Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes?

 

DEATH CONSENT ON

 

|   Name   |  Race  |    Class    | E Lev| CHP | HP  | AC  | For | Ref | Wil |

|Xenarchy  |HUMAN   |Sor          |  7   | 33  | 35  | 16  |  3  |  6  |  5  |

|Jenner    |HUMAN   |CoW/Wiz      |  9   | 34  | 34  | 15  |  4  |  3  | 10  |

|Boshter   |Hobgobli|Mnk          |  8   | 64  | 64  | 21  |  8  | 10  |  7  |

|Narah     |HIGHBORN|Ftr/Hig      |  5   | 51  | 51  | 23  |  7  |  2  |  4  |

|Mikilos   |HIGH_ELF|Hlf/Wiz      |  4   | 13  | 13  | 12  |  2  |  3  |  6  |

|Myrana    |HALF-ELF|Sor          |  9   | 58  | 58  | 18  |  7  |  6  |  7  |

 

Encounter 1 – Huge Viper, 2x Large Viper, 4x Medium Viper, 8x Small Viper

APL: 8.3

CR: 8

 

Encounter 2 – Level 8 Human Druid

APL: 7.8 (No Jenner)

CR: 8

 

 

Back in Alexandria! Ah, what a wonderful place. The streets are alive with the sound of music, revelry, good food and good cheer. Of course, the life of an adventurer is never quite so simple. Having barely had enough time to recover from the final months of the war, they are called upon once again. This time, to investigate dissapearances that have been occuring in a rather impoverished section of the docks. With the war on, they couldn't spare the resources to investigate, and now it's over most of the soldiers and guardsmen are still on leave.

 

No rest for the wicked, though, right? Once in the region in question, you are to speak to the owner of a run down little flophouse near the docks, where dock workers frequently stay, and where they have been dissapearing from.

 

Boshter is not very wicked! But he is here, totally thrilled that there's people everywhere and no one is starving. He bounds onto the docks, cheerfully, "HELLO," he announces loudly, as if there was any doubt to anyone that he was here, "I AM HERE TO INVESTIGATE DISSAPEARANCES."

 

Narah is scratching her head, fingertips raking through her short hair. "So, you're sure you haven't seen anything unusual?" She's talking to a rather disreputable fellow who looks like he's made the corner near the flophouse his permanent residence, judging by the... stains... and other marks around said corner. And the blankets and the rickety framework that could possibly be used to put up a tent-ish thing. There's that, too. The hobo(because, let's be honest here, that's what he is) is about to respond when Boshter bursts onto the scene, but upon the hob's arrival, he squeaks in a most undignified manner, crawls under a blanket and sticks his fingers in his ears.

 

The Veyshanti woman turns around, wincing ever so slightly, and manages a smile. "Ah. Boshter."

 

Mikilos whistles quietly to himself as he heads down to the docks. Is good to be back and doing things to help the community, it's alsomost as if he never left. Then again, much of his time was spent supporting the war effort from the background, so kinda didn't. Over-hearing Boshter's announcement (who didn't?), he grins, and moves to join the collecting gathering. "Salutations. Am here to lend my own aid to the proceedings. How are all of you?"

 

There aren't a lot of nice people on the docks. Not a lot that hang around for long, anyway. And so when Mister Hossk goes missing for days and days without making his daily arrival at the Ox Strength for a meat pie and an ale for his luncheon, Myrana is a little worried. Not to mention a little frustrated. She doesn't have that many regular customers that she -likes-, what with the Oxleys scaring off most of them or killing them with food poisoning and noxious fumes. So she's here, soft tangerine-coloured petticoats fluttering just visibly under the edge of her plum working skirts, bundled up in a fine frock-coat and dark green scarf, braids falling down her back and swaying as she walks. Just looking around, and listening.

 

Highborn and High Elven and..... High Hob. "Will wonders never cease," Jenner murmurs in amusement to himself, a smile teasing at the edges of his lips as he glances towards Boshter. Quiet smoke drifts upward from the pipe in his mouth, the gentle curvature of grey and blue teasing the air in silent streamers. He brushes his shoulders, setting a scattering of raindrops down from the oilskin, slick surface glistening.

 

The mage pauses for a time, standing with Myrana as he casts his one sharp eye out across the drizzled landscape. "This is where Hossk usually spends his time," the mage murmurs, holding a small, glimmering crystal aloft. The remnants of some spell cling to the crystal, a light fading even as the second pass. "I'm afraid this is as close as the magic will lead us, Myrana."

 

The little half-elf barmaid does not look happy about this assessment of Jenner's wizardly prowess. She endeavours to keep it from her face. WIZARDS.

 

It's not often such a... colorful group of individuals congregrate in a palce like this, so they anturally attract a fair bit of attention. Most of it bad. However, a middle-aged woman who looks like the years have not been kind to her, and dressed in somewhat scraggy and very 'racy' clothing calls out to the group. "Hey. You lookin' for them fellas that've been goin' missing?" She asks. her voice sounds as haggard as she looks.

 

"Oh! HI NARAH," Boshter promptly attempts go give the highborn warrior a BIG HUG. She hugs her very much and then lets go of her. "It is good to see you again and, oh, it is Myrana! She needs very big hugs too!" Investigations do n't matter. Being the HugGoblin, on the other hand, does.

 

Narah gives the rest of the group an amiable smile, and is about to say something about wizards' subtlety which is probably not completely flattering, but is interrupted by a BIG HOB HUG. "Urk," she says, intelligently, clanking somewhat inelegantly in Boshter's embrace. "It's good to see you too, Bosh--" and then she lets herself trail off, and looks over to the probable lady of negotiable (oh, gods) affection. Assuming the hob actually lets her go when he turns to Myrana, she tries to draw herself up and muster some dignity. "We are, in fact." A quick glance at Myrana as if to gain confirmation.

 

Mikilos chuckles quietly, and nods hello to Boshter, idly hopeing that will be sufficant for greetings. Turning focus to smile to the..... local.... he nods. "Yes, we are. Might you render assistance?"

 

Myrana pulls a fast one and dances back just out of the hugging radius, as it were. She's had too many hugs lately. "H-hello Boshter," she says, heels clicking on the grimey boards. "You don't want to hug me I uh-- Yes! Yes that's right." She nods to Narah and then to the hooker. "Lady, if you could tell us anything it'd be appreciated."

 

Jenner's subtlety notwithstanding, the mage gives the lady a quiet bow as he stands to Myrana's side. "And worthy of your time," he adds, the semi-silver clink of three coins come together in his palm. "We would not divert you from your path were it not of grave importance to us."

 

The woman nods her ehad a little, "Aye, I'll help how I can." She comments. "One of the girls, lil' Addy, she was close to the latest guy to go missing. He was... uh, a regular." the woman explains then. "I aint seen her since the last dissapearance- couple of days now- and I'm worried about her. There's a beat up old distillery, long abandoned, where a few of us hole up. When rent gets too steep, you know? She ought to be there."

 

"Yes, I do!" Boshter promptly HUGS MYRANA. Tightly. He turns towards the woman ,though, and adds, Then his eyes get real big, "Distillery?" That sounds promising.

 

She adds something, "There's one more thing." the woman comments then, and she glances back to the flophouse. "In his room, we ound some 'o this." She comments, and takes out a patch of... some slightly wazy, paper-like substance- with a scaled pattern. "Dunno what it is, but maybe you folks have seen it outside the city?"

 

GAME: Jenner rolls Knowledge/Nature: (8)+9: 17

GAME: Mikilos rolls 1d20+5: (10)+5: 15

 

Xenarchy is here. She has clearly always been here and for some reason has not been bugging Myrana at all. She peers at this paper the group is handed and shrugs. "I don't know what that is. For all I know it could be some scabby bum's flaked off skin."

 

Narah steps closer, because somebody has to, and takes the patch from the woman, wrinkling her nose even though she's wearing gauntlets. The thing -feels- waxy, too. Not pleasant. Showing it closer to the rest of the little throng of people, she gives a half-hearted little shrug. "Lizard skin? I really don't know."

 

Myrana winces slightly at what Xenarchy says, her cheeks flushing. "Xenarchy," she chides.

 

Mikilos nods, touching the skin himself to double check the texture. "Snake skin, of some sort. Rather large snake, by the look of it. Curious."

 

"Close," Jenner remarks in comment to Xenarchy. "Skin, yes, but not human..." He takes the patch in hand, smoothing it out over his palm with great care. "Snake," he explains, holding it up for a closer look. "Simply put, the snakes shed quite often... And this one was venomous. The diamond patterns here.... here... and here." He traces the marked patterns with a deft finger, moving it across the waxy surface.

 

"The only question is where a snake of this size might have come from. A shipper, perhaps?"

 

"Snakes!?" The middle-aged lady of the night asks, "Them wriggly, scaled, worm things? IN my flophouse?" The woman gives a visible shudder. "TANYA! GET TH' DOGS!" she calls out into the place, and one of the other 'girls' goes to fetsh a pair of rotweilers. Seems like they're going to busy on a snake hunt here- and that leaves the Distillery.

 

The dogs look exstatic at the prospect of being able to eat something, venemous or not.

 

Myrana looks a little pale now, thinking of poor Hossk. Sure, sometimes he smelled pretty bad, but was always very nice and made an effort to tell her jokes. Even if she didn't really get any of them. And Mister Oxley liked him. She doesn't like to think of him being eaten by a snake.

 

"They're not really related to worms, you know, they're actually.... they.... huh, she left...." Mikilos looks vaugely disapointed, unable to finish his lecture. "...well, I suppose that leaves the Distillery then...."

 

Narah doesn't look thrilled at the prospect of a hunt through a distillery. "I am not thrilled," she says, "at the prospect of a hunt through a distillery." A glance at Myrana, though, and she draws herself up a bit. "Right. Time is wasting, anyway." She pauses, and adds, "But if I get dunked in beer or the like, I am going to be very cross."

 

Xenarchy cackles at Myrana. "So we are to deal with a bunch of poisonous snakes. I won't be able to persuade these things to behave, that is, unless one of you can grant me the ability to speak with animals." She taps her gloved fingers together. "So at best, I'll see about keeping their bites off the rest of you. Narah? If you are going to lead our charge when we inevitably get tangled in their coils, I will grant you an illusory protection. They should have difficulty finding your precise location."

 

"Distilleries! Those are fun!" Boshter says, loudly, "I hope there will be beeer there! I could use some beer.." He's hugging Myrana again. And then he lets go of her.

 

Jenner closes his eyes, sighing quietly. Sorcerers... Ever so subtle in proclaiming their proclivities......

 

And so the group head off, making their way through the docks to the old distillery. When they get there it... well, it's seen better days. A rotten old waterwheel, now barely more than a haggard framework of rusted iron, sits half submerged in the estuary that feeds the docks. The chimney has collapsed in on itself, leaving a hole in the roof. However, not all is as it should be. Fresh wooden panels block up the windows, no more than a few months old given how little they are weathered. And the door has been recently repaired too. And a little investigation will reveal it to be locked.

 

Myrana takes a deep sniff.

"Lovely."

 

"Breathe through your mouth," Jenner asides, smoke puffing quietly from his pipe. "It helps dispel the scent of things. Just be sure to close it quickly, in case of spiders."

 

Perfectly innocent, yes.

 

Mikilos ponders knocking. People do occasionally live here, after all.

 

Myrana shuts her mouth like a bear trap and turns her head to give a sidelong, horrified look up at the wizard.

 

"So, uh," says Narah awkwardly, standing in front of the door and scratching her head again. Probably something she picked up in camp, by the looks of the vigour with which she's scratching her scalp. "Would any of you subtler types like to try something... subtle? Before I try knocking the door down and possibly collapsing the whole rickety building like a... like something that collapses easily?" Yes. Narah speak good.

 

"Yes," says Myrana. "Send Jenner in first, he's all bones anyway. The snake won't want him."

 

Mikilos peers a bit longer, edgeing around the building as much as can. "Well, seems secure enough against human invaders. But plenty of holes for assorted inhuman vermin to make their way in, or out. And who knows what's over on the water side?" Looking to the door again, he shrugs. "Not a great deal... understand the theory of how a lock works, and how to use a pick to open the lock. But in actual practice? Distinctly less practiced."

 

GAME: Xenarchy casts displacement.

 

Xenarchy sighs and moves over toward Boshter and Narah as they approach the door. She draws shadows and light out of the air and wraps them around Boshter first, since he appears to be quite intent on barelling through. "This should halve your chance of being poisoned horribly."

 

Jenner simply keeps his gaze bared on the door. Smoking. Evil mages.

 

"Yes, actually," the mage says, stepping forward to the door with a careful eye. He stares at the lock for a moment, frowning deeply as he murmurs. "New lock, new door..." he begins, sparing Myrana a glance. "...acid. Ser Mikilos, if you could point out where to apply the...." His voice trails off as Boshter springs into action! Decidedly, fiercely, determinedly devestating the poor, innocent doorway of doom!

 

"...hobgoblins..."

 

Myrana blinks her eyes against the flying splinters. When she flutters them open again, there's a look of sheer, self-pleased evil. Wizards, that look says. Don't you know how to let your bullrushing meatshields do the work?

 

"... or we could do that," says Narah, casually, as the door FLIES off its hinges and straight into the depths of the building after Boshter's mighty kick.

 

Mikilos sighs as Boshter jumps the.... well, everything, really. "Well, suppose this will get me back to the library faster.... assumeing we survive...."

 

----------------------------------------

27 Boshter

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24 LargeSnake2

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22 Xenarchy

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21 LargeSnake1

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18 Myrana

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17 MediumSnakes

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17 HugeSnake

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17 Mikilos

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14 SmallSnakes

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12 Narah

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5 Jenner

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When the door is kicked in, light floods into the room, and it becomes immediately apparent that there is more than one snake. There are, in fact, lots of snakes. LOTS of snakes. And some of them are very big. One such very big one, in fact, turns to look towards Boshter, the door having roused it from its slumber, and hisses. This brings a chorus of hisses from all the other snakes.

 

Jenner gives Boshter a scathing glare. "Thank you, Boshter. And now we have to fight."

 

GAME: Boshter rolls Tumble: (2)+15: 17

GAME: Boshter rolls Tumble: (1)+15: 16

GAME: Boshter rolls Tumble: (5)+15: 20

GAME: Boshter rolls Tumble: (9)+15: 24

GAME: Boshter rolls 1d20+9: (5)+9: 14

GAME: Boshter rolls 1d8+4: (8)+4: 12

 

"THese snakes should get out of this distillery! Why are they even here?!" Boshter blinks at the sight before him and then steps forward, bounding towards the large snake and doing a flip over a large collection of them. He lands beside the largest snake and leans down to grab it by the neck while punching its snout once. "Stupid snake!"

 

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+4: (3)+4: 7

 

Meanwhile, one of the other large snakes springs forth, lashing out to bite at boshter- it falls short of the mark, though, simply managing to hit the rickety floorboards with a loud thunk. Venom drips from the creatures fangs.

 

GAME: Xenarchy casts displacement.

 

After Boshter has barrelled into the room, Xenarchy moves on to granting Narah the same protection. The magic whirls around her and tugs her image a few feet off in a random direction. It becomes quite hard to pick out exactly where she is standing. "Try not to let any of them get out of the room to us. The fangs might not go through your armour but we arcanists aren't so well protected."

 

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+4+2: (7)+4+2: 13

 

And the other snake going for Boshter very nearly bites its own kin, whos fangs are still stuck in the floorboards as it writhes- the floorboards creak and eventually explode into splinters as it breaks free.

 

GAME: Myrana casts Haste.

 

Myrana wheels her hands round in a mimicry of the slow spin of a clock, her arms and hands trailing comet tails of green. Time seems to thicken, then slow faintly about the party, allowing them to pass through it at an advanced rate.

 

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+4: (18)+4: 22

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+4: (6)+4: 10

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+4: (12)+4: 16

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+4: (11)+4: 15

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d4-1: (1)+-1: 0

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d4-1: (1)+-1: 0

GAME: Xenarchy rolls fort: (4)+4: 8

GAME: Xenarchy rolls fort: (17)+4: 21

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d6: (5): 5

GAME: Chiddle damaged Xenarchy for 4 points. 19 remaining.

The serpents swarm towards Xenarchy as she weaves her spells, attracted by the colors and movements she makes. They leap at her, biting ahold of her. Venom pours into ehr veins from multiple wounds, and her body immediately begins to burn with intense pain- she feels sick to her stomach within seconds and stars flash before her eyes.

 

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+6+2: (20)+6+2: 28

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+6+2: (5)+6+2: 13

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d100: (20): 20

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d6+4: (3)+4: 7

GAME: Boshter rolls Fort: (7)+8: 15

GAME: Chiddle damaged Boshter for 7 points. 57 remaining.

 

The massive snake writhes free of boshter's grasp, and then sinks its massive fangs- easily as long as a man's forearm, into his gut. Blood sprays from the wound which, thankfully, ejects most of the poison.

 

GAME: Mikilos casts magic missile.

GAME: Mikilos rolls 2d4+2: (4)+2: 6

 

Mikilos sighs softly, eyeing the situation inside before carefully twisting his fingers into awkward poses, building power within then before sending the magic flying off to aid Boshter. Mystic energies slam into one of the large snakes, ripping off chunks of flesh. "Someday, need to get myself something with a bit more of an area effect..."

 

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+4: (17)+4: 21

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+4: (4)+4: 8

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+4: (8)+4: 12

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+4: (1)+4: 5

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d2-1: (2)+-1: 1

GAME: Myrana rolls fortitude: (16)+7: 23

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+4: (20)+4: 24

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+4: (14)+4: 18

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+4: (16)+4: 20

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+4: (1)+4: 5

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+4: (19)+4: 23

GAME: Chiddle rolls 2d2-2: (3)+-2: 1

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d2-1: (1)+-1: 0

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d2-1: (1)+-1: 0

GAME: Mikilos rolls fort: (11)+2: 13

GAME: Mikilos rolls fort: (17)+2: 19

GAME: Mikilos rolls fort: (2)+2: 4

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d6: (1): 1

GAME: Chiddle damaged Mikilos's constitution for 1 points. 1 total damage.

GAME: Chiddle damaged Mikilos for 3 points. 7 remaining.

 

The small snakes spill out of the door,s warming all over the two casters out there- apparently metal isn't very appetizing. They clamp into flesh and their poison spills into the veins of Myrana and Mikilos. Myrana stings, but MIkilos's wound burns, and a sharp pain spreads up the length of his elg as the poison takes hold.

 

GAME: Narah rolls 1d20+12: (6)+12: 18

GAME: Narah rolls 1d20+12: (2)+12: 14

GAME: Narah rolls 2d4+8: (5)+8: 13

GAME: Narah rolls 1d20+12: (4)+12: 16

GAME: Narah rolls 2d4+8: (6)+8: 14

GAME: Narah rolls 1d20+12: (4)+12: 16

 

Confounded snakes! They're all... wriggly! And small! And hard to hit! Splat go a trio of snakes, reduced to so much gore through the simple expedient of Narah, well, waving her sword somewhat wildly along the ground. 'Cos snakes crawl and are generally unpleasant like that. It's not terribly elegant, but it gets the job done. "Try stomping hard to dislodge the snakes!" she calls, helpfully, then an instant later, "Wait, no, don't, stomping attracts snakes!" She stomps a little, herself, armour rattling as she heroically tries to attract the reptiles' attention.

 

Yeah. This fight isn't going to go down in the annals of great heroism.

 

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+1: (20)+1: 21

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+1: (2)+1: 3

GAME: Jenner rolls 1d6: (6): 6

 

Jenner stepping back from the morass of snakes slithering towards the door, the mage grimaces, bringing both hands upright. "Myrana!" the magus exclaims, fingertips crackling as he begins summoning the mystic energies. "Try to block the door. Fire, lightning... bad beer. The Oxleys. Something!"

 

White fire bursts from around, shot through with hot bolts of gold; magic ignites in faint rainbows, quickly consumed as Jenner steps forward, hands thruting to the fore, the green of one sharp eye become a maelstrom of gleaming golden flame. Glittering fire consumes the wizard, a crackling corona of force.

 

"AWAY WITH YOU!" the mage roars, a word of blazing command. Like the shriek of a whirlwind, the smaller of the lithe creatures are uplifted, hurled back-- Shattering against the far wall inside, broken like a series of tiny, meek logs.

 

And showering the hobgobiln in snake bits. Accidentally, of course.

 

Subtlety. Ala Mage.

 

GAME: Boshter rolls 1d20+8: (3)+8: 11

GAME: Boshter rolls 1d20+8: (5)+8: 13

 

Boshter is covered in snakebits. He blinks down at himself. Then again. Then he promptly attempts to grab the snake again. Only, he's so covered in snakebits that he can't really get a good grasp on it. Jenner is GLARED at. HIS FAULT.

 

GAME: Xenarchy casts color spray.

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+1: (8)+1: 9

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+1: (12)+1: 13

GAME: Xenarchy rolls 2d4: (3): 3

GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d4: (1): 1

 

"Augh, fffff...!" Xenarchy lets out a sound like steam escaping, stumbling back and dropping to one knee. She's clearly in a severe amount of pain right now, grimacing. Still, the sorceress manages to invoke a desperate spell, unleashing a barrage of shadow and light, intermixed with a confusion of vivid colours (so intense!) against the nearby snakes. "I think... gnnnr... I've been poisoned, badly."

 

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+4+2: (11)+4+2: 17

 

The two snakes attackign Boshter from the flanks circle around him, snapping out at the monk- but he is too fast even for them, and ducks under them. The snakes are kinda tangled around each other and draped over Boshter now. They are very heavy.

 

GAME: Myrana casts Lightning Bolt.

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+7: (11)+7: 18

GAME: Myrana rolls 9d6: (29): 29

 

Myrana steps into the sagging, decaying room over the splatter of a dead snake with a clack of heels, her skirts swaying forward about her legs and fluttering up in the wind of her spell. Amythest sparks flood up over her from her heart, thickening into snarling fingers of electricity that spit and hiss like the snakes before her and gather round her arm in a tangle of shrieking energy. From her hand, a livid bolt leaps, lighting scales in it's wake as it sears the air and splashes purple lightning over the huge snake coiled around Boshter.

 

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+6+2: (18)+6+2: 26

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d100: (91): 91

 

The huge snake attacks boshter again, launching itself towards him with tremendous force- and biting the head right off the blurry second boshter. Thankfully, this one is not real, or that could have been messy.

 

GAME: Mikilos casts magic missile.

GAME: Mikilos rolls 2d4+2: (6)+2: 8

 

Mikilos wobbles a bit himself, turning a rather unplesant shade of green as poison courses thru his veins. "...not feeling so good myself...." Taking a deep breah, the elf focuses, and unleashes another pair of magical bolts, once more ripping into the large snake and tearing it's body nearly in half.

 

GAME: Narah rolls 1d20+14: (15)+14: 29

GAME: Narah rolls 2d4+12: (2)+12: 14

GAME: Narah rolls 1d20+14: (10)+14: 24

GAME: Narah rolls 2d4+12: (7)+12: 19

 

"Boshter?" says Narah conversationally, rearing back and hefting her giant fuck-off two handed sword in an almost baseball bat like ready position...

 

And BARRELS right through the sad, splintered remains of the doorframe, swinging that curved blade in a MIGHTY swing.

 

"DUCK!"

 

Splat.

 

No, really. Splat. There's something of an explosion of gore as the Eldanar woman of Veyshanti origins carves a bloody path -through- the first snake, the sheer force of the swing nearly taking her off her feet as it careens straight into the skull of the one Boshter -just- lifted up in just the right height.

 

That is an ex-snake. It has kicked the bucket, etc.

 

So Boshter is covered in MORE splatter. He looks at Narah. Then at himself. Then at Narah. Then at himself. "You know," he says, "If you wanted to smell like me right now, you could've just asked."

 

Jenner watches the Veyshanti Fury do her work, folding his arms together as he gazes impassively on the scene. And glowers at Boshter. GLOWER.

 

"If I might be so bold," he intones ominously, "This is precisely why "Scream and Leap" tends to lead to a great many DEAD CATS."

 

Glower.

 

Mikilos peers into the room for a moment. "Everyone still kicking who has legs to do so? Good, now I.... I..... *urlp!*" The elf dashes off to the side to vomit noisly, the snakebites obviously not done with him just yet.

 

Xenarchy sits down and weakly points at the two unconscious snakes in front of her. "You may want to do something with them before they wake up." She groans and tips over, lying on her side. "I must be... dead already."

 

Narah sets her sword tip-down onto a bit of giant snake skull and rests an elbow on the hilt, letting her breathing return somewhat to normal and grinning, clearly exhilarated by combat, at Boshter. Xenarchy's words bring her around quickly, though, and she trots smartly outside and... steps on the still-living snakes' heads. Squish. Regard for nature, yadda yadda.

 

Myrana's breath catches in her breath. The rush and the euphoria of casting lingers in her veins, then drifts out through her extremities. She shudders hard, then turns on her heel, still shaking it from her hands, and goes to tend to Xenarchy.

 

GAME: Xenarchy rolls fort: (12)+3: 15

GAME: Mikilos rolls fort: (19)+1: 20

GAME: Myrana rolls fort: (15)+7: 22

GAME: Boshter rolls Fort: (14)+8: 22

 

"What have you done!?" comes a cry from.. somewhere downstairs. "MY BABIES! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" follows that, and there is a clomp clomp clomp of feet up the stairs. Suddenly, another snake bursts through the door. A young, pretty woman emerges behind it, a hand on the creature's side and a bow slung over her back- practically naked but for the barest of leather armor, and what looks like body paint giving her skin a serpentine pattern. "It's always like this! Poor, innocent creatures crushed underfoot by you city folks! I can't take it anymore, I can't! Too long have cities encroached upon land belonging to the wild! And no longer! Now the wild stings back!" she cries out. Based on her attire and appearance... is this that working girl 'Addy' that was mentioned?

 

"Your -babies-," says Narah, with the air of infinite patience that signals that in actuality, her patience is || this short, "just tried to eat my friends." She hefts that giant sword of hers, lays it over a shoulder, and takes a couple of steps closer to the emerging woman, laying her other hand on the hilt as well. "That makes me Very Upset."

 

GAME: Narah rolls Intimidate: (6)+10: 16

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+7: (8)+7: 15

 

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24 Xenarchy

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22 Ssrissa

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19 Myrana

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15 Adelind

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12 Narah

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11 Boshter

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3 Mikilos

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GAME: Xenarchy casts suggestion.

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+5: (20)+5: 25

 

Xenarchy clambers to her feet. She throws a withering glare at the woman and points a finger, dramatically. "You!" She shouts, power seeping into her words, "Sit down and shut up until I say otherwise!" And then nothing happens. She is already glaring, so there's no particular change in her expression.

 

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+6+2: (17)+6+2: 25

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d6+4: (5)+4: 9

GAME: Narah rolls Fort: (19)+7: 26

 

The snake lunges forwards,r ocketing from its coild position near its master, coming to ehr defense and sinking its fangs deep into Narah's chest, punchign straight through the armor plating. The burning, stabbing sensation of poison begins to invade her flesh, but most of the poison bleeds out.

 

GAME: Myrana casts lightning bolt.

GAME: Myrana rolls 9d6: (23): 23

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+7: (8)+7: 15

 

Violet lightning snarls round Myrana like a living creature, lifting her briefly from the ground as she whirls 'round, arms windmilling in a slow dance of drawing and evocation, sparks trailing after her motions like burning oil dripping from a cracked lantern. They roll down from her fingers and splatter on the ground, crackling in the dark weave of her hair and surging under her skin. Letting out a cry, she hurls a bolt of lightning up into the gaping maw of the huge snake, filling it for a moment with blinding light and blackening it from the inside. The snake thrashes in pain, grieviously wounded, but not killed.

 

GAME: Chiddle rolls 3d8+8: (10)+8: 18

 

 

The woman lets out a cry as her companion is sizzled by Myrana's lightning bolt spell and, overcoming her own fear of Narah, she dashes closer, holding out her hand to the creatures back. "It's ok, brave Ssrissa!" She tells it, and then turns to look at Myrana. Oh theres VENOM in her eyes.

 

GAME: Narah rolls 1d20+12: (17)+12: 29

GAME: Narah rolls 2d4+8: (3)+8: 11

 

"Lady," grits Narah, leveraging her sword between the biting fangs and her breastplate, pushing the head of the snake away with a PUSH, "you're getting me angry." The push of the blade is followed through by a swing carving a deep gash down the side of the giant snake and a step forward, not willing to give the animal an inch of space. "You won't LIKE me when I'm angry." She snarls the words, hoarse drill-sergeant's voice menacing with spikes of PURE ANGER.

 

GAME: Boshter rolls 1d20+9: (17)+9: 26

GAME: Boshter rolls 1d8+4: (5)+4: 9

 

"Hi Narah!" Boshter says again as he bounds to the other side of her. He reaches around, grabs the snake again, and attempts to hold it in position (stretching it painfully) for Narah's next chop. because, well.. Chop!

 

GAME: Mikilos casts color spray.

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+5: (3)+5: 8

GAME: Narah rolls Will: (14)+4: 18

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+3: (15)+3: 18

GAME: Boshter rolls Will: (17)+7: 24

 

Mikilos winces at the escelating violence, espically at the idea of a scantily clad female may soon get mixed up in it. "Madam, please, clam down. Your actions only serve to continue the cylce of violence and.... and.... eh, you know what? Screw it. Take a nap" The wizard throws a small handful of sand, the colors exploding around the small group of violent types in an overwhelming display of vibrant colors and sensations.

 

GAME: Narah rolls 1d20+11: (18)+11: 29

GAME: Narah rolls 1d20+11: (13)+11: 24

 

Adelind stumbles back as the colors overload her senses, and she rubs her eyes, trying to clear the ringing from her ears and the flashing lights from her eyes. Just as she is beginning to recover, she sees her animal companion get chopped in half and she lets out a wail that is equal parts rage and sorrow.

 

GAME: Narah rolls 1d20+11: (19)+11: 30

GAME: Narah rolls 1d20+11: (17)+11: 28

GAME: Narah rolls 4d4+16: (8)+16: 24

 

As the snake moves in to try and constrict her, Narah grunts with some satisfaction. "Dumb beast," she says, and moves her sword up to block the venomous fangs... but instead of parrying with the flat of the blade, she pushes her falcata out, edge-first, and as neatly as you please cuts right into the corners of the giant snake's mouth... and on, and further down, spewing blood and gore as she grimly proceeds to neatly bisect the reptile, not quite cleaving it from head to tailtip but rather nicely leaving it a floppy, useless husk writhing for a moment on the floor. The tall woman snarls ferally at the scantily clad enemy before her and, unceremoniously and with little grace, proceeds to plunge her blade down into her shoulder, shattering a collarbone and sending out a nasty gout of blood. Ouch.

 

GAME: Boshter rolls 1d20+8: (7)+8: 15

GAME: Boshter rolls 1d20+8: (19)+8: 27

GAME: Boshter rolls 1d8+4: (4)+4: 8

 

PUNCH! With a big grin at Narah, Boshter bounds towards the other side of the crazy -- sweeping the leg and doing some damage to it. He seems to be almost playing with her, truth be told. A glance is sent to the others, with concern.

 

Also, he has a lot of blood on him now. Narah's fault.

 

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+7: (16)+7: 23

 

Mikilos sighs. "Madam, please, just surrender quietly. There's nothing to be had here but more suffering...." Stepping foreward slowly, Mikilos reaches out a hand to the bereived woman, his natural Charm extending out towards her, but unable to penitrate past her grief and anger.

 

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+5: (19)+5: 24

 

Xenarcht might as well just be going bluh bluh. She does the same again, shouting and casting and getting nowhere. She's getting rather frustrated by all of this.

 

GAME: Myrana rolls 5d4+5: (14)+5: 19

 

Suffused with the mad, silent joy of magic flowing through her like a living storm, Myrana thinks nothing at all of reaching out with an almost casual gesture. Beads of lightning roll from the fingertips of one hand and fly like glowing bullets to sink one after the other in rapid succession into the madwoman's chest. The impact of these beads splashing on the woman's chest drops her to her knees, on the brink of death.

 

As the bolts of arcane energy slam into her, the woman lets out another cry of agony, and collapses to the ground. "What's the point... my babies are dead... my... my poor Ssrissa..." she murmurs, reaching out a feeble hand to lay it on her animal companion's tail. She peers up towards the adventurers surrounding her, "You... are a curse, you're a blight..." she hisses, defiant even so greviously wounded- but no longer in any state to physically resist.

 

Mikilos eyes the woman a moment before moving closer, pulling a few bandages and a length of rope from his pack, applying both to the seriously wounded madwoman.

 

"Mmmrphmmrr! MRRPH! MRRRMM!" come muffled cries from downstairs.

 

Now that the threat is ended, Xenarchy walks up to the woman. "Don't be stupid. You are the blight here. You brought this harm on yourself and your animals. You have only yourself to blame. If you want to do better, you must not throw your allies into the thresher as you have done so carelessly." She glares sternly. "You, a druid, have affronted nature most terribly."

 

GAME: Xenarchy rolls intimidate: (11)+14: 25

GAME: Chiddle rolls 1d20+7: (12)+7: 19

 

Narah steps up to the woman, wincing from the wounds her 'pet' inflicted on her even through the protection of her armour now that the adrenaline is starting to face. "We may be a blight and a curse," she says, gritting her teeth as though with an effort to hold herself back from just outright lopping her fool head off, "but you fed innocents to your pets. You murdered people, you didn't even trust the snakes to feed themselves. Who's causing an imbalance?" And then she closes her hand into a fist. "The Magistrate will deal with you. And believe me, they will not deal with you mildly."

 

"Yes! They will," says Boshter, seeming relieved its over. He moves towards Xenarchy, then, and hands a potion to her. Just like that. In fact, he unstops it and attempts to pour it into her mouth. While she's talking.

 

Myrana's feet touch back down on the snake-flesh covered ground of the distillery with a soft tap, her braids and skirts drifting down with her slow descent. The cushion of magic just under her feet rolls away like ghostly mercury before dissapating into the air. She's breathing hard, but gulps down air to calm herself. Casting like that always leaves her exhausted, both emotionally and physically, prompting her to take a moment to collect herself, putting a hand over her face while her companions deal with the woman.

 

Mikilos blinks, and eyes the door to the stairway. "....we should probally check on that."

 

Narah adds, almost as an afterthought, "Say goodnight!"

 

And punches the 'druid' square on the nose. Hard.

 

"You wi-" CRUNCH goes her nose, and Addy is out for the count.

 

Narah adds -another- afterthought, "Thanks for volunteering to check it out! Bright smile.

 

Xenarchy would say more but bluh bluh. She finds her mouth full of potion. Fortunately, she realises in time what Boshter is trying to do and just gives him a weird looks as she finishes the potion.

 

Mikilos sighs, and finishes tying up the Crazy, prepareing her for transport to the Guard.

 

When they finally get around to checking out the basement, there are a couple of people tied back to back, one of them being Myrana's... 'friend', his mouth stuffed with a rag. When asked how he ended up here, he refuses to say a word... and begs that you don't tell his wife. Nevermind the fact he doesn't have a wife.