] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+2 bathroom
[16:03] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+2 bathroom and gets 9." [1d20=7]
[16:04] * @Lucie rejoins Rudy in the war room, then. "You know, she must've had money. We haven't found a treasury room of any kind..."
[16:04] <Rudy> "Maybe she put it in the bank."
[16:05] <Rudy> Myra searches everywhere!
[16:05] <@Ebiris> The papers are primarily shipping manifests, Rudy discovers. Nothing blatantly useful... although he does find a chart in the bundle he grabbed earlier, seems to provide a route to Griffin Reef South of Salerno, and directions around the dangerous sand flats on approaching it.
[16:06] <@Henrietta> "That door was locked, you said?" Henrietta asks Lucie, not having any luck elsewhere. "We should see where it leads!"
[16:06] <@Lucie> "Didn't find a key." Lucie hefts her mace. "Guess we'll improvise?"
[16:06] * @Henrietta raises her own flail in response!
[16:07] * @Lucie heads back to the secret corridor, then, intent on breaking it down in a joint effort.
[16:07] <@Ebiris> OOC: is everyone going back to the secret corridor now?
[16:07] <Rudy> OOC: Sure
[16:09] <@Ebiris> Henrietta and Lucie both crash into the door with their heavy bludgeoning weapons! It readily splinters inwards, but as it does several concealed launchers send needles whizzing up and down the corridor in a deadly barrage for their impertinence!
[16:09] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+10 Lucie
[16:09] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+10 Lucie and gets 23." [1d20=13]
[16:09] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+10 Henrietta
[16:09] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+10 Henrietta and gets 14." [1d20=4]
[16:09] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+10 Rudy
[16:09] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+10 Rudy and gets 29." [1d20=19]
[16:09] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+10 Glenn
[16:09] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+10 Glenn and gets 19." [1d20=9]
[16:09] <@Ebiris> OOC: ACs?
[16:09] <@Henrietta> OOC: 16
[16:09] <@Lucie> OOC: 19
[16:09] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4 and fort Lucie (poison)
[16:09] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d4 and fort Lucie (poison) and gets 1." [1d4=1]
[16:09] <@Glenn> ooc: 20 if mutagen is still up (should have lasted 30 minutes)
[16:09] <Rudy> OOC: less than that!
[16:09] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4 and fort Rudy (poison)
[16:10] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d4 and fort Rudy (poison) and gets 1." [1d4=1]
[16:10] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+3+8 sure I'll brun a hero point this time
[16:10] * Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+3+8 sure I'll brun a hero point this time and gets 22." [1d20=11]
[16:10] <Rudy> roll 1d20+4
[16:10] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+4 and gets 16." [1d20=12]
[16:11] <@Ebiris> The needles are small enough to glance off most protections, and even those hit only suffer minimal inconvenience at least. The door crumples otherwise, exposing a tiny cramped room dominated by three large wooden chests, one to the North, one to the Northeast, and one to the West. It's only big enough for one person to squeeze in between them and the doorway.
[16:11] <Rudy> "Ow! Fuck!"
[16:12] <@Henrietta> Though briefly taken aback, Henrietta is the one to step into the cramped room in the wake of that hail of needles.
[16:12] * @Lucie yanks the needle out, tosses it aside in disdain. She peers into the room, scans it and the chests for sign of any other traps.
[16:12] <@Ebiris> Henrietta sandwiches herself between the chests, nothing bad happening immediately...
[16:12] <@Ebiris> OOC: perception, Lucie
[16:12] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+10
[16:12] <Rudy> Rudy plucks out the irritating needle that lodged itself in his shoulder, and elects to stay outside the danger room and lets Myra go instead.
[16:12] * Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+10 and gets 25." [1d20=15]
[16:13] -> *Lucie* There are holes in the floor under Henrietta just big enough for spikes to shoot out of.
[16:13] <@Ebiris> Myra finds her way blocked by the two magical girls!
[16:13] <@Lucie> "Henrietta? There are holes in the floor beneath you. Maybe we should let Myra open these?"
[16:14] * @Lucie sidles back out of the corridor to let the abomination pass!
[16:14] <@Henrietta> "Oh!" Henrietta slowly returns to the door, aiming to retreat and give Myra the space to try.
[16:14] <@Ebiris> Myra replaces Henrietta, having three chests to choose from... will she choose wisely?
[16:14] <Rudy> "Isn't that a dead giveaway?" wonders Rudy, while Myra picks chest number three!
[16:14] <@Ebiris> OOC: North, Northeast, or East?
[16:15] <@Henrietta> "Why do you think so?"
[16:15] <Rudy> OOC: East
[16:15] <Rudy> "That it's a trap, you know?"
[16:15] <@Henrietta> "Well...."
[16:15] <Rudy> "I mean, why trap one when you can trap all three? There's probably some locking mechanism that spikes anyone trying to do anything."
[16:16] <@Ebiris> The chest opens readily to Myra's claws... within she finds dozens of neatly stacked silk bags, an eight pointed star stencilled upon them. The interiors of said bags are filled with gold and jewels aplenty!
[16:16] * @Henrietta is ready to destroy any spikes with acid, if it comes to that.
[16:16] <Rudy> "Or, you know, I could be wrong and rich. I prefer that to being right and poor."
[16:16] <@Lucie> "Amen."
[16:16] <Rudy> Myra attemps to drag the chest away!
[16:16] <@Henrietta> "It gives you an uplifting feeling."
[16:16] * @Glenn also nods his agreement with the sentiment.
[16:17] <@Ebiris> It's heavy, but Myra is up to the task, dragging it out... until there's a thunk and splintering of wood from the centre of the room, the chest becoming stuck there and suddenly harder to drag.
[16:18] <Rudy> Myra starts unloading the bags from the chest, depositing them in the safe zone!
[16:23] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+7 rapier
[16:23] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+7 rapier and gets 23." [1d20=16]
[16:23] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+7 brooch
[16:23] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+7 brooch and gets 15." [1d20=8]
[16:25] <@Ebiris> In short order the party has gathered everything they care to grab, no sign of Cobra Fangs or Lotus Dragons to interfere with them, nor the Watch for that matter...
[16:25] <@Glenn> roll d20+10 brooch identify attempt after Henrietta
[16:25] * Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+10 brooch identify attempt after Henrietta and gets 18." [d20=8]
[16:26] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+6 and if we still need another try
[16:26] * Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+6 and if we still need another try and gets 13." [1d20=7]
[16:26] <Rudy> "Let's head back out the way we came," suggests Rudy, starting to make his way back. He takes a moment to heal Myra first, however...
[16:26] <Rudy> roll 1d10+3 healz
[16:26] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d10+3 healz and gets 12." [1d10=9]
[16:28] <@Lucie> "Yes. And much as I'd like to leave this place, go get drunk and wake up in somebody else's bed, we should make sure there are no holdouts hiding in out-of-the-way places. Don't want anyone coming after us later if we can help it, right?"
[16:28] <@Henrietta> "Well... they will just run away, would they not?" Henrietta asks, blinking.
[16:28] <@Glenn> "I'd personally like to go get healed up first, but I can agree with the sentiment of not waking up in a burning house again," Glenn says.
[16:29] <@Lucie> "At the very least we need to find out how things went on the Cobras' end," Lucie adds.
[16:29] <@Glenn> "That said, I'm probably just going to lob a bomb or two and try to blow up anybody else we find at this point," Glenn adds.
[16:29] <Rudy> "I don't mind hunting them down," replies Rudy. "If you're going to do a job, you need to finish it, I do believe."
[16:30] * @Henrietta doesn't look particularly happy with this consensus, but chooses not to argue.
[16:32] <@Ebiris> Exploring for stragglers, the party finds the place mercifully deserted aside from the corpses marking their handiwork, a few meals in the mess hall abandoned uneaten. It's as they're going up towards the cistern that they run into the Cobra Fangs, Hermann supporting himself on his polearm, Dawley trudging along seemingly unconcerned by the massive red splotch under his clothes on his side, and Maya riding her giant snake seeming quite happy and unaffected. "You're okay, Lucie?" Hermann gives the oracle a bitter grin, straightening up.
[16:34] <@Lucie> "Sure. No trouble at all. Anyone we came across isn't getting up on. Neither's Mort, though. We found him. What was left of him. They killed him and raised his corpse somehow--his skeleton attacked us. You can be sure the one did it met a messy end, though."
[16:36] <@Ebiris> "Bastards. Chekick bit it, too," Hermann scowls. "Got his face punched in... that guy didn't get away with it, either. Figure we're gonna lay low till nightfall then sneak him back home so the Watch doesn't see. Haven't seen anyone else down here for a bit otherwise, though."
[16:37] <@Glenn> "We haven't met anybody else in a while either."
[16:37] <Rudy> "I figure, anyone's left, they'll dissolve. These guys are finished," notes Rudy.
[16:37] <@Ebiris> "Be glad to get home to Shadowshore and forget about this shit. We'll pour one out for Chekick then, right Lucie?"
[16:38] <@Ebiris> "And Mort too," Maya adds happily.
[16:40] <@Lucie> "Yep. Whatever plans they had about butting in on Cobra turf are done with now." Lucie nods. "Going to report in to this lot's employer, but I'll stop in later."
[16:41] <@Ebiris> Hermann nods grimly. "Don't forget where you came from, Lucie," he tells her in farewell, settling in to bunker down in the forgotten lair with the remnants of his gang...
[16:42] <@Lucie> "No worries on that account." She turns to the others now, ready to move out of this tomb.
[16:45] <@Ebiris> The bloodied party (thankfully most blood not being theirs) attracts more than a few odd looks after they sneak out and start heading back towards Rudy's house burdened with their haul, but everyone's well behaved enough to avoid confrontation, and fast talking and charming smiles dissuade any guards from getting too curious. Once there it's a simple matter to get cleaned up and pay a call on the Vanderboren estate, Lavinia's maid settling everyone in comfortable with tea and cakes as they wait, Lavinia apparently conducting a business deal somewhere but she should be back shortly...
[16:46] <@Ebiris> But before they did, they happened to read the letters and discover things Lavinia would care about even more...
[16:50] <@Lucie> "So," Lucie starts, "how do we plan to break the news of her brother's total worthlessnes? Who wants to start that conversation?"
[16:50] <Rudy> "Now this, this man. I would have no reservations at all about you eating him, Glenn," notes Rudy, tapping one of the letters whilst reclining on a couch. "Scummy little ingrate..."
[16:51] * @Henrietta takes a deep breath, having reread a certain pertinent letter twice, first. "We really should not tell Lady Vanderboren about this, I think. Instead, we should pursue him based on our lead, and discover that pirates have killed him."
[16:52] <@Glenn> "Just because I bite them doesn't mean I -eat- them, Rudy. The chemicals may make me bloodthirsty apparently, but not a cannibal at least," Glenn says drily.
[16:52] <Rudy> "What, we need to hide the fact that he's working with criminals from her? As far as his character goes, there's nothing here she didn't know already, you know?"
[16:53] <@Henrietta> "It would be very difficult to learn that your younger sibling killed your parents!" Henrietta exclaims. "Does she really need to know that? How can it possibly make things better?"
[16:53] <@Glenn> "And I say we tell Lady Vanderboren all we know. We didn't get hired to coddle her and tell her lies. If her brother's a monster, she should well know that and decide what she wants done with him then."
[16:54] <@Glenn> "If she still wants to save him...well, we are in her employ, however much the thought might disgust me."
[16:54] <@Henrietta> "So you want to hurt her and then force her to order her brother's death?"
[16:54] <@Glenn> "No, but she should be given the truth. And like I said, she might still choose to save him."
[16:54] <@Lucie> "She knows he was working with ruthless assassins. Is it really more of a stretch to tell her he was as bad as any of them?"
[16:55] <@Henrietta> "Yes!" Henrietta responds incredulously. "Killing your family is much worse!"
[16:57] <Rudy> "I really must agree with Glenn. We're her employees, not her sycophants," notes Rudy. "If I was a noble, in charge of an estate and all of that, I would not want such things to be hidden from me, no matter how dreadful."
[16:57] <@Lucie> "*I* would want to know. If she is going to lead a noble house, she needs to be strong, and coddling her with safe lies won't be of any help on that front."
[16:58] <@Glenn> "Besides, what if we do things your way and she later finds out somehow that we did him in? Somehow these things have a way to get out, and what would we do then?" Glenn asks.
[16:58] <@Glenn> "Oh, I'm sorry boss, we just wanted to spare you the pain! Your brother was actually an evil man! Sorry we didn't tell you!" Glenn says in a poor imitation of a remorseful tone.
[16:59] <@Henrietta> "We are not just her employees," Henrietta insists quietly. "I work for her because I like her. You think that she needs to become like many other nobles who don't trust anyone? You think she would be better off agonizing about how her parents might still be alive if she had noticed something off about her brother and acted upon it?"
[16:59] <@Glenn> "And she's going to trust us if we tell her lies?" Glenn asks with surprise.
[17:00] <@Lucie> "If those are the demands her position makes of her, what else should she be? Perhaps in the future she'll know to look for such signs."
[17:00] <@Henrietta> "It is a white lie. A lie of omission! Vanthus would die, and so would anyone who really knew about his plan. What possible benefit is there in telling her?"
[17:02] * @Glenn rubs his forehead in disbelief. "Look...how about we ask Kora what her thoughts on the matter are? She'd know Lady Vanderboren well enough to know if she'd want the truth or be better off with your idea...right?" he suggests, even though he still doesn't think it's the right thing to do.
[17:02] <@Henrietta> "That is a terrible idea."
[17:03] <@Glenn> "So is yours, but that's the best thing I can come up with to resolve it!" Glenn retorts loudly.
[17:04] <@Lucie> "It's not a terrible idea. Do you think you know Lavinia better already than would her servant of years?"
[17:04] <@Henrietta> "Did any of you really try putting yourselves in her place?" Henrietta glares at Lucie. "You said you wanted to know. And if you were told that your last remaining family was responsible for massacring the rest of it? What would you do then?"
[17:06] <@Glenn> "Orphan," Glenn says pointing at himself. "Not the best person to relate to such things."
[17:06] * @Henrietta clenches her fists at such a nonchalant display.
[17:06] <Rudy> "Didn't care much for my family, so what do you want me to say? Besides, Yeah, what about us?" asks Rudy, shaking his head. "We're getting involved in this whole Vanderboren debacle. It's nice that you want to show respect to her and make her feel good and all, but this contract is a mutual thing. She hired us, she got us involved. She doesn't have to deeper into the mess, but she should damn
[17:06] <Rudy> well know exactly what we're doing and why."
[17:08] <@Glenn> "Anyway, unless you have a better way than asking Kora for her opinion, I don't really buy into your whole 'it's for her own good' spiel, Henrietta. I'm sorry, but I really don't," Glenn says, and he actually does look a little sorry. Just a bit, mind you.
[17:09] <@Lucie> "*My* only family was a prostitute, so I think I know something about living with harsh truths. I have never had any time for comfortable delusions. If someone ins this family I didn't have was a vicious criminal, I would want to know so I could deal with them in whatever manner was necessary."
[17:11] <@Henrietta> "Lady Vanderboren hired us, but we are not puppets or extensions of her. It is up to us to decide what information makes its way back to her and what does not," Henrietta says, looking at each of her companions in turn. "This is cruel. You will hurt her, and put an impossible choice before her. And you think that this is what is best for her, or what is expected of us?" She shudders. "I cannot
[17:11] <@Henrietta> think of any way to stop you, except to plead with you all to reconsider."
[17:13] <@Lucie> "It's not impossible. What little affection her brother seems to have had with her was tempered only by the fact that he thought her so little trouble that she would not get in his way. Think about this: what might he think about the fact that her hirelings have killed his allies?"
[17:13] <Rudy> "You remember that she already told us to kill him if we had to? You remember that? Yeah, it's not such an impossible choice."
[17:14] <@Glenn> "For all that he's a monster, the letters do seem to show he still cares for her. I think that's the best we can offer Lavinia," Glenn says. "Hiding the rest, just to make Vanthus look better? I think that's wrong."
[17:14] <@Henrietta> "Seize on semantics if you will," Henrietta says with a huff. "Do enjoy tearing up a wound that never healed properly. We are leaving now, yes?"
[17:15] <Rudy> "You're the one who just wants to avoid dealing in facts. It's her goddamn call! I ain't going out there and bleeding for someone who doesn't even know it!" retorts Rudy, snatching up the papers.
[17:16] * @Glenn sighs, and nods. "Let's just go and get this over with. Hopefully Lavinia shows she's made of sterner stuff than you think, Henrietta."