Ch 4: Part 6: Hand of the Drow: Session 69

[15:41] <@Kilarra> *****Second Darkness*****
[15:41] <@Kilarra> ~~~Chapter 4: Endless Night~~~
[15:48] <@Kilarra> -Session 69 (68 missing, summary given below)-
[15:49] <@Kilarra> After recieving their mission from ALicavniss, the party headed into the drow city. Both to distance themselves from her, and to discuss their plans. Both for dealing with her request, and for possible escape plans should she decide they are no longer useful to her. Kjell and Kilarra both went shopping for scrolls while Aluthyra restocked her arrows.
[15:51] <@Kilarra> At the same time, Kahree tried to fish for some information on the Venom Kiss, but ultimately wasn't able to turn up much more than they already knew. In the end, they headed to the Venom Kiss to see what they could find internally. Kjell was left outside to keep an eye on things while Kahree, Aluthyra and Kilarra went inside.
[15:53] <Aluthyra> Kahree looks to Kilarra and Aluthyra, seeing if they are still alone...
[15:55] * Kilarra and ALuthyra are not alone per se, but any of those in close proximity are too enraptured by the entertainment or inebriated on one substance or another to really be paying much attention
[15:57] <Aluthyra> Kahree nods to herself and approaches the pair, taking a seat nearby. Although those around them don't look to be paying attention, she still keeps her voice low as she tells them what she's learned, "Found out that Orvignato's apartment is on the second floor... nothing else. Easy targets are too drunk to give me anything important."
[15:58] * Kilarra nods, "So, how do we want to approach this?"
[16:00] <Aluthyra> Kahree frowns. "It's hard to act on it if we're wanting more info, but... I bet I can sneak into his apartment and search around it. If he's out right now, and maybe we can ask if he's around, then we can check. Either way, if we wanted to search his things, we'd need reason to go on the second floor unless I was sneaking up alone."
[16:06] * Kilarra nods, "Take a look upstairs, but don't try breaking in until you have a better idea of whether or not he's there."
[16:08] <Aluthyra> Kahree nods to the pair and takes her leave, trying to maneuver her way through the crowd and upstairs unnoticed.
[16:11] <Aluthyra> Kahree checks for guards that might be alerted as she moves, as well as for any traps.
[16:13] <@Kilarra> Moans and sobs echo through the noxious haze, emanating from a half-dozen closed doors that surround a circular balcony overlooking the main room below. A seventh, ironclad door stands away from the others, as does an alcove strewn with oversized pillows.
[16:14] <@Kilarra> The large ironclad door has a pair of guards stationed in front of it.
[16:15] <@Kilarra> They seem to be there largely to keep amorous and intoxicated patrons away from their boss
[16:21] <Aluthyra> Kahree smirks. Idea! She places a hand to her chest as she moves farther away from the guards. Mumbling to herself, she suddenly disappears under her spell of invisibility.
[16:21] <Aluthyra> As soon as she disappears, she begins to move, making her way towards the alcove.
[16:23] <@Kilarra> It's easy enough to make it to the alcove in under half a minute
[16:31] <Aluthyra> Kahree grins. Perfect. Facing the ironclad door and its room, she places her hands on the alcove's wall, activating the magic of her gloves to see and hear into the room.
[16:33] <@Kilarra> Relatively clean air fills this handsomely appointed apartment. The smell of oiled leather pervades the room, and adorns several large chairs surrounding an imposing desk and a cruelly decorated bed. Several bookcases and cabinets of dark stone line the walls, their shelves lined with grim trophies
[16:33] <@Kilarra> drow hands, dwarf skulls, fleshwarped limbs, and less identifiable appendages. Overlooking the bed, oily black eyes stare from the mounted head of a gigantic centipede, its oversized visage easily the size of an ox’s skull.
[16:34] <Aluthyra> Kahree frowns. Is the boss in the room? She continues the magic of her gloves as she inspects.
[16:37] <@Kilarra> From where she is, Kahree is looking from behind the desk. A glance downwards would reveal a heavy iron safe. Meanwhile, she can spot the room's occupants as well. Three drow, including a paunchy, one-armed drow with a pet spider perched on his shoulder, sit around a table taking shots.
[16:39] <@Kilarra> Kahree can also spy a drider lurking in the southeast corner of the room.
[16:39] <Aluthyra> Kahree tries to look to the fingers of the other two drow, checking if they are wearing signet rings.
[16:40] <@Kilarra> Orvignato wears a signet ring, but Kahree might not know to which house it belongs.
[16:43] <Aluthyra> Before Kahree ends her spell, she uses its remainder to simply wait and listen, in case anything she would care about is said.
[16:44] <@Kilarra> The drow mostly seem to be boasting about various mercenary exploits over their shots, nothing that seems to be of any real consequence.
[16:47] <Aluthyra> Kahree's spell ends and she turns to go back downstairs. She takes a quick glance to both sides of the hall before proceeding.
[16:48] <@Kilarra> The guards outside the room don't give Kahree a second thought so long as she stays clear of the door
[16:48] <@Kilarra> If they notice her at all, which they probably don't
[16:50] * Kilarra continues to wait with Aluthyra, enjoying what she can of the dancers while avoiding the temptation of the smoky haze
[16:52] <Aluthyra> Kahree heads back down to Aluthyra and Kilarra, once again taking a seat next to them. She speaks quietly after making sure no one else might overhear, "Couldn't figure out much. There are two guards outside of his room. Inside, they were taking shots; him and two others. There was also a drider, but... that's really all I got, unless you want to know what all's in the room."
[16:54] * Kilarra shrugs, "Unless you saw something that might have whatever maps Alicavniss wanted from him, then that's probably all the important stuff. The real question is how we're going to face them, now that we know what's there."
[16:56] <Aluthyra> Kahree nods. "Right. Well, I bet I can take out those two guards. Knock them out quick and quietly. After that... I'm not sure how much of a threat Orvignato would be." She points to her arm. "He's only got one arm." She shrugs. "Might be, but I think the drider and any others in his room would be the main problem."
[16:57] * Aluthyra shrugs, looking a bit uncomfortable in this setting. "As soon as the door is opened, if we take that route, I can let my arrows fly into the drider-- or whoever seems to be the biggest target."
[16:58] * Kilarra raises an eyebrow, "Not that I really care about Orvignato, but weren't we at least going to try and find out -why- ALicavniss wanted him dead?" She looks to Aluthyra on that point mainly.
[16:59] * Aluthyra nods. "I know, I know. I was just stating -if- we headed that route..."
[17:00] * Kilarra nods, looking at her, "What alternative would you propose?"
[17:00] <Aluthyra> Kahree adds, "I saw a signet ring on him. Not sure what house he's from, but I bet I'd recognize it if I saw it again." She nods. "It'd be a good place to start."
[17:06] * Kilarra rubs the back of her head, "I know what I just said, but in all honesty I'm in favour of speeding this up, except for the fact that we're outnumbered." She thinks on the issue a moment.
[17:07] <Aluthyra> Kahree nods. "Right, just an option. I honestly think interrogating him would be better... but maybe Kjell would like to have a say in this?"
[17:08] * Kilarra smirks, "Oh yeah, he's got that short range teleport now. He could probably plop us all down right inside the room, getting us past most of the guards."
[17:10] * Aluthyra nods, standing. "Then let us see what he thinks."
[17:11] * Kilarra stands as well, heading out
[17:11] <@Kilarra> Kjell is standing in an alleyway just to the side of the Venom Kiss. He looks to his companions; "Had enough 'fun'?" He asks jokingly.
[17:12] <Aluthyra> Kahree rolls her eyes. "Tons. Kjell, we're thinking of how to continue, and thought you'd want a say." She nods, telling Kjell what she told her other companions, then continues, "So, what do you thing? Look into the signet, or knock them out for interrogation?"
[17:13] <Aluthyra> think*
[17:15] <@Kilarra> Kjell thinks a moment. "I could get us into that room, and if we were to render Orvignato unconscious, it would show him that we aren't worth fighting once we finish interrogating him, allowing us to send him packing without the need for an assassination. Of course that's assuming he doesn't actually deserve such a fate, which he might."
[17:17] * Aluthyra nods. "Right, so, if you are fine with that plan of action," she looks to Kahree and Kilarra. "I am, and are the both of you?"
[17:17] <Aluthyra> Kahree nods.
[17:18] * Kilarra nods, "Just so long as we do it quickly. I can almost smell fresh air and sunlight, and the quicker we get this done, the quicker we can get out of this Gods forsaken place."
[17:20] <Aluthyra> Kahree smirks. "Then let's move."
[17:22] <@Kilarra> Kjell motions for the party to follow him as he moves around the Venom Kiss. "Kahree, if you could point me to where in this building the room we are to be entering it?"
[17:22] <@Kilarra> Kahree would be easily able to point that out from the outside, given the unique shape of the building.
[17:23] <Aluthyra> Kahree does so!
[17:24] <@Kilarra> Kjell takes them right underneath it and hold out his left arm. "We need to be in contact with each other for me to take us all at once."
[17:25] * Aluthyra places one hand on her left arm, the other drawing her bow.
[17:25] <Aluthyra> Kahree draws her maces, one clenched fist touching Kjell's arm.
[17:28] * Kilarra places a hand on Aluthyra's shoulder.
[17:29] <@Kilarra> Kjell simple anounces the spell in Draconic without any complicated motions, and the four of them are transported into the bedchamber of Orvignato's room instantly.
[17:36] <@Kilarra> From the bedchamber, the party can see the three drow still seated at the table, clearly shocked by the sudden company. The drider is to their right
[17:42] <Aluthyra> As soon as they teleport, Kahree swivels on her feet towards the drider, knowing exactly where it was from her scouting. As she swivels, she swings both maces towards its side, using her momentum to swing the steel balls into its side. She's quick to go in for a second round of swings, hitting the same area in hopes to weaken it.
[17:47] <@Kilarra> The drider is pummeled into unconsciousness quite effectively, although those looking form the outside might think it was worse than that, considering.
[17:49] * Aluthyra raises her bow and nocks her arrow, one with a blunt tip. She fires, aimed carefully, and follows up with four more blunt arrows, all aimed at the one-armed man, and all non-lethal.
[17:50] <@Kilarra> The paunchy drow is a lot more nimble than he looks. As well, he's wearing decent quality armour and a buckler.
[17:52] <@Kilarra> On arrow does manage to clock him though
[17:56] * Kilarra looks to Kjell, "Take care of the other two guards." She then casts a spell at Orvignato, calling upon Calistria in Abyssal so her deity wouldn't be recognized immediately.
[17:57] <@Kilarra> Orvignato seems unaffected
[17:57] * Kilarra scowls.
[17:59] <@Kilarra> Orvignato watches as the drirder falls, and as he is pelted, mostly harmlessly, by arrows. He fires a single shot form his hand crossbow at the agile Kahree before barreling out the door, alerting the two guards outside to the commotion inside as well.
[18:04] <@Kilarra> Kahree is nicked by the bolt, but shrugs off the weak poison
[18:04] <@Kilarra> Kjell
[18:06] <@Kilarra> Kjell takes a quick step to reposition himself before throwing a lightning bolt at the drow guards after getting them alligned. Kilarra's attempt may have failed, but that actually simplified things. Deal with the guards, then help themselves to Orvignato's safe and desk.
[18:08] <@Kilarra> The drow are badly hurt by the lightning bolt, but not quite kileld by it.
[18:09] <@Kilarra> The two guards standing outside of the room enter to join their fried allies, each of them firing a bolt at one of the party members, hoping to subdue them with poison.
[18:11] <@Kilarra> Only Kjell takes a hit because he forgot to cast his shield spell, but the poison doesn't manage to do its job
[18:13] <Aluthyra> Kahree turns back towards the two injured guards, running to the closest and attempts to deliver a blow to his chest.
[18:14] <@Kilarra> Kahree drops the badly hurt guard without killing him.
[18:16] * Aluthyra turns to the two new guards, returning fire with three arrows at one, and two towards the other.
[18:20] <@Kilarra> ALuthyra drops both of the new guards pretty much effortlessly
[18:23] * Kilarra decides to save her spells for now and takes a potshot at the last guard standing with her crossbow
[18:23] * Kilarra misses
[18:24] <@Kilarra> Kjell figures a nice, unerring Magic Missile will do the trick and lets it loose, recharging the arcane energy from his pool for later use.
[18:25] <@Kilarra> The last drow guard (on this floor) goes down.
[18:25] * Kilarra lowers her crossbow and looks about the room. "Kahree, can you get that safe open? The rest of us can cover the door in case fatass wants to come back up with the rest of the guards form downstairs.
[18:28] <Aluthyra> Kahree nods. "Sure, just keep me covered."  She drops her maces by the safe, muttering a command word to herself. As she does so, her bracers form into a lockpicking kit, and she begins her work...
[18:30] <Aluthyra> Kahree curses under her breath. "It's a damn good lock..."
[18:34] <Aluthyra> Kahree checks if the safe is nailed to the ground...
[18:34] <@Kilarra> The safe is heavy and made of iron, and would be impractical to transport.
[18:36] <Aluthyra> Kahree growls. "Kjell, can you teleport us out or something?" She eyes the safe. "With this?"
[18:36] <@Kilarra> Kjell shakes his head, "The four of us are already pushing the limitations of what this simple spell is capable of I'm afraid."
[18:37] <@Kilarra> -End Session-
[18:37] <@Kilarra> Rewards: 1 EL 13, 1 EL 7, 7200 Experience Each