For Her Hand {5E/HSHC} IC

[Lentrax]

The skull of the wicked lich is still smoking where it came to a stop as it rolled across the floor. The echoes of the final scream of Delynne still ring in the grand chamber of the lich's palatial tower.

Throughout the tower, you can hear the collapse of thousands of sets of armor as the undead legions that wore them turn to dust and collapse in bursts of cloud that slowly settles to the floor.

As the sounds fade away, you finally hear the slow scritch of leather armor on the floor. You turn to find Aratish, the chief lieutenant of Delynne, dragging herself across the floor, trying to reach... something. She gasps as her wounds threaten to overwhelm her. One of her horns is broken, and her blue blood leaves streaks on the floor as she drags herself along with the one hand she still has.

And you have not seen the princess since you managed to teleport her cell back where it was before she was sacrificed.

How are you going to find her?

Spoiler: Prologue, Scene 1.

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This is an unoppsed HSHC roll.

Allure D8: Convince Aratish to tell you where the cell was teleported. +2 VP
Conflict D8: Aggresively convince Aratish where the cell went. +2 VP
Skill D10: You know how the spell works and based on the layout of the tower, you know exactly where she went. Lead everyone to the Princess! +3 VP
Luck D6: Someone around here is really dumb, because they wrote a message on the wall. "Cells, this way." +1 VP

[Inspector Valin]

"Hello there."

Kotoko's positioned herself right in Aratish's path. This is her moment. Her big chance. There's no time to be subtle. She steps close to the villain, golden energy flowing around her hand. The starlight from Delynn's great stained glass window makes the priestess' hair sparkle, reflecting just a perfect trace of light off of her beautiful robes. She smiles at Aratish, whispering in the lieutenant's ear with a husky voice.

"I could heal you. But I'd have to capture you after that. If only I knew where Her Highness was. Then naturally I'd have to go and make sure she's okay... leaving you that one last chance to escape."

Spoiler

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Stargazer, Maiden's Garb, Practiced Grace. +8 total, unrolled. (Unclear if Aratish is alive or dead, but bleeding and gasping made me assume alive)

[JNAProductions]

Moving quickly to note where the runes lead before they fade into shadows, Lylis concentrates on what knowledge she has of the arcane. While not the MOST learned in these matters, she's gotten some via osmosis, if nothing else.

Spoiler: OOC

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+2 Shrinking Shadow, for knowing how to find things in the fading light of the runes.
+2 Catlike Reflexes, for having the reflexes needed to find the runes.
+1 Strong Skill

+5 total, so good chance of failure still.

[CardTrick]

As the visages of the various spirits haunting Pratum dispersed from view along with the embers of his rage at sight of Atarash attempting to slowly crawl away, Pratum stalked up behind her. He had spent the majority of the group's confrontation with the lich locked in a relentless melee with horned fiend, such that now, as he stepped from shadows into the light of the moon coming in through the windows above, his hare flesh practically shimmered in a mixture of perspiration and various splatterings of her azure-hued blood. Unlike Delynne's many mindless minions, this one had actually required some blood-pumping exertion on his part. It was shame really, fiends were so hot. If only they'd met in a tavern rather than the lich's lair.

However, before Pratum can humor such perverse notions any further, an echoing spectral voice rumbled with annoyance within his mind, No. NO. You promised, no more bad girls. How many times have we had to wake you because the scary hot chick of the evening was robbing you, or their significant other was sneaking in to kill you, or they were in the middle of trying to ritually sacrifice you to gods only know what!", and the smile creeping across his face at the mere mention of the murderous cultist girls didn't help matters, NO. Just NO, stop that!

Shaking off the spirits' protests, Pratum waits for his ally to finsih her whisperings to Atarash, whatever they might be, before adding aloud with a smirk, "Your boss lady is dust. and I bet you even warned her that nabbing some rich girl would be more trouble than it was worth. But they never listen. So just let us take the girl off your hands and we'll get out of here.", while casually fingering a bit of his own blood from where he'd been gored by the woman's horns during the fight, "After all, can't hope for an equally vigrous rematch if you die here and now."

Spoiler: OOC

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Shameless [+2], Strong Allure [+1], Stargazer [+2], and possibly Wiley [+2, if Atarash is attracted to guys], so either +5 or +7)

[Illven]

Lilith the purple haired part succubus herself strolled up to the fiend. Shamelessly sticking a finger under Aratish's chin she rose it up

Cmon one fiend to another, can you tell me where we can find the beautiful princess? I'd be EVER so grateful~ She purred happily.

Spoiler

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Strong allure, Supernaturally attractive, Feminine wiles, Shameless, Touchy feely. +8 total.

[Ricka Draws]

Looking at her fallen enemies and then at her still breathing companions, Agnieszka quickly get hold of the situation at hand, victory but not quite yet, then the still moving Atarash catches her attention, sure there were traces of magic and could've read the map... If there was one that is, it weren't? In any case the path to the cells was clearly there, let's just "ask" Atarash!

Oi! Can't even stand up? Come on! Get a hold of yourself! Aren't you a warrior? Show some spine! Spat the boisterous dragon girl as she approach her now fallen enemy and the she points her enchanted spear at her.
Now, you know what me and my friends are capable of, there's no point in being stubborn now or should I teach you another lesson? threatens the sorceress, her draconic eyes fixated on Atarash defeated form.

Where or how we get to the cell, I've a princess to save! I mean... We have a princess to save! adds Agnieszka at the last moment as she comically turns and waves at the party acknowledging their presence and role in their current situation and victory.

Spoiler: ooc

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+1 strong, +2 bruiser, +2 fearsome reputation, +1 violence is always the answer = +6

[Lentrax]

"Hello there."

Kotoko's positioned herself right in Aratish's path. This is her moment. Her big chance. There's no time to be subtle. She steps close to the villain, golden energy flowing around her hand. The starlight from Delynn's great stained glass window makes the priestess' hair sparkle, reflecting just a perfect trace of light off of her beautiful robes. She smiles at Aratish, whispering in the lieutenant's ear with a husky voice.

"I could heal you. But I'd have to capture you after that. If only I knew where Her Highness was. Then naturally I'd have to go and make sure she's okay... leaving you that one last chance to escape."

Spoiler

Show

Stargazer, Maiden's Garb, Practiced Grace. +8 total, unrolled. (Unclear if Aratish is alive or dead, but bleeding and gasping made me assume alive)

"And leave me to...what... Justice?" Aratish chuckles, but it ends prematurely as she starts coughing up blood. When her coughing subsides, she lifts a hand to point toward the stairs. "Dungeons."

Moving quickly to note where the runes lead before they fade into shadows, Lylis concentrates on what knowledge she has of the arcane. While not the MOST learned in these matters, she's gotten some via osmosis, if nothing else.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

+2 Shrinking Shadow, for knowing how to find things in the fading light of the runes.
+2 Catlike Reflexes, for having the reflexes needed to find the runes.
+1 Strong Skill

+5 total, so good chance of failure still.

Lylis starts trying to read the runes from the teleport spell, but most of them fade away, leaving only a few scattered runes that don't mean anything without the rest. Hopefully the others are better at getting some information from whoever is still alive...

As the visages of the various spirits haunting Pratum dispersed from view along with the embers of his rage at sight of Atarash attempting to slowly crawl away, Pratum stalked up behind her. He had spent the majority of the group's confrontation with the lich locked in a relentless melee with horned fiend, such that now, as he stepped from shadows into the light of the moon coming in through the windows above, his hare flesh practically shimmered in a mixture of perspiration and various splatterings of her azure-hued blood. Unlike Delynne's many mindless minions, this one had actually required some blood-pumping exertion on his part. It was shame really, fiends were so hot. If only they'd met in a tavern rather than the lich's lair.

However, before Pratum can humor such perverse notions any further, an echoing spectral voice rumbled with annoyance within his mind, No. NO. You promised, no more bad girls. How many times have we had to wake you because the scary hot chick of the evening was robbing you, or their significant other was sneaking in to kill you, or they were in the middle of trying to ritually sacrifice you to gods only know what!", and the smile creeping across his face at the mere mention of the murderous cultist girls didn't help matters, NO. Just NO, stop that!

Shaking off the spirits' protests, Pratum waits for his ally to finsih her whisperings to Atarash, whatever they might be, before adding aloud with a smirk, "Your boss lady is dust. and I bet you even warned her that nabbing some rich girl would be more trouble than it was worth. But they never listen. So just let us take the girl off your hands and we'll get out of here.", while casually fingering a bit of his own blood from where he'd been gored by the woman's horns during the fight, "After all, can't hope for an equally vigrous rematch if you die here and now."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Shameless [+2], Strong Allure [+1], Stargazer [+2], and possibly Wiley [+2, if Atarash is attracted to guys], so either +5 or +7)

"When next we meet, I will feast on your soul as my masters in the nine hells have promised me." She spits up yet more blood, but still manages to grin wickedly. "You may even enjoy it. From what I understand, many of those you called kin will be there to watch."

Her broken horn sparks with uncontrolled magic, and for a moment, a fire glows in Aratish's eyes. "But it isn't me you want. It is her. Go on, I already told you where she is...."

Lilith the purple haired part succubus herself strolled up to the fiend. Shamelessly sticking a finger under Aratish's chin she rose it up

Cmon one fiend to another, can you tell me where we can find the beautiful princess? I'd be EVER so grateful~ She purred happily.

Spoiler

Show

Strong allure, Supernaturally attractive, Feminine wiles, Shameless, Touchy feely. +8 total.

"Swear to take my last breath, and remember that not all the time we spent together was a lie."

Looking at her fallen enemies and then at her still breathing companions, Agnieszka quickly get hold of the situation at hand, victory but not quite yet, then the still moving Atarash catches her attention, sure there were traces of magic and could've read the map... If there was one that is, it weren't? In any case the path to the cells was clearly there, let's just "ask" Atarash!

Oi! Can't even stand up? Come on! Get a hold of yourself! Aren't you a warrior? Show some spine! Spat the boisterous dragon girl as she approach her now fallen enemy and the she points her enchanted spear at her.
Now, you know what me and my friends are capable of, there's no point in being stubborn now or should I teach you another lesson? threatens the sorceress, her draconic eyes fixated on Atarash defeated form.

Where or how we get to the cell, I've a princess to save! I mean... We have a princess to save! adds Agnieszka at the last moment as she comically turns and waves at the party acknowledging their presence and role in their current situation and victory.

Spoiler: ooc

Show

+1 strong, +2 bruiser, +2 fearsome reputation, +1 violence is always the answer = +6

Aratish spits at Agnieszka, but the bloody glob doesn't get far. "Already said..." she says, her breathing becoming labored. "Dungeons... Four floors..."

[Ricka Draws]

Well thanks, that's pretty helpful! Don't try anything funny while we get the princess or your ass will be mine..! Again Adds the sorceress before turning to her companions

Well dungeons, nothing new at this point, hopefully there aren't more skeletons down there Said the dragon girl

[Lentrax]

“I don’t think… you have to worry… about that…”

[Inspector Valin]

Kotoko pauses for a second. She's struggling with some part of herself. Even now, having to make these kinds of decisions is fundimentally odd to her. But ultimately she raises a hand to Aratish, and the light of the Celestial Wolf washes over their foe.

Spoiler

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Healing Word. Kotoko isn't the nicest person but she keeps her word. Killing someone in an open fight is one thing, finishing off an injured foe is another. Even if she knows it could backfire on her later.

As the spell takes hold, Aratish hears a few whispered words, more a plee than an order. "Don't waste this."

Once the healing is done, Kotoko is already running for the staircase, almost tripping on her robes as she sprints towards the dungeons. She doesn't bother turning around, yelling out as she runs down the crumbling stairwell. "No waiting around people! Go, go, go!"

[Illven]

Lilith gives a quick peck on the lips. I'll take your last breath. She assures her.

Before she gets back up. Later, right now I have a princess to save! She beams warmly swaying her hips for the fiend as she rushes to the dungeons.

[JNAProductions]

Lylis, armed with knowledge, bolts for the princess' cell. "Come on!" she calls back as she moves.

[CardTrick]

After Kotoko keeps her word and perserves the lich's henchperson's life, and she and the rest of the party seemed to dart away towards the dungeons, Pratum paused for a moment beside the fallen foe, "Well, uh... until that whole soul-eating date, I guess. And umm, sorry, not sorry, bout this.", and clubbers her across the back of the head with the flat of his blade.

Pratum then briskly follows towards the dungeons himself, guarding the party's rear, or he had to think of it, the scenic route.

Spoiler

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Pratum is using the non-lethal option on striking Atarash, just rendering her unconscious.

[Lentrax]

Aratish slumps down to the floor, knocked out by the blow. But her breathing is less labored than it was, and you are sure she will live.

Agnieszka leads the way to the stairs, and you follow them down to where you were told the dungeons are. All around you, signs of a recently destroyed undead army are almost omnipresent. Suits of armor litter the floors, bone swords and scattered daggers made of bone litter the stairs.

And you open the door to what you assume to be the dungeons, and you see signs of life. Hands of all shades of color from beings of all kinds come o the bars in the doors, with voices beckoning for you to help them, to save them. You see one poor soul spread-eagled on a rack face down, with blood running down their back from wounds caused by the flesh being torn open by a whip.

[Inspector Valin]

"Damn it! This place isn't stable."

Kotoko grimaces. She had a plan here! But... there's too much potential death in this place, with the castle starting to fall apart. She moves to heal the person on the rack, trying to get them off of the torture device while keeping her eyes out for the cell keys. If she can find them, getting all these doors open will get a lot easier. Save the population of the prison en masse, there's no way they'll miss the princess

Spoiler

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Kotoko's passive Investigation is 24, passive perception is 23. thanks to Observant. I'm hoping that'll give her a shot at spotting the keys, or even a hint at where the Princess is in this mess.

[Ricka Draws]

Ugh..! Who's there!? Well, there sure is a lot of people trapped here! We should free them as well since we're heroes and all Points out the sorceress but one of the figures catches her attention, the one who has been painfully wounded by a whip or similar tool.

Crap! That's gonna hurt tomorrow! Hey Kotoko my fair friend, how are we on healing magic? Saving and healing everyone would be cool but we must save some healing for the princess just in case... Said Agnieszka as she looked around still wary of any reaming undead as she poked the helmet of what once was an undead guard, now reduced to a pile of dust.

[Illven]

Lilith tries to open the door to the bleeding prisoner. Tries being the key word as she is not a rogue.

[JNAProductions]

Looking to the whipped individual, Lylis cringes a bit. She sees Lilith trying to open the door, but failing, and cusses. "We can't leave them like this-I can heal, but I have to reach first."

[CardTrick]

Pratum is immediately and visibly unsettled upon the sight of all the caged and tortured people around, barely resisting a sudden urge to immediately return up stairs and cave in the female fiend's skull, her total hotness and promises to her of mercy not at all withstanding, "The lich or the fiend might have had the keys, or maybe one of these piles of bones. Should we search, or...", swapping out his greatsword for his maul, "... just start smashing them open?"

Before he can even get a response it however dawns on him that they are surrounded by many individuals who have probably seen the doors to their cells operated before, "Hey, do any of ya'll remember who or what was responsible for openning the doors whenever they shoved new folks in or took any of ya'll out for... well... unpleasantness?"

[Lentrax]

Most of the dungeon occupants don't know, or give you an answer so generic about the skeleton that seemed to be in charge that it is useless.

It is the woman on the rack, her wounds still oozing, that holds the answer for you.

"The one who had the main keys was the only one with a ruby for an eye. Or something that glinted red. Can you please get me down?"

[CardTrick]

"Of course, ma'am, we'll get you sorted. ... ... Okay, ruby-eyed skeleton, fair enough." Pratum wasn't a healer, so you left attending to the lady on the rack to Kotoko who seemed to have that in hand. Of course, he wasn't exactly the clever rogue sort either, but he nonetheless lights a torch and begins sweeping the various piles of bones in the dungeon area for glimmers of ruby red reflecting the torch's flames, hopefully aiding the groups ability to locate the keys and get the princess and other prisoners out of here.

Spoiler: ooc

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Pratum is +6 Perception and +1 Investigation, and as indicated in the above he is specifically sweeping the piles of skeleton guard remains looking for any glints of red reflected off the torchlight. Using a torch from his explorer's pack for this.

[Illven]

Lilith will cast mass cure wounds on the lady, and five of the most injured prisoners.

I hope that helps. She says sincerely.

[Lentrax]

It takes searching through dust and fragments of bone. Tattered remains of rotten clothes are strewn throughout the mess which does not help ata lol, but finally, you find the keys to the cell, next to a ruby that looks the size of a human eyeball.

The woman on the rack sighs in relief as the healing washes over her.

“Thank you, my lords.”

[Illven]

It takes searching through dust and fragments of bone. Tattered remains of rotten clothes are strewn throughout the mess which does not help ata lol, but finally, you find the keys to the cell, next to a ruby that looks the size of a human eyeball.

The woman on the rack sighs in relief as the healing washes over her.

“Thank you, my lords.”

Can you tell me your name? She asks soothingly.

[Lentrax]

“Maddie, m’lord.”

[CardTrick]

When the keys are finally located, Pratum is immediately relieved that the ruby-eyed skeleton hadn't wandered off to take a whiz somewhere. Clutching the eye-ball sized ruby as the woman on the rack is healed, he quickly glances over at the other members of the party, "Uh... should we keep hold of this until we get the princess out? Like, her cell might be magically all umm... boobied up... and if Mr. Bones here was the one opening and locking cells, this eye-gem might be how he didn't end up boobied."