The Lost Book Part 2

Adventurer's Guild, midday

It's raining outside, a steady spring storm that is washing away yellow rivulets of pollen and soaking everything. But the city isn't sleeping. Sure, people are going around in waterproofed cloaks and elegant parasols, but rain just means you put on some boots and wade through the puddles.

A few days have passed since you raided the bandit camp, and suddenly a missive was delivered to all of you requesting your presence at the Guild. Questions have been raised about the attack and you are being asked to cooperate, with many thanks, and so on. It's a curiously... anonymous letter, but it does bear the Guild's seal and notary signature.

The guild representative looks a bit nervous as he escorts you down the halls, past the usual meeting rooms to one that you know is for serious discussions because it's heavily warded. Someone clearly wants their privacy in this matter, and once you're inside, the representative leaves, shutting the door behind him.

The furnishings are simple without being crude, dominated by a well-carved wooden table and stout chairs. Spread across the table are a number of documents, one clearly being the invoice you found in the crate of books, another appearing to be a deposition taken from the surviving bandits.

Standing on the other side of the table is a tall, saturnine-looking elf, with a wild shock of dirty blond hair, arching eyebrows, and dark, piercing eyes. Dressed in a ruffled white shirt over leather trousers and well-made boots, all under a light longcoat in deepest black, he stares at you with a calm, dispassionate air. Measuring. Not unfriendly, but clearly here on business.

"And here you are," the elf says calmly. "Warrick Retzner, Simony Smithsdottir, Aelmeh Runescriber, and Ous." He inclines his head. "I am Telperius Atlon, and I am sure you have questions."

Being led into the room, Ous takes in his surroundings on the way, noting toutes of escape if necessary. You never know. As they are led into the room, the ranger steps to the side of the door, checking to see if large men with small, concealable type weapons might be joining them before he replies. "Aye've one or 3. Let me start off bye sayin' Hello, as that's wha' manners calls fer, and may aye follow up wi' Why do Aye get th' feeling that this is th' polite people version of stickin' yer leg in a bear trap?"

Warrick is present at the guildhouse, cloak sopping wet but shiny new armor only makes it shinier from the rain. Looks like the last outing was spent right away. He's got his helmet under his arm again, it kept doffed to reveal a highly arched brow.

"Your... anonymity of correspondence certainly is the primary question, Sir Alton," he's made no effort of concealing his armaments. He is here on a guild call, afterall. "Hail."

A glance to Ous, and he juts his head towards him, echoing their sentiments.

The Guild? Well, not that she has had dealings with the Adventurers before, but if they are as punctilious as the Wizards or Bookbinders, then Aelmeh has some experience with appearing both innocent and at her best. She chose a blue gown, not of the very highest quality but presentable, over a snow white under gown, sturdy shoes and a tightly woven cloak for shedding the rain. Nothing extravagant but dependable, honest and sincere.

Being the least experienced in the field she defers to the others for the moment, giving Telperius a pleasant shake of her head. The questions so far have covered her own.

Simony was looking increasingly concerned as they are first summoned by anonymous letter, and then escorted into the heavily warded stateroom. Upon seeing the Elf, she tucks away her notepad and pencil, there'll be no sketching from her in here.

She eyes Ous as he speaks first, her smile faint, before fading as she takes a breath.

"I would say well met, but I get the distinct feeling that things will be rapidly going downhill in the near future, so instead I offer a hello as best I can in Sildanyari."

Simony offers a bow, from the hips. <Sildanyari>

"Indeed," Telperius says, a glint of approval in his eyes. "First, let me assure you that you are not in trouble. You have... merely stumbled on something that concerns my family, and that leads... back to me, this time." His expression twitches for a moment, before he reaches down to pick up a paper. The invoice.

"This book," the elf continues, "should not exist. Feadril Atlon... abandoned his studies, and his magic, centuries ago. He burned his books -- yes, Miss Smithsdottir, I know, but he was gripped by remorse for his actions -- and entered a monastery. If a copy of one of his tomes has resurfaced, it should not be wandering about."

GAME: Warrick rolls knowledge/local: (10)+4: 14
GAME: Aelmeh rolls knowledge/local: (18)+8: 26

Listening quietly, Ous finally looks around the room once more then moves and drops into a chair. "Aye wouldnae mention burnin' books around Simony...she gets...intense in a really uncomfortable way about tha' sort of thing."

Thinking about the rest of what the elf has to say, he adds. "Aye assume this be one o yer kin."

Warrick shifts a bit, the metal on his armor sliding against one another softly. His other brow meets the first. "And I assume you want this book taken care of before returning back to the Mythwood?" the once-guard asks. Astute.

Something seems to click in his mind. "Or before your son catches wind?" he mentions, rote, like rattling off a fact sheet.

The Goblin does tense up at the mention of destroying vessels of knowledge, but she slowly shakes her head.

"I fully support the destruction of dangerous knowledge, even if it may go against my core philosophy. If the knowledge is dangerous to the world around it, at the very least it should not be wandering the lands. If such knowledge can compel people to acquire it at any cost, the sadly I am on the side of urging it's destruction."

Simony lets out a soft sigh.

The bookbinder examines the elf in front of them with more interest as he cites his family's interest. She then, glances aside at Simony at the mention of Feadril Atlon, her eyes shutting on the words 'burned his books'. No one in their right mind BURNS books.

Still, they may have stumbled on something very interesting indeed.

"So, a family matter of some urgency, I take it?" she asks in all innocence.

Telperius flicks his dark stare at Warrick and Aelmeh in particular. "Yes," he says flatly. "Feadril was my ancestor, and ... wandered into dark places, before he was saved. I do not wish to discuss more of it than that." He exhales. "And my son is... indisposed, at the temples currently. The boy would crawl from his deathbed if necessary to prevent this kind of legacy from falling into the wrong hands." He can't keep a small note of pride from entering his voice.

"So, I simply will not tell him until after the fact. I would ask you show discretion as well." He drops the invoice on the table, before picking up another slip of paper. "The bandits spoke of a 'Mister Peri'. Two weeks ago, an aspiring wizard named Periandr Calathra departed his studies in Marniar'nir's wizarding college. A friend of his testified Periandr had expressed great interest in what Feadril Atlon had discovered. He rented a house here in Alexandria, but was seen leaving yesterday."

Telperius's expression is bland. "And so there has been a watch report filed of shouting from this residence, and it seems an adventurer team has been tasked with checking to make sure there are no werewolves, undead, or otyughs hiding inside. What a strange coincidence."

Listening more intently now, Ous shifts in the chair quietly. "Ye lot want us tae break into a wizard's house an 'ave a bit of a rummage?" Stroking his thick beard thoughtfully, the ranger pauses for a moment, leans over the side of the chair away from the table and wrings some water from the beard. "Aye'm in Aye suppose. Didnae have much else planned fer th' evening but hunting anyways. At least this'll be in the dry."

Warrick gets a stare. He shifts again, but this time feeling a bit better about himself. Taking all those notes seems to be doing good. "I understand. He is a good man. May his recovery be swift."

He looks at the information, then up to Telperius as he speaks. He blinks, then smiles. "Clever. Of course we can ensure nothing unatowed is there," he chuckles.

Simony reaches up to pull the pince-nes from her nose, cleaning the lenses with the hem of her robes.

"Would you also have happened to conveniently have the traps and other silly nonsense wizards use to protect places they do their most vulnerable activity, removed in: long nights of study, staring into the abyss, and for the non-Elven kind, sleeping?"

Her smile is cheeky as she slips the pince-nes back into place.

"But I echo the sentiments of my companions, I will keep your confidence, and do my best to see this through... what is it humans say? Oh. On the down low."

'Better and better' Aelmeh thinks. Her fingers itch at the idea of reverently, and, oh so carefully, opening that book and learning its spells. She rocks from heel to toe in anticipation, schooling her face to polite interest.

"Oh, absolutely. Trust us to be discreet and careful to uncover any important clues, " she adds.

Telperius offers a small smile. "Excellent." He calmly slides a piece of paper from his pocket, and passes it to Warrick. On it is marked an address in the market district. Along with that, he slides a small skeleton key. "Go there, find whatever you can, and return so that we may determine what Periandr is playing at."

Market District, midday

The rain is still coming down as you stand in front of the townhouse nestled in the residential area of the district. Judging from the drawn curtains, it's doubtful anyone is home. It's well made, but judging from the empty feeding trough outside, nobody's home.

Coming to the address, Ous pauses outide. Looking at the others, the Ranger wipes strands of hair out of his face. the mane of dark hair really holding water well in the downpour. "Aye think Aye might go 'ave a look around the perimeter first before we go in." Looking to the others for a moment, he adds. "Aye'll be quick."

Warrick takes the piece of paper in one motion, him taking one glance at it before nodding firmly. "Affirmative. We'll report back soon."

The once guard proves his time as he speeds his way through the streets, wrapped up in a red cloak to ward from the rain. He looks to the others. "Seems straightforward. Curtains drawn, no light. Sounds good Ous. I'll stack up on the front door. Don't destroy the place."

Simony sniffs, and eyes the townhouse curiously. Her notebook and pencil are retrieved from a pocket, the Gobbo hunching forward to keep the sketchbook dry under her cloak, and sketching of the house commences.

Pausing in her drawing, one hand raised to perform small, precise finger movements. "I find it likely that there is a reception for unwanted guests.", she signs Warrick's way. <Handspeech>

Aelmeh holds her hood, drenched with rain, between two fingers to keep it from sticking to her forehead. Standing before their destination, she looks up at the house, wiping tendrils of blond hair, escaped from an elaborate braid, away from her face.

Intercepting Simony's signed sentence to Warrick, she nods. And adds, in the same language, "I can cast for signs of a trap, if needed."

Feigning insult as he backs away from the group, Ous places a hand to his chest. "Aye've no even set foot in th' place yet! Aye'm good, But Aye'm no That good!" Winking an emerald green eye at the man, the ranger heads off around the house, checking for tracks of returning wizards, or signs of movement from the windows around the house.

GAME: Ous rolls perception: (5)+2: 7

The exterior of the house looks fairly sedate, though the rain is rinsing off some dirt from one side. The windows are all shuttered and latched, and nothing stirs.

GAME: Aelmeh rolls perception: (13)+6: 19
GAME: Warrick rolls perception: (7)+4: 11

Warrick chuckles at Ous as he heads off, him looking to the other two before giving a slow nod. "If the place looks strange, we can use the magics for that, Aelmeh."

Taking out his crossbow, he shoulders it and puts his ear against the door. A beat. Then he shakes his head and gestures, "Hearing nothing. Ready to breach," he motions before pulling out the skeleton key, ready to unlock and move. <Handspeech>

The house has a solemn look, silence seeping from under its doorstep. Inside, she suspects, is where they will find the surprises if the owner was worth his salt. A step takes her closer to the front steps, already accumulating dust from Alexandrian traffic and she spies a footprint.

"See that?"she points to a elf-sized footprint marring the stone. "The steps are clear, someone has already been up them and there are no signs of blood, at least. That's a good sign."

Simony's notebook and pencil disappear into a pocket when Warrick signals an impending breach. Her arm is pulled into her robes through the sleeve, and when it returns, a warhammer is clutched in its fingers. "I'll be a step behind you then.", the Gobbo signs back to Warrick. <Handspeech>

Making a circle around the building, Ous pauses as he looks at the house. Noticing dirt running down the side of the building where the rain is washing it off, the ranger leans in a bit closer, smiffs it, touches a finger tip to it and tastes it and seems deep in thought for a moment, then he shrugs and stands under the eaves out of the rain to roll a cigarette.

Cigarette rolled and lit, Ous continues on his circle, smoke wreathing the big man's head in a cloud for a moment before the rain and breeze takes it away. All in all, there were less pleasant ways to enjoy a stroll. Getting back to the others, cigarette hanging from his lips, he motions to all of them in handspeech. "Dirt on one of the walls, Neighbor's wife needs better curtains in her chambers and less lace in her naughty clothes.(Imagine what THAT looked like while Ous was signing it) Clear otherwise."

Seeing the others readying at the door, the ranger moves to join them

The skeleton key, unsurprisingly, fits in the lock, and it clicks open. And the quartet move inside to find...

...an entry hall. There's not near as much dust as you'd expect from an abandoned house, but it doesn't look like whoever's been living here has kept the place up. There's a cloak rack, and one of those short shelves you can put boots on, but nothing's on them. There's a door to the north, and a door to the east (presumably the latter goes out to where horses are tethered).

Warrick shakes his head, chuckling from Ous's signs. He gives a count, "Three, two, one," in a whisper before slotting the key, clicking the lock, and shoving in. <Merctalk>

Like clockwork, his crossbow comes up and sweeps the whole room before stepping off to the side and taking a knee. "Clear," he whispers, muffled slightly from his helmet.

As the others sweep the room, he stacks up to the next door, protocal. "Ready when you all are," a hand gestures. <Handspeech>

GAME: Aelmeh casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14

The Goblin rushes in behind Ous and Warrick, looking around a bit before peering at the door on the east wall. Her fingers sign, "Should I make sure the door is locked, or lock it, so that people can't get up behind us?"

As soon as Aelmeh crosses the threshold, her eyes sweep the room, noting the faint film of dust covering the furnishings. After pushing back her hood, she steps to the side of the door and casts a spell seeking traces of magic around them.

Then, she announces to the party, forehead wrinkled in faint distress at not learning more, "There is something arcane to the north of us. But I'm not sure what it is? A trap? Something forgotten when the owner left?"

Slipping in with the others, Ous follows Warrick to the next door. Moving on soft soled boots, the ranger takes up position next to the door frame opposite Warrick. Realizing he is still smoking a cigarette, his eyes go wide for a moment as he plucks it from his mouth. looking left, then right for somewhere to toss it, he frowns then pulls the cherry from the end and stuffs the cigarette in his mouth, swallowing the dog end down, he grunts and makes a face clearly unhappy with at least this life choice.

Hearing Simony, Ous turns his head slightly and nods

The next door opens to reveal a dining room, though it's been put to other uses. Papers litter the table as well as a dirty plate and mug, left behind by the prior occupant. The light illuminates dust and cobwebs, and you can see stuffed, preserved animals mounted on the walls, posed as if in mid-stride across the empty air. A wolf, a boar, a leopard, a giant beetle. Trophies from some past hunt, one might suppose.

There is an open archway to the north, and a door to the east.

After getting the entry door locked, Warrick quietly gives another countdown, this time wary of magic ahead. He gives a... /look/ at Ous's choice of cigarette explusion, but he shakes his head and presses on, opening the door slowly.

Crossbow peeks in. He makes a quiet motion, "No contacts," before stepping in and off to the side. <Handspeech>

A snap of Aelmeh's fingers and a hiss is followed by:

LIGHT

A soft globe of light hovers over their heads as they advance to the next room. Gathering her cloak, heavy with rain up from the dusty floor, she stops to look into the next room before entering.

"Someone cast a divination." Eyes screwed shut as though listening for a faint sound, she shakes her head, "Sorry I don't know what kind."

Simony quickly moves to the side door, flicking the lock closed. She trails into the next room behind everyone else, looking around curiously. "They weren't interested in cleanliness, this is certain.", the Gobbo whispers.

She squints at the bright light, looking away. Her fingers sign, "Give me a moment."

The soft light of her holy symbol's glow brightens, as she quietly beseeches a blessing from her God.

GAME: Simony casts Bless. Caster Level: 4 DC: 14

Shrugging helplessly at Warrick in a 'shit, what other choice did I have?' manner, Ous follows through the door shortly behind Warrick, wincing as the light appears above their heads, he closes one eye tight as he points towards the door to the north, signing in handspeech. "I'll check north, you check East?"

Warrick breathes a little easier as he can see easier from the divine and arcane lighting methods. A scanning gaze about. Looking at the hunting trophies. The table. The door.

He nods to Ous, giving an advancing gesture towards the north for Ous and Aelmeh, and beckons Simony to follow him as he goes to the eastern door to ready.

GAME: Warrick rolls perception: (19)+4: 23

Warrick motions after listening to next to the doorway, "All I hear is water dripping. Maybe a leak. Watch your step." <Handspeech>

The albino nods to Warrick as he gestures for her to follow. Her hammer is held up higher, ready to swing at a moment's notice.

Her fingers sign, "A leak? Or a trap?".

The chamber to the north looks to be a study, though it doesn't seem to have seen much use. There's a couple more stuffed, preserved animals here -- a bear, and a tiger -- posed in impressive ways, and a heavy desk that is cleared of papers except for one left there apparently by accident, with a drawing on it.

The eastern door leads into a kitchen, and despite the worries of the adventurers, it turns out the water is dripping from a stack of dishes left haphazardly in the sink and half filled with water. A droplet of water falls from the precarious stack intermittently. A door to the north can be seen.

Moving to the North, Ous nods back to Warrick. Padding as quietly as he can to the north, he pauses and peers into the next room before stepping through. Noting more stuffed predators, the ranger frowns slightly muttering softly to himself. "If them bastards come tae life, Aye am claiming their pelts...if they dinnae claim mine first."

Moving to the door on the East, the ranger waits for the sounds of Warrick to mark his entry by.

Aelmeh sniffs for the deep telltale smell of iron, the odor of fresh blood - a not entirely fond memory from the autopsy classes she was required to attend as a novice wizard. Nostrils pinched, she follows Ous into the room where stuffed animals cast twisted shadows across the room.

"Would that I could guarantee that they don't, Ous. But they are yours if they do."

Warrick just gives a shrug of the shoulders to Simony of 'we'll see' before trying the door to unlatch it, and slowly pushing it open with his crossbow.

Another sweep with the heavy crossbow, the arbalest steps aside once again, takes a knee, once again, and waits a beat. "No contacts," he gestures before moving, yet again, to the next door. "Once we clear the place, then we can turn it over," Warrick signs to Simony. He readies yet again. <Handspeech>

Simony's nose wrinkles at the mess. "It's almost like they left in a hurry.", she comments. Nodding in reply to his comment of turning it over, she takes a few moments to wander about the room, sniffing at the stack of dishes even. "Yuck, smells like there will be a mold problem in this house soon." <Handspeech>

The last doors get pulled open, and it reveals a fairly sparse bedroom. Again, what's notable is what's NOT here. The bed is unmade, and a pair of chests sit open, emptied out of all save a few extraneous articles of clothing.

Peering in the door, Ous nods and looks back to Aelmeh. "Aye'm done th' best part o' what Aye can do. ye're turn tae take the lead. Aye'll watch yer back an' ye can deal with the papers an' th' wordiness. It is no a sign Aye can follow. there's a paper on th' desk in th room behind us though."

GAME: Ous rolls Perception: (2)+2: 4
GAME: Aelmeh rolls Spellcraft: (12)+12: 24

Warrick enters the same way as before, crossbow leveling in a clean sweep before twitching towards the other door opening in the room, but it continues on, knowing that Ous was circling around. Take a breath, he steps into the room. "Okay everyone," he says quietly, seeing Ous muttering to Aelmeh. "Lets figure out things. Everyone try to see at least two others at a time," he suggests before going over to the bed to look under it and poke around.

Simony pulls her pince-nes off her nose once more, rubbing at her eyes. "Nothing?", she wonders softly, before Ous speaks up. "Oh?" She's about to go and check on the paper situation, when Warrick mentions that people should stay within sight. So she stands at the door, watching him search under the bed, and occasionally she glances out to see what the others are up to.

"Thank you, I think," Aelmeh replies, with a ghost of a smile, as she passes into the room first, heading straight to the papers. Palms up, her slender fingers move in a precise pattern as she murmurs a spell under her breath. Looking back to Ous, "That divination has been nagging me."

The words no sooner said then, her eyes shift, changing focus, "Remember that I said someone was casting here? Well, not that I'm the top of the top but whatever they were doing took a lot out of them, looking for legend lore."

GAME: Warrick rolls knowledge/local: (16)+4: 20

Leaning on the wall where he can watch Aelmeh and the others, Ous nods politely as he listens to Aelmeh. a look of interest on his face. "Oh. Well Aye suppose tha' would take a lot out of a person, doin all tha' legend lore lookin. Aye mean. Th' readin' alone must have been ex...axh...tirin."

Warrick kneels down, looking under the bed. Lifting the mattress, shifting pillows. A huff leaves him, him knocking a dust bunny off his boot before peering around in the chests. "Huh." He leans down, picking up an article of clothing. Nice looking, smallish. "Elvish clothing. Looks to be from... Mythwood. Yes. It is. Fit for an elf."

He peers into the next room. "... I do not know what that is. But it sounds complex," he admits, taking the piece of clothing and tucking it into a bag before regrouping with the others.

GAME: Simony rolls spellcraft: (9)+6: 15

The Goblin eyes Warrick in the other room. "So possibly an elf, but why would they leave it behind? That stuff isn't cheap, is it?" Simony peers at the picture, squinting. She holds it up, "Anyone know what this is?"

The other paper is eyed at length. She inhales deeply. "Hmm, scroll. Used." Simony licks at her lips. "Can't tell what it was... maybe that uh... legend lore thing you mention?", she says to Aelmeh.

GAME: Warrick rolls knowledge/dungeoneering: (20)+7: 27
GAME: Ous rolls knowledge/dungeoneering: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL)

Warrick eventually ends up regrouping with the others, him keeping his weapon shouldered as he walks by the picture scribbled out. He stops hard, hand raising up to lift the visor on his helmet. "... the... hell?"

He leans down. "... Aboleth? The hell is this guy wanting aboleths for? Really esoteric, creepy stuff. I... think I have an idea of what this book is about." The helmet goes down with a clunk. "... why do people do this..." he grumbles.

GAME: Simony rolls knowledge/arcana: (9)+8: 17

Peerign closer at the paper that Aelmeh holds up, Ous pushes off the wall and moves closer. gently taking the paper from Aelmeh for a moment, Ous looks the image over carefully, then flips it over quietly and holds it up to the light. as Warrick makes his declaration, the ranger shakes his head. "Nae.....Aye'm pretty sure tha' is one of them abstract renderings of 2 Goblins eating cherry cobbler while ridin' a unicorn. if ye look closely just there, ye can see where theydropped a bit of it on the ground an' a woodchuck ate it." Handing the paper back to Aelmeh, he pats Warrick on the shoulder. "Was a good guess though."

"An aboleth? What... what is that? Assuming it is bad, or worse, I guess this book we're looking for has something to do with summoning them? Befriending them?" Simony rubs at the back of her head. "Guess that's why our employer wants to keep things quiet. That could be majorly embarrassing."

She blinks, and slowly turns her head to face Ous. Her pince-nes is shoved back onto her nose. "Cherry cobbler. How can you even get a food out of that image, let alone... Nevermind, I don't want to know."

The Gobbo turns, and takes a few steps... before running down to the previous room. "There's stuff on the table here, remember?!"

Aelmeh hisses like a kettle at the word Aboleth. "No wonder the divination was so hard. Whoever it was, was out of their depth. I don't even want to think about it."

Her mouth twists into a smile at the cherry cobbler. "Now, I'm hungry. Thanks. Let's see what Simony is up to, shall we?

The group heads back into the living room. Indeed, there's a lot more paper on the dining room table. Notes, arcane musings. Writeups on conjuration and calling -- interesting stuff, if you have an eye for it. One scrap has notes on the caravan route, and a name written in large letters and circled: FEADRIL ATLON!

And there's also an invoice here, a packing list from the estate sale of one Reubeus Garett. That's odd. Why would that--

And then you hear the scraping sound from the walls, as two of the stuffed, mounted animals -- the leopard and the wolf -- have turned their heads to look at you. There's a clack, and they drop from the wall to hit the floor.

Uh oh.

GAME: Warrick rolls weapon1+1+1: (1)+6+1+1: 9 (EPIC FAIL)
<OOC> Warrick says, "im using the reroll"
GAME: Warrick rolls weapon1+1+1: (6)+6+1+1: 14
GAME: Warrick rolls damage1+1: aliased to 1d10+0+1: (9)+0+1: 10

Warrick tilts his head to the side, looking at all the information. "Huh... this is-" Movement. His head snaps up. Without hesitation, he slams his visor down and drops to a knee. "CONTACT!" he shouts, the massive crossbow firing as the heavy bolt slams into the wolf. Sawdust coming comes out in a plume.

The weapon is tossed aside and the arbalest pulls out a longsword, holding it in both hands as he steps in front of Aelmeh. "Stay behind me!" he tells her before talking to the others, "We need to work on not getting surrounded!"

GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (19)+4: 23
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d6+2: (1)+2: 3

The leopard opens its mouth and... a tinny sound -kind- of like a cat's snarl comes out, but it sounds kind of weak and wheezing. The big cat stalks across, in a kind of jerky motion, and tries to bite at Ous... snapping at his calf, but his armor protects him from the worst of it.

GAME: Aelmeh casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 2 DC: 15
GAME: Aelmeh rolls 1d4+1: (1)+1: 2

Of course, Warrick steps in front of her. But even as short as she is, she has a clear view of the animal attacking her. If her old tutors could only see her now. A silver spear glows in her dominant hand. And she grunts, lobbing it over Warrick's head.

GAME: Ous rolls weapon11-3: (16)+9+-3: 22
GAME: Ous rolls weapon1-1: (3)+7+-1: 9
GAME: Ous rolls Damage11: aliased to 1d8+5: (4)+5: 9

As the animals come to life, Ous grins as he calls out "It's ok everyone, relax....animals Like me! we're F..." Whatever Ous was saying is cut off as the Big cat bites at his leg. Taking a dancing step out of the way he continues "..uck! Aye was wrong! these Are no animals!" As he speaks, the Ranger slips his axes from his belt, swinging a hard blow at the Leopard's spine and knocking a metric crap tonne of sawdust out of the thing. "Hit 'em wi' slashin weapons. they has weak stit-ches!"

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

The preserved wolf stalks in next, its motions a far cry from the smooth elegance of a living creature. Teeth snap at Warrick without finding purchase, and its glassy, empty eyes fix on the former guardsman with a disturbingly vacant expression.

GAME: Simony rolls weapon2+1: (15)+5+1: 21
GAME: Simony rolls 1d6+1: (3)+1: 4

Something... is moving behind them. With a tremble, the Goblin turned. Seeing nothing immediately, she ventured a quick peek around the closer wall. With a squeak, she lashes out with her warhammer, striking the bear as it moves quickly forward. "There's a bear behind us!", she says excitedly, side-stepping the bear's paw as it comes crashing down.

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

The bear strides forward, its mouth opening and a tinny roar coming out, like it's being heard down a metal drainpipe. As Simony's hammer smacks into it, it rears back and strikes out with a paw, but the blow passes harmlessly over Simony's head.

GAME: Warrick rolls weapon16+1: (4)+5+1: 10
<OOC> Warrick says, "move action equip shield and turn!"

Warrick kicks the sloppy, seemingly not alive wolf in the jaw and looks over at Simony- "Awwww sssshhh-" he hisses, trying to slash at the wolf but swinging wide, him not used to the weight of the new weapon just yet. He reaches behind him, pulling out his shield and snapping it into position. "I'll help you Simony after this thing!" he shouts.

GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (14)+4: 18
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (18)+4: 22
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (5)+4: 9
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d6+2: (1)+2: 3
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d3+2: (1)+2: 3

GAME: Aelmeh rolls weapon1-3: (4)+4+-3: 5

The room stinks of old fur, dust and fear. Aelmeh's magic was too faint to make much of an impression on the Leopard. She suddenly remembers, "Aie, all the gods, my crossbow!" She tugs it out from underneath her cloak and aims wildly. So much for cooly impressing the others with her combat skills. It zings across the room to thud into the wall.

GAME: Ous rolls weapon11-3: (13)+9+-3: 19
GAME: Ous rolls weapon1-1: (9)+7+-1: 15
GAME: Ous rolls damage11: aliased to 1d8+5: (4)+5: 9
GAME: Ous rolls damage1: aliased to 1d6+4: (6)+4: 10

Baring his teeth at the Leopard, Ous ducks and weaves with the cat. Taking superficial damage from a claw attack across a leg, and a bite to the wrist, the large Aesir spins to the side of the creature, managing more by luck than actual skill to removes himself by a wide margin from the path of Ael's Crossbow bolt, he brings both Axes down on the Laopard with a grunt. He assumed the thing was dead....er...deader than before as the stuffing blasts out of the thing. not bothering to check, Ous begins to run towards the bear to aid Simony

GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+1: (6)+1: 7

The wolf duels with Warrick, the mechanically-snapping teeth of the predator failing to strike once again. It paces northward, menacing Aelmeh, though its attacks are targeting the armored guard for the moment.

GAME: Simony rolls weapon2+1: (12)+5+1: 18
GAME: Simony rolls 1d6+1: (5)+1: 6

The Goblin shrugs, "No rush, Warrick, I've got its attention for now." She gives Ous a nod as he steps up, before turning and taking a swing at the bear. A satisfying thunk is heard as she clips its snout. "It's uh not really... hurting. I suppose it's stuffed nature renders it immune to pain?"

GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+7: (9)+7: 16
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+7: (16)+7: 23
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+7: (5)+7: 12
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d6+4: (6)+4: 10

The animated bear opens its mouth in a growl, but no sound comes out. Creepy. Then it wades in on the small irritant hitting it. Its teeth snap above her head, but one paw slams into her with staggering force. The bear, it seems, is not impressed with her hammer.

GAME: Warrick rolls weapon16+1: (13)+5+1: 19
GAME: Warrick rolls damage16: aliased to 1d8+2: (5)+2: 7
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+1: (9)+1: 10

Warrick looks back, wincing as wounds are mounting. "You probably have to cut them? I've never fought these things!" he suggests, pivoting on a swing and getting a solid cut in. He looks to Aelmeh, seeing the wolf stalking around. He opens his guard briefly before snapping back to block a hit with his shield. "Stay behind, Aelmeh! I'll keep it at bay!" he suggests.

GAME: Aelmeh rolls weapon1-3: (7)+4+-3: 8
GAME: Aelmeh rolls weapon1-3: (11)+4+-3: 12

The long cloak hides her trembling knees, but not the tremble in her arms as she aims for the Wolf stalking her. Once again, a comrade steps in front of her, knowing how vulnerable she is. The crossbow twangs missing the Wolf and sticks into the fine parquetry floor.

GAME: Ous rolls weapon11-3: (19)+9+-3: 25
GAME: Ous rolls weapon1-1: (20)+7+-1: 26 (THREAT)
GAME: Ous rolls weapon1-1: (6)+7+-1: 12 (Confirmed)
GAME: Ous rolls damage11: aliased to 1d8+5: (5)+5: 10
GAME: Ous rolls damage1: aliased to 1d6+4: (1)+4: 5
GAME: Ous rolls damage1: aliased to 1d6+4: (3)+4: 7
GAME: Ous rolls damage1: aliased to 1d6+4: (5)+4: 9

Moving up next to Simony, Ous nods to the Goblin. "Aye've got this one Simony, if ye want tae go help th' others." All pretense of play was gone again as Ous stepped in with the bear. An underhand swing catching it in the armpit before the hand axe comes in an overhead swing, skinging deep into the Bear's skull and opening a long seam on the creature's head.

GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+1: (13)+1: 14
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d6: (3): 3

The animated wolf seems oddly frustrated as it can't seem to get at Warrick. When the crossbow bolt hisses past it, it turns suddenly, and lunges at Aelmeh, drawing blood with its bite!

GAME: Simony rolls weapon2+1: (1)+5+1: 7 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Simony rolls weapon2+1: (8)+5+1: 14
<OOC> Telamon thinks everyone's spent their rerolls now.
GAME: Simony rolls 1d6+1: (2)+1: 3

"I'm really alright.", the Goblin says, despite the fact that the entire front of her robes had been clawed open. Underneath, the shiny metal of a breastplate shines. Though blood seeps into the pants through the gashes in her legs. "Let's just beat the stuffing out of this one first."

GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+7: (17)+7: 24
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+7: (6)+7: 13
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+7: (18)+7: 25
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d6+4: (1)+4: 5
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d6+4: (6)+4: 10

The bear sops up a truly stupendous amount of abuse, sawdust going everywhere, its hide flapping in ragged chunks as Ous and Simony pound on it. Savagely, the bear lurches forward, and mauls Ous with claw and bite, inflicting deep wounds on the ranger as it shakes him roughly.

GAME: Warrick rolls weapon16+2+1: (1)+5+2+1: 9 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+1: (16)+1: 17

Warrick hears the crunching of flesh, rather than whatever these things of made of. He looks over. "Ah, I'm coming!" he yells, smashing his shield against the wolf to keep it at bay as he rushes forward, sword raised high.

New armor means new joint points. Knees buckle oddly, and his body slams into the archway. "Gods damn it, Slatesteel, I told you NO WASHERS." <Khazdul>

GAME: Aelmeh rolls weapon 1+1: (16)+0+1: 17
GAME: Aelmeh rolls damage1: aliased to 1d8+0: (7)+0: 7

Well, so much for her good cloak. Aelmeh yips and, yes screams like the girl she is when the teeth penetrate her cloak, skirt, and underskirt, ripping her socks. Limping, she backs away, arming another quarrel into the crossbow.

For dead and resurrected animals, they are dealing an ungodly amount of carnage. Her eyes widen as the Wolf lunges again, and this time, she masters her trembling arms. Teeth gritted, the wizard fires and punches a quarrel into the creature.

GAME: Ous rolls weapon11-3: (9)+9+-3: 15
GAME: Ous rolls weapon1-1: (13)+7+-1: 19
GAME: Ous rolls damage11: aliased to 1d8+5: (4)+5: 9
GAME: Ous rolls damage1: aliased to 1d6+4: (5)+4: 9

Turning his head to space off with Simony, Ous grounts as something strikes him, causing him to pivot and misting Simony with his blood. and then there's the unsettling sensation of teeth sinking into his flesh as the bear grabs him by the shoulder and neck. there's not much the ranger can do as the creature shakes him and bites deeper.

Finally Ous manages to find enough presence of mind to swing his axe overhead, sinking into the creature and biting deep, splitting more seams. Pulling himself free of the animal, he turns and drives the hand axe into the base of the bear's skull. Finally sighing as the bear drops to the ground. the ranger soaked in blood from eyebrows to waist, all of it his own as it seeps from bite wounds and leaks over his bottom lip.

GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+1: (5)+1: 6

The wolf staggers as Aelmeh's bolt slams into it, and a great gout of sawdust falls out of its chest. It wobbles, and stumbles toward Warrick again... clamping its jaws onto his armored boot weakly. Almost pathetic, really.

GAME: Simony casts Owl's Wisdom. Caster Level: 4 DC: 15 (Converted to CMW)
GAME: Simony rolls 2d8+4: (5)+4: 9

As the Bear falls, succumbing to the combined attacks of Warrick, Ous and Simony, the Goblin bends over, legs shaking. "Whhhew. Pain..." She holds up her holy symbol, and whispers a prayer to Navos. A glow forms a halo around her hand, and as she touches Ous, some of his wounds begin to knit themselves back together. "How're you holding up?", she wonders of the Ranger. Pulling the pince-nes from her nose, she begins to clean Ous' blood from it.

GAME: Warrick rolls weapon16+1: (11)+5+1: 17
GAME: Warrick rolls damage16+1: aliased to 1d8+2+1: (2)+2+1: 5

Warrick chirps after he gets his bearings, "Good shot!" before he gets himself together. A quick assessment of the fight behind him, and- good, Ous was victorious. Turning back to the barely standing, pathetic wolf, a sigh escapes him. Slipping the shield off, he throws it at the wolf to change it up and then inverts his sword, grabbing it by the blade and burying the crossguard into the head of the wolf with a crack. Sawdust leaks in a paff.

He pants. "... everyone... everyone okay?"

As the last of the taxidermic constructs crumples in a heap of fur and sawdust, the melee has caused some of the papers to get blown around on the table. One slides off, and gently floats down to land in front of Simony.

It's a set of notations and a map to a location outside of the city -- it appears to be a day's ride away. The notations suggest the writer is planning some kind of ritual.

That can't be good.

-End Scene-

== Combatty == 

Map: https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=m67v5on93xx