switzerland ♔ the words tightening around my throat

[silverguardian]

WHO || Nyna, Cara, Felicity, Stiles
WHAT || The Knights are sent to hear about a prospective job from an art collector
WHERE || Bern, Switzerland
WHEN || April 13th, 2015
HOW || Actionspam

The streets of Bern swell with the myriad sights and scents of its industry: the wood and polish of carpenters' shops, tantalizing aromas wafting from dozens of bakeries, and the heavy oil scent of artists.  Meanwhile, hundreds of rich colors give the district an appearance of a holiday festival.  The townhouse of Asheron Coyl comes into view, perched on a small rise that overlooks the street.  A low fence covered in vines abuts the street.  A gate opens onto a flagstone path that wends past frozen flower beds, fountains, and sculpted shrubs to the front doors.  A bell hangs next to the gate, reading "Please ring bell" in several languages.  With an 11 disguise check, Nyna didn't really bother to dress all fancy, opting instead for her paladin armor, sorry guys.   She can be the sexy bodyguard.  

Comments

[killingtodeath]

It's just this huge clearing. All twisted and dark, just like the painting. The old woman on the horse saw me and started coming at me. She made this... this noise. Like- [He tries to mimic it.]

That's when I kicked for you guys to get me out.

[mordsith]

If there is a clearing and only a woman on a horse -- it does not seem as bad of a tactical disadvantage.

[allmydreams]

[Felicity pauses for a moment, weighing her options some more, before nodding.]

You know what? I'd feel better knowing exactly whether or not the guy was dead. I say we take her on from the inside. The problem still is how we get out again, unless we just want to hope that killing her will knock us back out of it.

[mordsith]

We have no way of knowing how this painting and its magic work, but if the choice is to go in and attempt a rescue of someone that might not even be in there - we should go sooner rather than later. The longer we wait the longer that rider has to prepare for our arrival.

[silverguardian]

That's what I've been saying. [ nyna's just gonna go for it, thrusting one arm through the painting and looking back at the others ] If anyone wants to stay out, they can stay out.

[allmydreams]

[Felicity takes a deep breath, before nodding. She's in. She's the mission leader, and she's not going to let her team go while she holds back. She moves one hand to take hold of Nyna's armor.]

Wynn knows where we are and to come looking if we don't check in. You don't have to go but we'll be stronger as a team.

[There's her mission leader pep talk. Let's do this. She so wishes she was wearing something not a dress.]

[silverguardian]

Let's go then. [ with that, she heads inside! with whoever is coming ]

[mordsith]

[Cara is going to head into the painting. reluctantly, but yes.]

[allmydreams]

[Felicity's in too, if that hasn't been clear enough already.]

[killingtodeath]

[Stiles hates this, but....in he goes!]

[silverguardian]

[ the area is exactly as described above - basically hellish, but limited, surrounded by a strange darkness that doesn't look like anywhere you'd want to venture into.

we're gonna roll init, because they've had a literal heads up... ]

[herebemonsters]

[ the chain devils roar when they enter again, and the second one waves one hand, the chains that bind it to the cart suddenly glowing, and then animating as if of their own accord. the chains hover in the air, and then sprout razor-edged barbs, before it waves a hand and sends the chain flying through the air at cara as she enters (atk 17, which i'm pretty sure she dodges!). a second chain follows (atk 23, 9 dmg if it hits) as the other monstrous chain devil affixes felicity with an unnerving gaze, its face shifting and contorting into anguished faces ... of her dead parents, writhing in horror. she must make a will save (DC 15) or take a -2 on attack rolls for 3 rounds. ]

[allmydreams]

[Felicity recoils visibly at the sight displayed in front of her but she just manages to make her will save to avoid taking the penalty (will save 15). She takes a half step back almost too shaken to do anything, before a surge of anger blows through her and she pulls up her gun and shooting at the vision in front of her (attack 17, damage 9 if it hits).]

[killingtodeath]

[With his baseball bat at the ready, Stiles looks at the two different crazy chain monsters and takes a deep breath before going in for the chain devil that Felicity has shot at (if he can get that far, he'll attack as well. attack 18, 4 damage if it hits)]</small.

[mordsith]

[The first hit misses, but the second one hits. (If she's able to use evasion her reflex roll was 24 - otherwise all that damage hits her.) Cara draws her agiels and makes her attacks on the one that attacked her. (Attack 20, Damage 8 | Attack 23, Damage 1) - if they hit.]

[silverguardian]

[ felicity's shot clangs off the chains surrounding the devil, and stiles whacks at it with his bat at he approaches... but not hard enough. cara manages to slash one, however, and nyna charges in with her greatsword next to stiles, letting out a cry as she uses a smite on it (atk 29, dmg 18).

the night hag swings around on her painted steed, and leans down to bite at nyna (atk 24, dmg 12). nyna lets out a cry as she's poisoned by the toxic venom in the bite (1 Con dmg).

cara's chain devil whips another of the chains in its hands at her (atk 24, dmg 7), as the other two chains that it's animating double back: one at stiles (atk 15, 8 dmg if it hits), and the other at felicity (atk 12 which i'm sure misses).

the one that nyna and stiles are attacking swings its chain at nyna (atk 24, dmg 8). ]

[allmydreams]

[Yep, that whizzes right past her, as she keeps her distance from the rest of the fight, trying to gauge what her best options are. With both Stiles and Nyna engaged with the chain devil she was fighting she can't say she won't hit them.

But the night hag is just as close and has less of her team mates engaged and also she wants it to stop biting Nyna, so she'll opt for shooting it instead (attack 24, damage 8).]

[killingtodeath]

[Stiles hisses as the chain hits him. Ow... He's not sure how effective his bashing is really going to do, but... he's going to keep trying. (attack 22, damage 5)]

[mordsith]

[She feels the sting from the chain, but continues her attacks. (atk 21, dmg 3 | atk 26, dmg 6)]

[silverguardian]

[ everybody's hits land that time! and do damage all around. nyna swings her greatsword around and lands one more chop (atk 20 & 10, dmg 9). the night hag leaves off from nyna, and steers towards felicity, allowing the paladin a chance to stab her, but she's just a little too slow (atk 20). she snaps at felicity for an unfortunate nat 20 (12 dmg + fort save DC 14 or take 3 Con drain).

a chain snakes out at cara again (atk 23, dmg 5 if it hits), the animated chains flashing out at stiles (atk 20, dmg 8) and nyna (atk 29, dmg 6).

the second chain devil focuses on nyna again as well, but luckily misses (atk 15). ]

[allmydreams]

[Felicity hisses as the hag's teeth sink into her, but she manages to make her fort save and avoid the con damage (fort save 9 action point says 17). She grits her teeth before trying to shoot at her again, trying to get her off and away (attack nat 20, damage 16).]

[killingtodeath]

[Seeing Felicity get bitten causes Stiles to stand up straighter. It's not that he doesn't care about Cara and Nyna, Felicity is his bro so he's just not okay with that hag chewing on her. SO he chooses to spend his round taunting the hag to try to grab her attention. (He actually got a nat 20 on the cha check to taunt. I don't think that really does much for him, sadly. But it's a 18 will save to resist being dazed for one round by the fury of his insults)]

Hey! Y'old bat! Don't you have an early bird special to get to?

[mordsith]

[Once more the chains manage to strike Cara, but she continues her efforts. She strikes out against the same creature - though she's not deaf to Stiles' own efforts. She's not sure how effective that's going to be...

(atk 22 | dmg 6 // atk 19 | dmg 3)]

[silverguardian]

[ the night hag unfortunately got a nat 20 will save which i'm going to owe to the fact that she's distracted from being taunted by being CRITICALLY SHOT by felicity ;;

nyna steps back, and sends a wave of healing at everyone (+14 hp!), and then uses heroic surge to get another stab in on the chain devil, but... misses (atk 15). the night hag at least leaves off felicity and turns to head back towards stiles, to chomp at him (atk 17, dmg 14 annd make a fort save, DC 14 vs 4 Con dmg yikes).

the chain devil fixes its gaze on nyna and... she utterly fails her will save as her face contorts with horror based on whatever she sees in its aspect. its animated chains both turn on her (atk 26 & 19, one of which she avoids; dmg 6).

the other devil swings its chain at cara again (atk 27, dmg 7) ]

[allmydreams]

[Going after Stiles is not going to make Felicity any less likely to shoot you, Night Hag. It's just going to make her be a little more careful about it. She turns her gun on the hag and very carefully aims at her to make sure she doesn't hit Stiles (attack 25 - including -4 penalty, damage 9).]