THE GILDED THRONE: IC Thread

[Avoraciopoctules]

{Waiting on other PCs, if I don't hear from you I'll assume you are keeping the monster from breaking in.}

[Whipstitch]

V&N will try their Evil Eye & Slumber combo on him. If it works V will also slap an Ill Omen on him afterwards and hopefully that'll be enough for Yellow to blow his brains out with a coup de grace.

[Avoraciopoctules]

Stepping forward, the two witches hurl their power at the mutated lizardfolk in an attempt to beguile the creature into slumber. Clutching at its head, the monster lets out a low hiss as the hexes take effect, one weakening its will against the second. The creature almost seems to shake it off, a near thing, but fortunately its eyes flutter shut just long enough for Yellow to strike without distraction.

The gunslinger's already got his sword out and he cleaves with all his might, cutting cleanly through the monster's neck and into one shoulder. It topples over and is still... and then begins to twitch again. The thing is regenerating like a troll, and its fingers are already closing on its lost head, which mouths curses as it glares at the party balefully. Suddenly, the light in the room begins to dim even further. Soon the room will be totally dark.

[Whipstitch]

Nesha says "Witches need new plan badly."

[flare22]

Yellow hits the open wound of the beast with an alchemist fire flask
Then he shouts at the rooms ceiling

"I hope your happy chiefy I could have avoided burning down this pathetic shack you call home but you had to send Mr mask the troll cribber after me so now I'm going to see to it that all your possessions are reduced to ash and your family and friends are killed unless you call of your monsters and warriors and come down here to fight me one on one to the death if you win my men will retreat and leave you in peace if I win I promise not to kill any more of your people unless they strike first so do we have dual or a slaughter its entirely up to you"

(yellow is bluffing by the way not about his promise witch he will keep but his tone may reveal a lack of confidence in his ability to make good one his threats so feel free to roll a bluff check)

[Avoraciopoctules]

Just before Yellow's monstrous opponent manages to fuse its head back to its torso, he smashes a flask of alchemist's fire into what is left of its throat. The flames spatter all over him [1 damage] and the wooden table as well as the monster, but Yellow's attack succeeds in cauterizing the neck stump, preventing the mutated lizardfolk from healing its mortal wound. The last Yellow sees before the magical darkness completely steals his sight is the monster collapsing to the floor, flames spreading over its body and flickering with unnatural color.

A loud signal horn sounds from the second floor, somewhat muffled by the walls and ceiling.

The darkness keeping everyone who doesn't have darkvision from seeing what's going on fades. The monster's body has burned and corroded away completely, leaving a pile of ash and rust. The golden mask sits atop the heap, grimacing up at the ceiling.

Small fires have started in a few spots on the floor and walls near Yellow, and the paper map on the large table kindled a larger blaze.

[flare22]

"oh crap their goes our best bet to track their troop moments up in smoke"

guns it for the stairs trying to ascend them before the fire cuts him off

[Avoraciopoctules]

Shoving the door open, Yellow rushes into the next room. This one's larger, and looks like it's dedicated to storage. Wooden crates of steel ingots, racks of wooden poles and tanned hides, a couple metal strongboxes, and various barrels and shelves of food.

One corner is cleared of junk, and a table and chairs have been set up. It looks like there was a card game of some kind in progress, now abandoned.

There are 2 doors going to the north, and each has a crudely painted sign next to it. One depicts a book, and the other a boat. There's also a wooden flight of stairs leading up.

A pair of giant man-sized ants with blood-red carapaces are skittering down from the second floor. One is using the stairs, the other trails a little behind along the wall.

[flare22]

"Crap we can't keep fighting henchman and summons we need to force an endgame now while I still have some energy"

Yellow gets a runing start backing up if neccessary then runs for the stair timing it for when ant one is off the stairs and ant 2 has landed on the ground or at least left the staircase he attempts to leap over one and past the other onto the stairs and then head to the second floor he will use his standard action to double move if his regular move action is not enough to reach the top of the stairs if his regular move is enough he uses his standard to switch back from sword to gun

[Avoraciopoctules]

Yellow pauses as the ants advance, mandibles clicking hungrily. He clambers atop a few boxes near the stairs and takes a moving leap just as the monsters finish their descent... Yellow barely makes it, stumbling a moment on the edge of the steps. Quickly, he ascends to the next level. The ants seem conflicted for a moment, as he increases his distance they break off pursuit and head back toward the rest of the party in the smoldering entry room.

Yellow reaches the top of the steps. There's no door, just a reed curtain that's already been brushed to one side. Now on the second floor, it looks like he's reached some kind of barracks. Hammocks are strung between support beams, and assorted belongings are strewn around the floor.

To the North, a pair of doors are tightly shut. One has a feather nailed to it, another is decorated with a chalk drawing of a candle.

To the South, more soldier's quarters past another curtain. Yellow can see stairs leading up, as well as some lizardfolk bearing bows. They are pointing at him in alarm, but he has the initiative.

East, a familiar-looking burly lizard wearing a duck feather headdress paws frantically through a couple cases full of scrolls open on a desk. Its back is to Yellow at the moment. Something on the opposite side of the scaly shaman casts a bright blue glow.

[flare22]

"if any of you speak common now is the time because if you start up with the fighting again Im just going to throw and alchemist fire on those scrolls and head outside to watch you burn in this building or if you do speak common we mean business i can discuss peace terms on behalf of my employer the regent of Artume who's city your tribe raided in broad daylight..... i mean cmon did you really think their would be no retaliation for that the mans got a rep to preserve"

[flare22]

"if any of you speak common now is the time because if you start up with the fighting again Im just going to throw and alchemist fire on those scrolls and head outside to watch you burn in this building. or if you do speak common im allowed to discuss peace terms on behalf of my employer the regent of Artume who's city your tribe raided in broad daylight..... i mean cmon did you really think their would be no retaliation for that the mans got a rep to preserve. but I think this attack has been severe enough of a punishment so now if you want to hear our terms just speak up"

[Whipstitch]

Valdym will attempt translating for Yellow in Draconic if he doesn't seem to be getting through at all.

[Avoraciopoctules]

Valdym chases up the stairs after Yellow, dodging around the giant ants. He avoids the worst of their attacks, but gets nipped solidly on the leg once on the way up. Good thing it didn't hit anything vital [5 damage]

Catching up with the gunslinger merely a round or so after Yellow got to the second, floor, he is present to see the archers retreat up to the roof as the shaman whirls around. A bright glowing blue rune floats in front of the reptilian humanoid's forehead, echoed faintly by some kind of crystalline amulet dangling from the creature's neck.

The shaman hisses like a crocodile as the parchment unfurls in front of him, but his eyes are focused on Yellow and Valdym. He speaks draconic. "I will die fighting before I submit to your usurper! He has broken the treaty we made with you humans, and we have no reason to trust any of your words. Choose your 'terms' carefully, warmblood."

[flare22]

"simple we stop fighting and you have your men and summons focus on fighting the fires while they put them out we discuss in detail everything you know about the naga's I cant imagine your working with them by choice or if you are then its not worth risking your life fighting us instead of the fire that threatens your village now granted we started the fire but its only fair since the nagas you helped attack the village destroy buildings and started fire with lighting but now we have a chance to end this all we want is an end to the naga problem we don't care about what happens here hey if your lucky the regents forces will all die taking out the naga think about it all you have to do is tell us any pertinent info you have on the naga what are they after how did they get so organised who is leading were is there underwater hide out that kind of stuff"

[Avoraciopoctules]

"Oh, we're working with Saraszatar willingly enough. We share the goal of clearing you humans out of this land! If fear doesn't suffice, we'll use force! No longer will my people be marginalized into extinction! We'll use your own metallurgy and magics against you, until the land once known as Artume is a haven for the scaled.

Saraszatar is a visionary who sees the opportunity your squabbling over leadership offers. Now is our time! We will no longer submit to the cruelties of the fey, we'll scour them out with fire and iron. Once the river is ours, travel will continue only at the sufferance of the naga. We'll make Daggermark recognize us as a new River Kingdom, and the future will be bright!"

[flare22]

"ok im confused the regent told me the nega were forcing you to attack us and this is the first time ive heard that you have a beef with the fay what treaty did the regent break and what are the fay and you fighting over?"

[Avoraciopoctules]

"Back when Drellis was the River King, our peoples left each other well enough alone. But then his widow appointed this 'Waike' as leader, and we started getting visits from armed parties demanding that we give them our treasures as 'tax'. We killed and ate them for their insolence, of course. The first time, we actually let half the survivors go back home with a warning.

Then your employer declared that he owned our land, and promptly sold it to some adventurers. They wanted us to submit to them as well. Neither of us came out of that fight in good condition. We made sure the fallen 'heroes' would be difficult to revive, but my tribe lost a whole village and many warriors, and we knew then that we must commit to driving out the humans before things get any worse. Even after our losses, the Waterfeathers are the strongest of Artume's lizardfolk tribes, and we would need to take a leading role in the fight to eliminate your threat. We won't let the old ways obstruct our progress anymore!"

An agonized scream is audible outside. It is joined by a few others moments after. The shaman glances toward where the party remembers there being a large hole in the wall, but quickly refocuses on them.

"Redcaps are killing the wounded, unless it's more of your cohorts at work. But there's nothing I can do to help them now. Keep the village, for whatever good it does you. We WILL meet again, and this time my soldiers will be prepared. Unless the fey get you first."

The shaman flicks something at the ground with the hand not holding a scroll, and the room he's in is obscured by a burst of thick magical fog. Claws skitter on the wood floor as he bolts away.

[Avoraciopoctules]

There is an audible splash as the shaman plunges into the water of the lake. He must have leaped through the hole his eidolon left in the 2nd-story wall.

[flare22]

"looks like that's out cue to leave those may not have been the answers we expected but they certainly seemed like the truth I say we cut our losses before one of us is dead and withdraw from here"

yellow heads down the stairs and if the fire and unless the fire has spread to block his path he tries to hack a hole in the wooden wall rather then head through the door they came in through witch would likely lead into the waiting tentacles and mandibles of the summons.

[Avoraciopoctules]

The entry room is mostly filled with flames now, but the walls throughout the building don't look particularly sturdy. Further, the giant ants seem to have vanished. There is nothing stopping Yellow from slowly smashing his own exit.

About halfway through, he hears glass shattering from one of the rooms to the north. Probably... the one marked with a book, yeah.

[flare22]

yellow finishes making his exit then uses it, he makes a B lines trees unless there is fire or lizards in the way in witch case he moves to link up with reve

[Avoraciopoctules]

The village is overrun with filthy humanoids that vaguely resemble gnomes with bulbous noses and bloodshot eyes. They are focused on looting the village as much as slaughtering its inhabitants, and as Yellow hauls his way out of the hole he made in the wooden wall, he sees several climbing into the large house through a broken window near where he heard the shattering glass.

There only seem to be 2 redcaps, both of whom are near the forges. A pair of humans in blacksmith's aprons have been decapitated, and the bloodstained fey are now busily directing their minions in dumping iron ingots into a shallow pit.

A few of the gnomelike fey fire crossbows as Yellow flees through the village, but none seem especially interested in pursuing when there are easier victims readily available. He makes it out of the village with only one significant injury from the projectiles (3 damage.) From safety of the trees, Yellow sees the burgeoning fire within the shaman's house spreading throughout the structure, visible even from hundreds of feet away. It looks like the redcap-led raiders are burning some other houses as well.

[Whipstitch]

V&N will do their best to keep pace.

[Avoraciopoctules]

They face less missile fire, since the strange gnomes are mostly reloading their crossbows after Yellow bolts ahead. Valdym and Nesha catch up without significant injuries.