78: The meido did it!

[Ebiris]

[13:04] <@Ebiris> Beset by fierce wolves in the dead of night deep within ancient forest, the three heroes and their cowering tagalong fight for their very lives with slavering beasts out for their blood on all sides! Lucie and Henrietta fend off the savage assaults of massive mutated wolves, while Rudy merely has to contend with a pair of much less deadly but no less fired up normal wolves. But the leader of the pack, a monstrous manwolf of extraordinary size and wild fury is left with a clear shot at Liamae after besting Myra in a contest of fanged and clawed murder!
[13:04] <@Ebiris> OOC: Rudy
[13:08] <Rudy> Rudy steps out of the way as best he can, for he calls once again on the burning dogs that served against the ghosts! They rise from the ground, spewing fire across the wolves!
[13:08] <Rudy> roll 1d3
[13:08] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d3 and gets 2." [1d3=2]
[13:10] <Rudy> roll 2d6 DC 16 half
[13:10] <Rudy> roll 2d6 DC 16 half
[13:10] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 2d6 DC 16 half and gets 2." [2d6=1, 1]
[13:10] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 2d6 DC 16 half and gets 10." [2d6=4, 6]
[13:11] <@Ebiris> OOC: Henri or Lucie's wolf?
[13:11] <Rudy> OOC: Henri's
[13:12] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+6 big wolf 2
[13:12] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 big wolf 2 and gets 20." [1d20=14]
[13:12] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+6 big wolf 2
[13:12] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 big wolf 2 and gets 8." [1d20=2]
[13:12] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+9 werewolf
[13:12] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+9 werewolf and gets 19." [1d20=10]
[13:12] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+9 werewolf
[13:12] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+9 werewolf and gets 23." [1d20=14]
[13:14] <@Ebiris> The flames momentarily light up the forest as they billow across the two wolves! Thankfully it's damp enough not to spark a fire, but that's small comfort to the two singed wolves! Seeming to spurn Liamae as a threat, the werewolf presses in to attack Henrietta!
[13:14] <@Ebiris> roll 1d3 bite
[13:14] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d3 bite and gets 1." [1d3=1]
[13:14] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+16 bite
[13:14] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+16 bite and gets 25." [1d20=9]
[13:14] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+11 claw
[13:14] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+11 claw and gets 22." [1d20=11]
[13:14] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+11 claw
[13:14] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+11 claw and gets 26." [1d20=15]
[13:14] <@Ebiris> OOC: AC, Henri?
[13:15] <@Henrietta> OOC: AC26, 2MI
[13:16] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+5 claw
[13:16] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d8+5 claw and gets 12." [1d8=7]
[13:17] <@Ebiris> Finding the right Henrietta first time, its attacks initially are repelled by her magical barriers, but it manages to get a claw through her defences to rake open her stomach!
[13:17] <@Ebiris> Meanwhile the two lethargic wolves continue pressing in on Rudy!
[13:17] <@Ebiris> roll 2#1d20+1
[13:17] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2#1d20+1 and gets 40." [2#1d20+1 = 20, 20]
[13:18] <@Ebiris> But despite coming perilously close, their teeth can't quite find purchase on his slippery form!
[13:18] <@Ebiris> OOC: Lucie
[13:18] * @Henrietta gasps, darting a panicked look at Liamae before gripping her spear tightly.
[13:18] * Lucie inches away from the hungry wolf menacing her and continues to fire away at the wolfman with beams of light.
[13:19] <Lucie> roll 1d20+9 laser, not difficult?
[13:19] * Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+9 laser, not difficult? and gets 15." [1d20=6]
[13:20] <@Ebiris> OOC: not difficult at all
[13:20] <Lucie> roll 3d8 oh that is a hit, cool
[13:20] * Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 3d8 oh that is a hit, cool and gets 9." [3d8=6, 1, 2]
[13:21] <@Ebiris> Lucie's laser singes more fur, but the furious werewolf shows no sign of slowing down!
[13:21] <@Ebiris> OOC: Henri
[13:21] * @Henrietta strikes out with the spear at that relentless werewolf!
[13:21] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+10
[13:21] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+10
[13:21] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+10 and gets 19." [1d20=9]
[13:21] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+10 and gets 18." [1d20=8]
[13:24] <@Ebiris> A pair of quick stabs lash out, but lack the stopping power to pierce and injure the lycanthropic foe! Meanwhile the two larger wolves press in their attacks on the two women at the flanks, jaws snapping fiercely!
[13:24] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+7 Lucie
[13:24] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 Lucie and gets 11." [1d20=4]
[13:24] <@Ebiris> roll 1d3 Henri
[13:24] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d3 Henri and gets 2." [1d3=2]
[13:24] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
[13:24] <Lucie> OOC: AC 21 under haste
[13:24] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 12." [1d20=5]
[13:24] <@Henrietta> OOC: Image AC13
[13:25] <@Ebiris> Lucie easily dodges her attacker, making it look slow! Henrietta's trio likewise dances around the threatening looking but not all that dangerous attack! As Liamae keeps on cowering, she's set upon again by the wolf up against her!
[13:25] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+1
[13:25] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+1 and gets 12." [1d20=11]
[13:25] <@Ebiris> Not that it can do much.
[13:25] <@Ebiris> OOC: Rudy
[13:27] * Retrieving #dunes modes...
[13:27] * Ebiris changes topic to 'Rudy > Werewolf > Wolf1(Slow) > Wolf3(Slow) > Lucie > Henrietta > BigWolf1 > BigWolf2 > Liamae (6rnds) > Wolf2(Slow)''
[13:27] <Rudy> Rudy's dogs spread out around the large wolf, aiming to chew on him from both sides! Rudy himself tries one last time to inflict his temporal hex on the largest wolf!
[13:27] <Rudy> roll 1d20+9 dogbite
[13:27] <Rudy> roll 1d20+9 dogbite
[13:27] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+9 dogbite and gets 11." [1d20=2]
[13:27] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+9 dogbite and gets 16." [1d20=7]
[13:28] <@Ebiris> OOC: werewolf or big wolf?
[13:28] <Rudy> OOC: Werewolf
[13:28] <@Ebiris> OOC: one will provoke an AoO to get around him
[13:28] <Rudy> OOC: it's okay, I have reserves
[13:28] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+16 wolfbite
[13:28] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+16 wolfbite and gets 30." [1d20=14]
[13:28] <@Ebiris> roll 2d6+10
[13:28] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2d6+10 and gets 16." [2d6=1, 5]
[13:29] <@Ebiris> There's a brief scuffle of biting as Rudy's dogs reposition, resulting in injury to the black dogs and none to the werewolf!
[13:29] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+13 will
[13:29] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+13 will and gets 32." [1d20=19]
[13:29] <Rudy> OOC: alas
[13:30] <@Ebiris> There's no evidence of it slowing down, either, as it moves after Henrietta to continue its assault!
[13:30] <@Ebiris> roll 1d3 bite
[13:30] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d3 bite and gets 1." [1d3=1]
[13:30] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+16 bite
[13:30] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+16 bite and gets 21." [1d20=5]
[13:30] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+11 claw
[13:30] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+11 claw and gets 15." [1d20=4]
[13:30] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+11 claw
[13:30] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+11 claw and gets 12." [1d20=1]
[13:31] <@Ebiris> Not that it amounts to much... Meanwhile Rudy contends with his two puppy playmates.
[13:31] <@Ebiris> roll 2#1d20+1
[13:31] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2#1d20+1 and gets 24." [2#1d20+1 = 14, 10]
[13:32] <@Ebiris> They continue to perform about as well as they have been so far.
[13:32] <@Ebiris> OOC: Lucie
[13:32] * Lucie keeps on circling around the main event, with a disdainful 10% of her attention assigned to dodging the luckless canine pursuing her.
[13:32] <Lucie> roll 1d20+9 penultimate laser
[13:32] * Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+9 penultimate laser and gets 23." [1d20=14]
[13:32] <Lucie> roll 3d8 laser!
[13:32] * Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 3d8 laser! and gets 15." [3d8=6, 8, 1]
[13:34] <@Ebiris> That blast earns a yelp of pain from the werewolf even through its crazed battle frenzy as it sears the beast's bulging neck!
[13:34] <@Ebiris> OOC: Henrietta
[13:34] <@Henrietta> Emboldened by that string of misses and the way Rudy's pets are now surrounding the werewolf, Henrietta tries to impale it with her spear!
[13:34] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+12
[13:34] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+12 and gets 21." [1d20=9]
[13:34] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+12
[13:34] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+12 and gets 15." [1d20=3]
[13:35] <@Ebiris> OOC: 1 hit
[13:35] <@Henrietta> roll 1d8+8
[13:35] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d8+8 and gets 16." [1d8=8]
[13:35] <@Henrietta> roll 3d6 vampiric touch
[13:35] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 3d6 vampiric touch and gets 13." [3d6=5, 5, 3]
[13:37] <@Ebiris> This time it's speared but good! Henrietta feels the resistance of ribs briefly before they shatter under the ungainly weapon's thrust, drawing deep from the werewolf's dwindling vitality in a flow of crimson vitality! Slumping, it lets out a mournful howl as the spear is removed.
[13:38] <@Ebiris> Seeming galvanised by this, the two big wolves growl and snap as they attack both Lucie and Henrietta with newfound fierceness!
[13:38] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+7 Lucie
[13:38] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 Lucie and gets 26." [1d20=19]
[13:38] <@Ebiris> roll 1d3 Henri
[13:38] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d3 Henri and gets 2." [1d3=2]
[13:38] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
[13:38] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 14." [1d20=7]
[13:38] <@Ebiris> OOC: AC, Lucie?
[13:38] <Lucie> OOC: 21
[13:39] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+6
[13:39] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d8+6 and gets 11." [1d8=5]
[13:39] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+8 CMD, Lucie?
[13:39] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+8 CMD, Lucie? and gets 10." [1d20=2]
[13:39] <Lucie> OOC: higher than that
[13:40] <@Ebiris> Lucie suffers for her inattention as the wolf nearly chomps her hand off! She pulls back in time to avoid losing a finger, but her digits are a bloody mess regardless! On the other side one of Henrietta's trusty triplets is discorporated under canine teeth! The cowering Liamae continues to be beset by her own personal foe.
[13:40] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+1
[13:40] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+1 and gets 16." [1d20=15]
[13:40] <@Ebiris> It actually came close that time, but the panicking mage stumbled back just in time to avoid being struck!
[13:40] * Ebiris changes topic to 'Rudy > Werewolf > Wolf1(Slow) > Wolf3(Slow) > Lucie > Henrietta > BigWolf1 > BigWolf2 > Liamae (5rnds) > Wolf2(Slow)''
[13:40] <@Ebiris> OOC: Rudy
[13:41] <Rudy> The two hounds once again try to bite into the flesh of their larger, more powerful nemesis!
[13:41] <Rudy> roll 1d20+9
[13:41] <Rudy> roll 1d20+9
[13:41] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+9 and gets 12." [1d20=3]
[13:41] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+9 and gets 27." [1d20=18]
[13:42] <@Ebiris> OOC: one hit
[13:43] <Rudy> roll 1d8+3+1d6 fire
[13:43] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d8+3+1d6 fire and gets 11." [1d8=7][1d6=1]
[13:44] <Rudy> Rudy himself summons another wave of dogs, ready to unleash another burst of flame upon the mighty werewolf!
[13:44] <Rudy> roll 1d3
[13:44] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d3 and gets 3." [1d3=3]
[13:45] <@Ebiris> Leaping up and biting, one of the dogs finds barely enough purchase to grab on and inflict a brief burn, but it's barely noticed!
[13:45] <@Ebiris> The new dogs appear as ordered.
[13:45] <Rudy> OOC: trying to catch the werewolf in all three blasts, any other targets are incidental
[13:45] <Rudy> roll 2d6 dc 16 half
[13:45] <Rudy> roll 2d6 dc 16 half
[13:45] <Rudy> roll 2d6 dc 16 half
[13:45] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 2d6 dc 16 half and gets 7." [2d6=1, 6]
[13:45] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 2d6 dc 16 half and gets 7." [2d6=3, 4]
[13:45] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 2d6 dc 16 half and gets 5." [2d6=2, 3]
[13:45] <@Ebiris> OOC: everyone's way too bunched up now, you'd never get any others without hitting PCs.
[13:46] <@Ebiris> roll 3#1d20+9
[13:46] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 3#1d20+9 and gets 67." [3#1d20+9 = 17, 29, 21]
[13:46] <Rudy> OOC: Ok, I'll only hit the big one then
[13:46] <@Ebiris> Caught in a storm of hellfire, the werewolf somehow emerges with its fur merely smouldering, eyes shining with hatred as it lays into Henrietta with all its fury!
[13:47] <@Ebiris> roll 1d3 bite
[13:47] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d3 bite and gets 1." [1d3=1]
[13:47] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+16 good nose
[13:47] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+16 good nose and gets 28." [1d20=12]
[13:47] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+11
[13:47] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+11 and gets 30." [1d20=19]
[13:47] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+11
[13:47] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+11 and gets 27." [1d20=16]
[13:47] <@Ebiris> OOC: AC still 26?
[13:47] <@Henrietta> OOC: yes
[13:48] <@Ebiris> roll 2d6+10 bite
[13:48] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2d6+10 bite and gets 20." [2d6=5, 5]
[13:48] <@Ebiris> roll 2d8+10 claws
[13:48] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2d8+10 claws and gets 17." [2d8=4, 3]
[13:49] <@Ebiris> Seeming to have caught onto Henrietta's defenses, it overpowers or bypasses all of them and utterly mauls her, only the lifeforce she'd previously stolen from it keeping her up, though the lycanthrope likely can't appreciate the irony. All the while a familiar dance occurs in Rudy's part of the world...
[13:50] <@Ebiris> roll 2#1d20+1
[13:50] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2#1d20+1 and gets 19." [2#1d20+1 = 13, 6]
[13:50] <@Ebiris> OOC: Lucie
[13:50] <@Henrietta> "This is it," Henrietta says fatalistically, staring at the werewolf.
[13:51] <Lucie> A grunted "You're next" is all the attention Lucie has for her attacker, as she again steps aside and narrows her gaze on the werewolf, aiming to put a laser through the thing's misshapen brainpan.
[13:51] <Lucie> roll 1d20+9 FINAL BEAM
[13:51] * Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+9 FINAL BEAM and gets 21." [1d20=12]
[13:51] <Lucie> roll 3d8
[13:51] * Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 3d8 and gets 14." [3d8=6, 4, 4]
[13:54] <@Ebiris> As Henrietta faces up to her impending death, she reckons without Lucie's oracular powers! Though the brain is a tricky target for her to hit, her beam blasts into the side of the beast's torso, coring out a spray of blood and bone! The werewolf's furious expression changes to one of surprise as slowly but inexorably it topples to the side and falls unmoving to the forest floor!
[13:54] <@Ebiris> OOC: Henri
[13:57] * @Henrietta decides to fight in a much more conservative manner than before, stabbing twice at the large wolf near her while keeping her guard up!
[13:57] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+4 (fighting defensively)
[13:57] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+4 (fighting defensively)
[13:57] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+4 (fighting defensively) and gets 9." [1d20=5]
[13:57] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+4 (fighting defensively) and gets 17." [1d20=13]
[13:58] <@Ebiris> OOC: one hit
[13:58] <@Henrietta> roll 1d8+6
[13:58] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d8+6 and gets 10." [1d8=4]
[13:59] <@Ebiris> With a good thrust, Henrietta pushes away her attacker and draws his blood! It's not nearly as satisfying as when she did it to the werewolf, though, her spear ungainly and hard to use, now. For their parts, though, the two large wolves seem to have had enough! With a howl, both of them turn and flee into the darkness! OOC: provoke AoOs from Lucie/Henri and one of the dogs.
[14:00] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+4
[14:00] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+4 and gets 12." [1d20=8]
[14:00] <Lucie> roll 1d20+7 and don't come back!
[14:00] * Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+7 and don't come back! and gets 15." [1d20=8]
[14:00] <Rudy> roll 1d20+7 chomp
[14:00] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+7 chomp and gets 11." [1d20=4]
[14:01] <@Ebiris> OOC: Lucie hits
[14:01] <Lucie> roll 1d8+1
[14:01] * Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d8+1 and gets 2." [1d8=1]
[14:03] <@Ebiris> With Lucie giving her puppy pal a friendly swat on the rear to see it on its way, the two mutant wolves flee into the darkness of the forest and out of sight! Liamae, seeing the way is now clear, takes off screaming in the direction the werewolf came from. The wolf that was trying to gnaw on her pursues... slowly.
[14:03] <@Ebiris> OOC: Rudy
[14:04] * Ebiris changes topic to 'Rudy > Werewolf > Wolf1(Slow) > Wolf3(Slow) > Lucie > Henrietta > Liamae (4rnds) > Wolf2(Slow)''
[14:05] <Rudy> Rudy's dogs descend upon the wolf that dares chase Liamae!
[14:05] <Rudy> roll 1d20+7
[14:05] <Rudy> roll 1d20+7
[14:05] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+7 and gets 17." [1d20=10]
[14:05] <Rudy> roll 1d20+7
[14:05] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+7 and gets 16." [1d20=9]
[14:05] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+7 and gets 25." [1d20=18]
[14:06] <@Ebiris> OOC: all hit
[14:06] <Rudy> roll 1d8+3+1d6
[14:06] <Rudy> roll 1d8+3+1d6
[14:06] <Rudy> roll 1d8+3+1d6
[14:06] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d8+3+1d6 and gets 12." [1d8=8][1d6=1]
[14:06] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d8+3+1d6 and gets 14." [1d8=5][1d6=6]
[14:06] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d8+3+1d6 and gets 5." [1d8=1][1d6=1]
[14:06] * Ebiris changes topic to 'Rudy > Wolf1(Slow) > Wolf3(Slow) > Lucie > Henrietta > Liamae (4rnds) > Wolf2(Slow)''
[14:07] <@Ebiris> The wolf is brought down in a flurry of biting and barking and growling, giving Liamae a clear run to freedom!
[14:09] <@Ebiris> Meanwhile the werewolf lying at Henrietta's feet shudders and warps, fur receding and bones readjusting as its body changes! Within a few seconds rather than a monstrous canine a pale naked man lies dead on the forest floor.
[14:09] -> *Lucie* You recognise his face from a portrait in the VanGaunt gallery. It's Sir Jacin, Lady Esmerelle's brother who was taken by the Beast.
[14:10] <@Ebiris> Rudy's two playmates also have had enough, and run away! Slowly...
[14:10] <@Ebiris> OOC: Lucie
[14:10] <@Henrietta> "We have to go after Liamae!" Henrietta calls towards Lucie. "She is all alone right now!"
[14:12] <Lucie> "Sir Jacin," Lucie comments in a neutral tone before nodding to Henri. "Sure, fine." She turns and pursues their wayward friend at full speed, just in case she finds something else hungry in the woods before coming to her senses.
[14:13] * @Henrietta hobbles after Lucie as best as she can, False Life ensuring that a wild cat would not get the better of her.
[14:13] <@Henrietta> roll 1d10+6
[14:13] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d10+6 and gets 14." [1d10=8]
[14:14] <Rudy> Rudy is there as well, and his own pack of hounds are surely not encouraging all ahead of him to run for their lives.
[14:14] <@Ebiris> Liamae's a surprisingly fast runner! But she seems to outrun her fear shortly and stops, turning around to meet her pursuers and looking suitably abashed. "S-sorry, I don't know what came over me, I just... I froze as soon as I heard it."
[14:15] * Lucie slows on down and stops, panting. "Yeah, well, next time, just burn the face off of whatever's scaring you, works much better."
[14:16] <@Henrietta> "That is quite alright," Henrietta assures her. "I understand perfectly. Once more, I came to the very verge of death, and the second time this month, too."
[14:16] <Rudy> "Hey, that's okay, Liamae. I've run away from less scary things," replies Rudy. "And they didn't even want to kill me, so..."
[14:16] <Lucie> "Though probably best we can still identify this one," she points a finger back towards the body. "Esmerelle's brother back there."
[14:16] <@Henrietta> "That is, well, not really much of a surprise, all things considered?"
[14:16] <@Ebiris> "Really? The one that was abducted by the demon wolf?" Liamae perks up, seemingly glad of a different subject.
[14:17] <Lucie> "Sure, knew him from the gallary portrait once he went human again."
[14:19] <Rudy> "Yeah, you know, I think that crazy old drunk guy might've been onto something," muses Rudy. "You guys want to press on to those so-called pens tonight?"
[14:20] <Lucie> "I'm not too bad. Hand's chewed up a bit, but that's all. Can't speak for others though." Lucie casts a skeptical glance at Henri.
[14:21] <@Henrietta> "On a scale of one to ten, where one is a strong desire to go and ten is I would rather die than go now, ten," Henrietta responds to that glance.
[14:21] <Rudy> "O...k. Right. Yeah. Sorry."
[14:22] <@Henrietta> "I am terribly sorry for the trouble, but would it be alright if I collapsed now?"
[14:22] * Lucie nods. "Figured. So let's find some place to set up for the night? Somewhere we can make sure no scavengers drag off the body, I guess, 'cause you know Esmerelle will want it for burial. When's the last time anyone in this family got rightly buried, after all?"
[14:22] <@Ebiris> "Right, I'll set up everyone's tents, then. Least I can do!" Liamae volunteers.
[14:22] * @Henrietta sags against the nearest tree.
[14:23] <@Ebiris> Thus in short order a camp is set up, food is cooked, and people go to sleep after a filling meal... The rest of the night at least passes uneventfully, and come morning even Henrietta feels a bit better.
[14:25] <Rudy> The first thing Rudy does, after cooking breakfast and fussing Henri and making sure nobody was eaten in their sleep, is summon Myra and start healing her injuries!
[14:26] <Lucie> "So we're still pressing on to these pens, I take it," Lucie says to the group. "Be a waste of time out here if we didn't. What do we do with Sir Jacin while we're there?"
[14:27] <Rudy> "I... guess someone carries him?" replies Rudy, awkwardly. "We're gonna have to lug him back to town..."
[14:27] <Rudy> roll 1d10+5 myraheal!
[14:27] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d10+5 myraheal! and gets 13." [1d10=8]
[14:27] <Rudy> roll 1d10+5 myraheal!
[14:27] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d10+5 myraheal! and gets 6." [1d10=1]
[14:27] <Lucie> "Myra," Lucie says instantly.
[14:27] <Rudy> roll 1d10+5 myraheal!
[14:27] * Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d10+5 myraheal! and gets 10." [1d10=5]
[14:27] <@Henrietta> "I... well, I must admit I do not see the problem?" Henrietta admits. "You wanted to bring him back, Lucie, and the pens are merely an hour's detour at most."
[14:27] <@Ebiris> "Myra sounds good," Liamae agrees.
[14:28] * @Henrietta thirds that. "Myra, certainly."
[14:28] <Lucie> "Look, I don't want to bring him back, but you know she'll ask. She'll want to do something about him, right?"
[14:28] <Rudy> "Yeah, ok. Myra, enough with the sizzleclaws," orders Rudy, sternly. The abomination seems to pout, but acid stops dripping from her appendages, and she moves to pick up the wrapped-up body and carry it over her shoulder.
[14:31] <@Ebiris> Thus the group sets off into the woods, some light penetrating through the trees to make it more pleasant than last night when it was pitch black. Myra of course stands well away from everyone else since the body has developed a definite odour over the course of the night. About an hour later, the group makes it to the location of the pens, evidenced by several fallen trees in the clearing before a cave entrance that looks very recently widened out in a rather aggressive manner.
[14:32] <Rudy> "Just set him down there, Myra," voices Rudy. "Then let's head inside." He takes a moment to cast a shielding spell on her; who knows what's still in there?
[14:33] * Lucie sets up her magical armor, and casts Light on her mace in case there's no illumination burning anywhere in the cave.
[14:33] * @Henrietta casts her own protections, although she is perfectly happy to remain near the end.
[14:33] <@Henrietta> roll 1d10+6
[14:33] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d10+6 and gets 8." [1d10=2]
[14:34] <@Henrietta> OOC: Mage Armor, Barkskin, Shield
[14:34] * Lucie is in comparitively robust health and may as well lead the way inside once the group's ready to move in.
[14:36] * @Henrietta casts Mage Armor upon Myra as well, before Light is added to her own weapon.
[14:36] <Rudy> Rudy is likewise fit enough, but the prospect of hitting things- with stuff he holds in his hands- remains totally abhorrent to him, so Myra marches ahead in his stead!
[14:38] <@Ebiris> Seeming to have something to prove, Liamae takes the lead heading inside, though Lucie catches up. "Looks like the dragon was here..." she muses seeing the massive claw marks rending through the solid stone around the cave entrance, where it descends rather sharply and twists around itself, a rough stair passage making for easier transit. Rounding the corner as it circles down and around itself, the cave opens itself up into a large chamber which seems to have suffered some destruction, wooden supports have snapped, the ceiling bulges downwards threateningly, lantern fixtures lay shattered over the floor... and there's a dead body near the passage up, seeming to have been mauled horribly at the hands of something with big claws and teeth.
[14:39] <Rudy> Rudy whistles. "Hope it worked out," he muses, trudging towards the body and giving it a look.
[14:39] <Lucie> "Must have been a tight fit in here," Lucie observes. "Imagine the volume of this tunnel crammed every inch with angry dragon, all of it squirming towards you."
[14:40] <Lucie> While Rudy checks out the body, Lucie searches around for doors or other branching passages.
[14:41] * @Henrietta does her part by ensuring nothing sneaks up on them from behind.
[14:44] <@Ebiris> "It looked far too big to have gotten through the entrance, though," Liamae frowns, looking back. As far as Rudy can tell it used to be a woman wearing hide armour that evidently availed her little. There's little on her except a pouch on her belt full of various berries, nuts, dried leaves, tufts of fur... nothing valuable or noteworthy. Lucie can see two sets of branches on the sides opposite each other. One has three wooden doors running its length, two of which have shattered out of their frames, while the other has a pair of dark metal lattice serving as cages of sort, the nearest one deformed and twisted in its closest upper corner, creating a larger opening.
[14:45] <@Henrietta> "Then the werewolf might have been the one to kill this woman?" Henrietta suggests.
[14:46] * Lucie opts to check the branch with the wooden doors first, peering cautiously inside each before entering to search them thoroughly. It doesn't look like anything's still alive here, but you can't be too careful.
[14:46] <Rudy> "Maybe it was imprisoned, and broke out? These are meant to be pens, after all," muses Rudy.
[14:46] <@Henrietta> "Then that would make her our enemy?"
[14:47] <Lucie> "Maybe it broke out thanks to our scaly friend?" Lucie speculates. "He obviously caused some damage down here with whatever he did up above."
[14:48] <Rudy> "Probably? What's a good reason to imprison a werewolf?" asks Rudy, doubtfully.
[14:49] <Lucie> "Being a werewolf?"
[14:49] <@Ebiris> In the first doorway Lucie finds a pantry/kitchen full of grain, bread, cured and salted meats, a small mill, a stove... all the sorts of things you'd need to keep yourself well fed with occassional supply runs. Some of it smells pretty fresh and tasty!
[14:50] <@Henrietta> "Two reasons might come to mind," Henrietta voices. "Specifically, either to get the werewolf to submit to you, or to keep it from harming people. If it was the latter, however, then maybe someone from his family or those close to him did this?"
[14:50] <Lucie> "Anybody missed breakfast, it's right in here," Lucie calls back, chewing on a strip of dried meat as she moves on to the next room.
[14:51] <Rudy> "If it was the latter, then why not tell his sister?"
[14:52] <@Henrietta> "Are we absolutely certain that his sister or that maid are not involved?"
[14:52] <Rudy> "I strongly doubt his sister is, but the maid..."
[14:52] <@Ebiris> As everyone chats, a voice is heard from the far cage, a growling scratchy voice, "Rrrr, who's there?"
[14:53] <@Henrietta> "W-Who are you?" Henrietta asks back, spear pointed in the direction of the cage as she takes a step back.
[14:53] <Rudy> "Well, looks like we're about to find out," he mutters, before walking over to take a look. "Name's Rudy. We're here to check things out," he notes. "Who're you?"
[14:53] * Lucie postpones her exploration of this wing to see who her companions are talking to.
[14:56] <@Ebiris> Heading down past the warped cage (empty) the group reaches the next one, finding a bare stone cave cut off by a mesh of thick crossed bars of dark metal. "Alred the second," the voice replies in a throaty growl as a silvery-grey furred werewolf rises and walks to stand before the group on the other side of the barrier, his eyes filmy and his gums receded, even in his lupine form he exudes age. "You are not my captors, good. Where are you from?"
[14:57] <Rudy> "Salerno," replies Rudy. "Or, more recently, Lessmus." He frowns. "Didn't think werewolves could talk."
[14:57] <Lucie> "Here and there," Lucie says, not able to speak for her comrades. "Salerno bred myself."
[14:58] * @Henrietta hesitantly approaches behind the others, peeking towards the cage over Rudy's shoulder.
[14:59] * Lucie searches her memory briefly, then asks, "How long have you been here? Forty, fifty years?"
[15:01] <@Ebiris> "Yes, our curse has the same root as that of beastmen, so I once heard," Alred muses, voice rasping, "Though it's hard, the savage beast still lies within. But with bones as old as these, it has little sway... yes, perhaps," he nods to Lucie, "Time is hard to count, but when my grandson was brought here, I knew. The beast is much stronger in him, as She," his lips curl back in a snarl as he mentions her, "Desires."
[15:02] <Lucie> "Have you met this Mistress of your captors?" Lucie asks. "We've had a few disagreements with her servants over the past weeks. Lot fewer of them around now."
[15:06] <@Ebiris> "Hah," he barks a strained laugh at Lucie's words. "Good... good. The Mistress, I know her well. Even knew her well, for she masqueraded as a servant of my family. She values us, you see. Our blood makes especially strong werewolves, more powerful and wild with every generation. Once she has perfected my descendants, she plans to spread our curse far and wide, a tide of monstrous savagery to overturn civilisation. She must be stopped."
[15:07] <@Henrietta> "Umm. Do you think you could, well, describe her? Please?"
[15:07] <@Ebiris> He shakes his great canine head slowly, "Pointless. She is a shapechanger. But I know where to find her."
[15:07] <Rudy> "She's the maid? Dammit, the drunk really was right!" muses Rudy. His face suddenly falls. "Dammit, she's there with two of her minions, then!"
[15:08] * Lucie glances at Rudy. "Really, Rudy? Then why didn't she stop any of our ambushes the past few weeks? Think, man."
[15:08] <@Ebiris> "Hah. Yes, Myriam LeHugh, trusted maid of the VanGaunts, as her mother and her grandmother before her... no doubt she's taken a new name, but her black heart remains the same," Alred confirms.
[15:09] * Lucie rubs her forehead. "Hang on, we've not really been secret about our plans while in Lessmus, why didn't she ever get word to her flunkies we were coming to kill them?"
[15:10] <@Ebiris> "The Lighthouse," Liamae perks up. "That's how they communicated? We took it out first, though, that left them all unable to coordinate themselves."
[15:10] <@Henrietta> "How? You are a mage too, but it is not like you have the right spells for that, do you?"
[15:10] <Rudy> "She probably wasn't sure if she could take us all on, and she couldn't do it without blowing her cover," explains Rudy. "But we brought her allies back to her..."
[15:11] <Lucie> "Oh hells," Lucie swears.
[15:11] <@Henrietta> "She... she does not really know where we went this time, however. So she might still be biding her time?"
[15:12] <@Ebiris> "Go to my family. Save us from her manipulations," Alred asks, stepping closer, "But before you go, I have one request."
[15:12] <Rudy> "Yes?"
[15:12] <@Ebiris> "Kill me."
[15:13] * Lucie isn't much surprised, and hefts her mace for demonstration. "I've got the silver for it right here if that's what you really want."
[15:13] <@Henrietta> "Are you sure?" Henrietta asks hesitanty. "It seems like you can think for yourself. Can we not cure you?"
[15:15] <@Ebiris> "There is no cure but death... though I'd prefer the blade to the bludgeon, it is still a release," the wolf states firmly.
[15:16] <Lucie> "Haven't a sword on me. Henri's got a spear." Lucie shrugs. "It's your choice."
[15:17] <Rudy> Rudy looks at the wolf oddly. "Is it hard? Just to stay alive? Even though you can suppress it?" he asks, uncertainly.
[15:19] <@Ebiris> "And what sort of life would it be?" he asks back, "Even if I was free of this cage, where would I be accepted? No, give me what my captors have long denied me, please."
[15:19] <@Henrietta> "What about your granddaughter?" Henrietta decides to try. "Do you not want to see her one last time? And it would be your chance to denounce your captor and have a bit of justice at what has been done to you!"
[15:20] <@Ebiris> OOC: roll diplo, Henri?
[15:20] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+16
[15:21] * Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+16 and gets 34." [1d20=18]
[15:21] <@Ebiris> "Granddaughter?" he asks, his resolve seeming to slip a little upon hearing that. "What is she like?"
[15:22] <@Henrietta> "She is a very proper lady, and she has been trying to protect Lessmus and its people, even after losing her brother," Henrietta responds. "But she is very dependant upon her maid, and trusts her in all things!"
[15:23] <Lucie> "Dignified, responsible, and sad. And very reliant on her maid," Lucie echoes. "Won't be easy to get Esmerelle to listen to a word against her."
[15:25] <@Ebiris> He hangs his snouted head a long moment. "You shame me, friends. I will live, then, at least long enough to see my family freed of this curse! Release me from this cage, and I will follow you."
[15:25] <Lucie> "Right. Know where they kept the key?" Lucie looks around.
[15:26] <@Henrietta> Coming up to the cage, Henrietta grabs her flail and then pauses at Lucie's words. "Ah, yes, we can try that too...."
[15:27] <@Ebiris> "Yes, over there," he points at a piece of wood that's fallen off the rocky wall opposite the first cage where this passage begins, a pair of keys glinting on the floor beside it.
[15:28] * Lucie picks up the keys, tries them at random until one or the other works.
[15:29] <@Ebiris> She's right first time, the cage opening smoothly and the ancient werewolf padding out. "On the honour of the VanGaunt name, I Alred the second will follow you until the Mistress lies dead," he growls formally.
[15:31] * @Henrietta relaxes a bit, inside. Someone choosing to die like that was just too sad.
[15:31] * Lucie nods. And, since there doesn't seem any point mincing words and he'll find out soon enough anyway: "You should know, Sir Jacin--the beast took him. He was maddened with rage and attacked us. We had to kill him."
[15:33] <@Ebiris> He takes that with a resigned nod, "You did him a favour. Ever since he came I had tried talking to him, drawing out the man... it was impossible. There was nothing left of reason in him."
[15:34] * @Henrietta turns to look at the dead woman lying nearby. "Was this your jailor, Sir Alred?" she asks.
[15:37] <Rudy> "She's had plenty of time to act by now, and she has friends," mutters Rudy. "We need a plan..."
[15:37] <@Ebiris> "One of them. Her name was Olivia. She tried to stop Jacin escaping," the werewolf confirms with a look down at the corpse.
[15:38] <Lucie> "Were there more?" Lucie asks. "We haven't looked all over this place yet."
[15:38] <@Henrietta> "I am not sure," Henrietta admits to Rudy. "Do please keep in mind that if she were to leave, all she had been working for would be destroyed. Even releasing the prisoners might backfire."
[15:39] <Rudy> "Would it?" wonders Rudy. "I'm under the impression she's the type who does whatever is necessary to stay in the game, even if it costs her in the short term."
[15:39] <@Ebiris> "There was Markham, but I don't know what happened to him," Alred replies. "I last heard him before the earthquake two nights ago." He sniffs briefly and starts walking towards the pantry, "Forgive me, I haven't eaten since before then."
[15:40] <@Ebiris> "Yeah but she's been working on this one family for what, two hundred years?" Liamae asks. "If she loses that she'd have to start all over again. Long lived or not, does she have that much time?"
[15:40] * Lucie nods and lets Alred wander to eat his fill. "Could be she's willing to wait it out, let all her flunkies die off, start over if need be. You heard them talk about her, like she's real old, immortal? Maybe she's willing to wait 'til we leave so she can start over."
[15:40] <@Henrietta> "If she knew for certain that we were on to her, perhaps," Henrietta agrees. "Yet for all she knows, we went out to chase that Theresa woman and were killed by her."
[15:41] <Rudy> "She may have a conditional ambush prepared. It would be easy for her to get weapons and such to her allies, wouldn't it? But order them to not reveal them until her word."
[15:41] <Lucie> "Still," Lucie continues, "Rudy's right, we do need a plan. We have to go back expecting a fight, because there's no way she's taking it nicely when we call her out."
[15:42] <@Henrietta> "I can turn myself or others invisible," Henrietta voices. "How about using that to our advantage to sneak into the manor and see if the prisoners are where we left them?"
[15:43] <Rudy> "How are you going to get through the door?" replies Rudy, blinking.
[15:43] <@Ebiris> "Wait for someone to leave and slip in before they close it?" Liamae suggests as Alred returns biting into a big slab of boar.
[15:44] <@Henrietta> "I can wait until it opens, or knock and wait for someone to answer it," Henrietta responds. "Also, I am not certain that all our prisoners are truly people she would consider reliable. Two of them had already betrayed her, after all."
[15:45] <Lucie> "How long's that last," Lucie asks Henri. "Because what I'm thinking is, we can't just walk through town with Alred at our side and not expect anyone to think something's amiss. You remember how the town was last time we got back? But he has to speak to Esmerelle, because is she just going to believe us if we tell her her lifelong companion is the source of all evil hereabouts?"
[15:45] <@Henrietta> "There is that shack by the road, close to town," Henrietta voices. "Let us make our way over to it and decide from there?"
[15:45] <Rudy> "Yeah, I agree with that. It won't be hard for us to look around the town before deciding," voices Rudy.
[15:46] <@Henrietta> "For what it is worth," Henrietta adds, "I do not believe our enemy will make a move as long as we do not act against her."