Sigil

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Victoria Belmont Half-Elf, Bard, Level 3 HP: 23 / 23 Armor Class: 15 Conditions: N/A Location: K13 -> Action: Casting Shatter (10 dmg each) Bonus Action: Bardic Inspiration (Kathryn) Reaction: N/A

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"Aw, you used his name!" exclaimed Victoria, her face a vision of faux doe-eyed appreciation while getting in a little, good-natured dig at Marita's expense. If ever there was a time to appear frivolous, or at least reckless, it would be while facing down a pair of eldritch abominations commanded by a Wererat Warlock while surrounded by fire. And the fact that she half-heartedly insinuated that the Law Cleric might be starting to get sweet on a lesser undead manifestation gave her an internal giggle. Not that she expected anyone to take the implication seriously. It was just funny to her.

Jocularity aside, the Bard was here for serious work, which she set about to with the utmost of dedication. Dedication to her craft placed her with a compulsion to perform, even in these circumstances, and so she did. Her rapier was quickly replaced with a violin bow, the instrument itself resting beneath her chin like it belonged there. A single shrill note issued from the movement of hair across string, amplified and given complexity by the body of the violin and the dexterous fingers of the Half-Elf playing. The note grew in intensity until it seemed to separate from Victoria's immediate area, echoing in a location behind the Abominations and becoming a violent force in the air. The radius of this circle of growing calamity found the creatures at its edge, positioned as to barely leave out Victoria's teammates. A sharp sound then issued, like the splintering of a great slab of ice, as cracks of damage formed instantaneously across the skin of those monstrous creatures bound to cause the prisoners harm.

Yes, she had risked a spell. But if the Guards were about to fire on someone, logic dictated that they attempt to target someone harder to hit, like a Bardy type who was difficult to target because of the other people in the way.

The single note continued, though without the color of evocative magic upon it. Instead, it transitioned into other notes, one building upon the other, and upon the other, until after the first few quick ones a song could be picked out. It was a trifle of a ditty she had picked up some long time back, not ordinarily useful in her work but perhaps with some merit now. It was titled, to those familiar with it, "Daughter of Arcanaple". Kathryn had mentioned that she was from there, and also looked ready to inflict something potentially very uncomfortable upon the bad guys. It made sense to give her a mote of Inspiration, as only her kind could do. Victoria began to away and step in line with the song, pacing a bit while music flowed freely from her.

Morty, to his continuing credit, kept to Victoria's heel, operating under the last standing order given to it.



@Remipa Awesome Kathryn is up next. And has a 1d6 Inspiration die. Huzzah!

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Guard 1

Location: B9

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The first Guard wasted no time in shifting his form, mixing elements of rodent with his original Human form. The change originated with his master's, though the latter seemed to pour into his form with greater ease then the former. The shift into its hybrid form did not appear to affect worn clothing, armor, nor equipment, seeing as it was not an appreciable increase in bulk; nevertheless the Guard's ability to menace seemed to have gotten a boost, as well as its powers of perception.

This observational increase would come as a boon when it got around to the fray, but this was not quite yet to be. No, even as the uncertainty of the Guard's actions were before (tiny details of body language that remained even in this monstrous form), ground was held and the crossbow in hand loaded. Said weapon was readied as dull red eyes reflected firelight, darting about in apparent search of something or in wait of some cue to utilize the gifts of its martial training. Action Readied, the Wererat Guard bid its time, set to react to something as yet unrevealed.

@Dragoknighte Marita is up! Get ye to Clericing!

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

@Dragoknighte@rivaan@Remipa Awesome@Sigil@Arty Fox

Initiative:

Baronfjørd (23)
Guard 1 (22)
Marita (21)
Victoria (20)
Kathryn (18)
X2 (15)
Cavendish (13)
X1 (12)
Guard 2 (11)
Kosara (6)

And this means that we have officially moved into initiative order! Yay! This also means that Baronfjørd is up first, so... Your move. The post can be as elaborate as you need or as simple as a decent paragraph. Remember to put your rolls in the open in our Discord OOC Lounge, and also please remember to tag the next person in line. You have 48 hours from this post to finish up. Aaaaand GO!

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

@Dragoknighte@rivaan@Remipa Awesome@Sigil@Arty Fox

Ladies and gentlemen, theys and inters, onlookers and participants alike; welcome to Thunderdome! Yes friends and associates, we are rolling into the wonder and mystery of unknown opponents of formidable strength, against which you would be wise to employ sound tactics. yes, these are new additions are similar to something in the basic Monster's Manual, but per usual, do not assume that the stat block will align. (I seem to recall an incident of this from a previous fight here that led to some confusion.)

To summarize, we are now entering Initiative Order. Please make your rolls in our Discord OOC Lounge and tag me there. Once a rotation has been established, posting rules change. To remind, the 7 day rule is temporarily suspended. When your character is up in the rotation, you have 48 hours to post or you will be skipped. Your character will automatically take the Dodge action, and we will move on. If you are skipped twice you are removed from the RP. At the end of your post, TAG THE NEXT PERSON. This process will continue until, however it ends, we drop out of Initiative Order.

I will post our Initiative Order here in the OOC Tab after everyone has rolled and then we can get underway. Best of luck to you all, and remember, this IS a winnable battle, but there ARE consequences for inaction and/or failure. It's time to roll some dice.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Battle Map

What little of Cavendish which can be glimpsed from above the flames takes on an arrogant posture, complete with smug, knowing expression on his face. He snorts out a derisive laugh, this being the only attention he paid to Kosara's taunts. His voice flares once more with authoritative glee as he otherwise ignores the Tiefling and addresses the bearer of his hammer, though not exclusively. The Constable's speech carries to all present. "You are sadly mistaken. I was very clear in my letter. Not only are refusing the conditions, you are acting like disrespectful children. And like children, you shall be punished."

The bestial, reddish light reflected from the eyes of the guards with Cavendish made lateral movements toward each other, as if their owners shared a glance between themselves. Their already indistinct forms stepped back a foot or two into further obscurity, and while crossbows were raised, a touch of nervous uncertainty played about their collective movements.

"NOW," boomed the Constable, his voice unnaturally augmented to carry far and assault the ears of those in close proximity, "I shall show you what the MY Option B entails!" A hollow, syrupy clatter sounded from behind the party as one of the flaming pitch barrels upended, spilling its contents in an arcing path across the thoroughfare the party had just crossed. Cavendish's features contorted and dissolved into the red eyes and coarse fur, teeth elongating into something rodentlike yet dire and monstrous, his face pushing itself out into a wire-whiskered snout. Wiry hands gripped a vicious looking shortsword, which he now pointed directly down the center of the square, not in a threatening manner at anyone, but oddly toward the murky and fire-reflective surface of the fountain. "The culmination of our work in this depressing hole of a worthless township! RISE! RISE AND DISMEMBER THE PRISONERS ALIVE! DESTROY ANYONE OR ANYTHING THAT TRIES TO STOP YOU!"

Screams erupt from the cages as voices once silenced by shock or fear break open in utter, discordant terror surpassing that which could have been inflicted by a mere lycanthropic transformation in their presence. From the cage opposite of the one holding Cecily and the fisherman, the familiar voices of Lea and Daisy from the public house (among a handful of others) join the horrific chorus. Some begin babbling incoherently, weeping and throwing themselves against their cages on the side opposite of the one facing the square. The fisherman himself continues, now frantically, to reach his pole just out of reach through the his cage, more fervently yelling, "G'mornin'!"

The reason for their hysteria is obvious:

Two great beasts rose from the now fetid water of the fountain; creatures of corded muscle and sinew built from close but mismatched pieces, stitched together with waxy strings. The components which comprise their physicality look to have come from the corpses of many massive anthropomorphized rodents; humanoid rat pieces fused together with magic and crude sutures to form a grisly, musclebound, grotesque creature with sharpened, rat-like teeth, dripping with water as they place gnarled, taloned feet upon the edge of the fountain en route to their intended targets.

Roll for initiative.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Victoria Belmont Half-Elf, Bard, Level 3 HP: 23 / 23 Armor Class: 15 Conditions: N/A Location: Exterior B&B -> Town Center Action: Casting Minor Illusion Bonus Action: Morty Reaction: N/A

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In solid truth, Victoria would have greatly preferred stealth. Part of a grand performance was making a grand entrance, after all. Or a memorable one, at least. Even for those wishing to rush in before their antagonists could properly raise defenses and overwhelm (which Victoria considered a fine tactic as she was not great in prolonged hostilities), arriving unnoticed was, objectively, preferable. But here they were, embarking upon what might very well have been a fool's errand, led by a dancing Tiefling who left a trail of arcane sparks in her wake.

"In for a penny," she mumbled, shouldering her violin and bringing its bow up to replace her sword. If surprised with something that required her defense, this still left her able to cast a spell. Being a Bard had its benefits. Besides, she had a song to finish. She shrugged and summoned up a wisp of arcane power as bow met strings, a single note cascading into several as the illusory sounds of rhythmic accompaniment complemented the strength and melody of her preferred instrument.

As she fell into graceful, dexterous step, dancing with flowing footwork in the direction of their coming conflict, Victoria let the violin pause, allowing dulcet lyrics to replace with their own melody. She did, after all, have that song to finish:

"Only a sword in our hand but
We enter the lion's den;
We're not waiting for a war -
We bring the war to them."

The violin resumed, its notes precisely building with rising action before a sudden cut and the emphasis of a last lyric:

"We bring the war to them."

All the while, Morty kept to her heel, looking especially animated and even rather optmistic for a dead swine, dutifully bound to its bardic mistress. Remarkably, nothing sought their demise on their walk to the town square. The remaining instrumental portion of the song grew and came to a dramatic finish, shortly before the fog was parted by pitch barrel fires and the sudden openness of their destination.

The expectation coming into this was battle, and as Victoria was not the first choice of front liner unless the situation was a touch non-standard, the Bard kept sharp eyes about her, listening to the Constable speak. She mentally prepared to fit the jigsawed pieces that she and her animated companion represented into the party's overall puzzle that was to be this skirmish.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

@Dragoknighte@rivaan@Remipa Awesome@Sigil@Arty Fox

Well, here we are. Lots of fun getting to this point, and I hope I left enough open and available options for everyone to do. Anyway... however you wish to have the characters enter the scene, please feel free to type it up. I have already done the rolls for potential random encounters based upon what might or might not be out and about. If you were to have played a full brass band while marching down the street holding a big neon sign that reads, "Get It Here", you would not have received any more attention.

Usual stuff - drop me a line on Discord for questions, clarifications, rolls, etc. I have access back and most tech issues on my end are resolved (fingers crossed), so we should be good to go.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Weather: The cold and fog are unrelenting, condensing breath into visible exhalations. It is not freezing as of yet, but long sleeves and thick fabrics are generally preferred by the majority.

Time: It is nighttime. The night is yet young, and so far eventful.

Ambience: The sound of water escaping into the Township's drainage system has finally come to a halt. Damp streets are the norm with some points of puddling, though these are blissfully few. The sound of things scurrying remains far enough away not to be an immediate threat. That said, it is still close enough to hear, if barely. The extent of mundane vision fades into dark, clouded obscurity in front and behind. The buildings are clear enough, and each of them are shuttered and barred up as possible. Deathly quiet appears to be the phrase of the hour, and everyone seems to be practicing it with gusto.

Almost everyone. Evidence of an ongoing barbecue/marathon meat smoking session floats upon the air. Inferences concerning the mental stability of these people is up for debate

*******

Caution thrown to the wind like an errant champagne cork at a royal wedding, the group strode purposefully, perhaps even a little foolishly, in the general direction of what might be their destiny - the beginning or the end remaining to be seen - with a tune in the air, steel in their hands, and even a respectable light show. The combined abilities of these base acquaintances, bought together by happenstance and some amount of chicanery involving suspicious written invitations, were but a handful of moments away from being put to their first test in real teamwork. An onlooker might, as their title suggests, look upon this mishmash of outsiders and come to the conclusion that their spirits and determination were both high indeed, and that they were the only saviors to be had on this dark and hope-starved Harvestide.

There were a few relatively brave souls who cracked open a shutter just enough to peer through a minuscule slit, catching a glimpse of the adventuring troupe as they passed by. No words of support nor cheers were to be heard, however. No one wished to draw attention upon themselves. Perhaps this was pragmatism more than cowardice; these people had been through quite a bit, of which they could not openly speak out of ignorance or fear of their own safety from a dark and mysterious threat which had just been unmasked. There were spouses to think of. Children. Friends and neighbors that might have suffered. Even a sliver of hope or promise that the evil would be done with them soon was too tempting not to simply accept.

Traveling west upon the thoroughfare was the fastest, most direct route to the fountain bearing town square, and from there it was a very short way to the Municipal Building. Point of fact, the only actual path to this location meant that one was compelled to pass through the town square first, as it was basically attached to the north by means of extending, laid cobblestone. Unless one wanted to test out their ability to scale vertical surfaces or experiment with mass displacing exothermic reactions, in any case.

Coming up to this place, one could clearly see glowing orange light making things easier to make out. The trees surrounding the square did much to filter back the source of this light, but forward progress revealed more, the more they continued toward their confrontation. A horizontal bar of fitted bricks replaced the cobblestones of the thoroughfare, marking on the edge of this locale before returning to more cobblestone, stretching clearly to the fountain in the center and beyond to the boundaries of the place. There were changes made to the square since the party's last visit: Benches, carts, stalls, and the like were removed. Little trace of the festival remained, no decorations left intact to be seen. A mostly clear view remained with a few notable exceptions.

For starters, the glow of orange light came from several containers that looked a lot like pitch barrels with their tops pried off and set aflame. Said barrels burned intensely and gave off very adequate illumination to see every part of what lay inside of the treeline, while simultaneously obscuring anything beyond. They were arranged to stand in front of the paved paths leading out of the square. While not enough to prevent one from simple darting to the side of them, it was something of a scalding obstacle. Two more stood on either side of the eastern path, conveniently allowing one (or more than one) to walk past and enter.

Perhaps most striking to appear in this place are two cages fashioned of wooden planks and simple fittings. They were large enough to hold several people and, as fate may decree it, they most certainly did. The whimpering sounds of their protest picked up as the group entered the light, including one clearer, familiar voice crying out, "No! Run! Get my niece away from here!"

Another voice seemed to agree with her, shouting, "Mornin'! Nice day for fishin', ain't it?" with notable alarm. An arm, belonging to this last voice, could be seen desperately reaching between the bars of the enclosure for a long, stout fishing pole just out of reach outside.

They were not the only ones inside of these cages. There were a handful each of local folk within, some gripping the bars while others tested the strength of the fittings, hoping for some unnoticed means to gain their freedom. Mostly human, but like the population of Avonshire generally, a couple of Halflings were observed near to the bars, wide-eyed and uncertain of their future.

Behind the flaming pitch barrels a voice, strong and arrogant of tone, hushed the others around. "Good of you to meet my terms. AND you're early. I do appreciate promptness. So, Option A: You set my hammer down on the rim of the fountain, and make me believe your apology. We... will talk about who's leaving after these things are done to my satisfaction." Obviously, this is Cavendish. Though behind the fire, he seems elevated somehow as if standing on something for better vantage. This does not stop him from stooping down with a mutter of, "There you are, Chauncey. You're late." He then brings himself back to full elevation, holding a recently familiar rat in one hand. His other hand produces a talisman, and the rat evaporates into the ether.

While it is difficult to see much beyond the flames, the reddish glow of two sets of eyes beyond where Cavendish stands become apparent. He is not alone at his position, though seemingly with less backup than your last meeting.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

@Sigil

As well!! In my last post I mentioned kosaras short tail, Riv has pointed out that kosara has no visible tail. So!!! Can I have permission to edit that in my post?

@Remipa Awesome

Sure, go for it. Continuity and whatnot.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

@Dragoknighte@rivaan@Remipa Awesome@Sigil@Arty Fox

So, moving on with the fun and excitement for this week, I have hit a snag. I am presently unable to access Discord as it keeps prompting me to change my password, and then refusing to send me the Email to allow that to happen, so... yah. Hoping that's temporary. Anyway, no Discord for me. Please send any questions through private messages on this forum or the OOC here until further notice. Thanks.

Moving right along, there is a birthday in the family which requires a rightful investment of my time and attention. To this end, I will not be updating until this Sunday, the 30th. I am hoping that the Discord issue is handled by then. Post if you want, plot and plan all you like, but please keep me in the loop so that I may prepare the update accordingly.

Thanks in advance for understanding. Or if you don't, at the very least thanks for hanging in there.