Book the Second, Chapter the Ninth: An Orphan Misplaced

[Mr. Handy]

"They seem not kindly to me," says Henry, taking out his Regenerator and applying it to the female creature. He recalls that the principle behind it is similar to the one on which the reanimation process is based, and he hopes that it will serve to revive her.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

The Regenerator works its arcane effect upon the insensate creature, rousing her from seeming lifelessness. She appears to be in a state of confusion.

"Where . . . who . . ."

As this procedure takes place, the winged monsters draw near, revealing themselves to be unnatural chimerae, carrion birds of prodigious size from the waist down, hideously ugly and deformed women above. The pleas of Lepus that their errand of vengeance is without justification are of no avail; once unleashed, fairly or unfairly, there is no way to recall them.

Even at a distance, the foul stench of the beings assaults the nostrils, indicative of the unspeakable diet upon which they survive.

Spoiler:

CON rolls for all present. According to my records, for the female creature, Doctor North, Ivan, William, and Lepus, that should be, in order, 18, 14, 11, 11, and 10. Correct me if I'm wrong.[dice]0[/dice]

Perhaps because his mind is intent in saving the creature from the edge of the grave, all save Doctor North succumb to the putrid scent, inducing debilitating nausea.

Spoiler:

All basic characteristics that involve any kind of physical or mental activity are reduced by 3 until the monsters are defeated and/or driven away, due to overwhelming nausea.

[SunlessNick]

Williiam fires his pistols at alternate bird women.

Dexterity 12, +1 Soldier, +3 Good Shot, -3 Nausea.
Rolled 1D20: 10 and 11; both shots strike home, though one only barely.

[jp1885]

Seeing that there is no course of action but to drive off the noisome creatures, Lepus lobs one of the dwindling number of explosive stones at them. If his unseen servant is still in existence, he will command it to throw stones at the furies.

[Mr. Handy]

Henry draws his pistol and fires at one of the winged harpies. "Throw rocks at the flying monsters!" he calls to Ivan and the female creature.

OOC,I think the effects of the meteorite raised my CON to 17, but either way I succeeded.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Williiam fires his pistols at alternate bird women.

Spoiler:

Dexterity 12, +1 Soldier, +3 Good Shot, -3 Nausea.
Rolled 1D20: 10 and 11; both shots strike home, though one only barely.

Damage:[dice]0[/dice]

Two of the creatures are wounded by the bullets, letting out screams of rage, half-human and half-bird, as they approach. One, indeed, is so severely injured as to render flight impossible. Instead, she approaches on foot, a sight which may be more unnerving than if she were still using her wings.

Spoiler:

For the record, I'm treating the three as Gigantic Animals (Vultures). The badly injured one will have to wait to attack, the other gets an attack now.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Seeing that there is no course of action but to drive off the noisome creatures, Lepus lobs one of the dwindling number of explosive stones at them. If his unseen servant is still in existence, he will command it to throw stones at the furies.

Spoiler:

dex 15 - 3 for nausea = 12[dice]0[/dice]

His aim rendered less than perfectly accurate by the need to frequently retch in the presence of the foul beings, Lepus barely misses striking one of the creatures with the explosive stone. The loud sound as it falls to the ground and bursts into something resembling a roaring bonfire appears to drive the creatures into a frenzy.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Henry draws his pistol and fires at one of the winged harpies. "Throw rocks at the flying monsters!" he calls to Ivan and the female creature.

Spoiler:

dex 11 [dice]0[/dice]

damage[dice]1[/dice]

The third creature also falls victim to the power of powder and lead, although to a lesser extent than her sisters.

During this time, by the by, one of the beings speaks to another, in a voice so screeching that it causes one to wince with the sound. At the moment, there is little time to pay much attention to her words. At some calmer moment, Doctor North will be able to recognize the language as archaic Greek, such as might have been spoken by Homer. The translation is a rough one, but, in essence, her remark is "Kill not that one! Atropos has plans for him!"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Meanwhile, the other persons -- if that term can be truly applied to all but one -- present, as directed, hurl explosive stones at the creatures.

Spoiler:

Unseen Servant DEX 9, not effected by Nausea[dice]0[/dice]damage[dice]1[/dice]

A witness unaware of the arcane skills of the hedge wizard would, no doubt be dumbstruck by the sight of a stone flying into the air of its own accord and bursting into flame as it strikes its target. Even more surprising might be the fact that said victim of the stone simply vanishes, leaving only her foul scent behind. (Perhaps the fact that this particular creature was on foot rather than on the wing made the invisible assailant's aim so sure.)

Spoiler:

To give the Kindly Ones a chance I'll have the most injured one be destroyed first.

Spoiler:

Ivan DEX 9 - 3 for Nausea = 6[dice]2[/dice]

Spoiler:

The Reanimated Wretch DEX = 18 - 3 = 15[dice]3[/dice]

Whilst Ivan's attempt to strike one of the two remaining creatures comes nowhere near its target, as he must bend over to vomit at the moment he hurls the stone, the female creature's aim is deadly accurate. Possibly she believes these monsters to be an insult to members of her sex.

Spoiler:

damage[dice]4[/dice]

Alas, the blow is but a glancing one, doing only minor damage to the foul thing.

Spoiler:

Two Kindly Ones, each with a damage of 3

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Spoiler:

Attacks by the Kindly Ones. Targets: 1 = Lepus, 2 = William, 3 = Doctor North, 4 = Ivan, 5 = the Reanimated Wretch[dice]0[/dice]

Perhaps remembering the Greek colonies formed near the Black Sea in ancient times, and imagining Russians to be their enemies, the two remaining monsters launch themselves at Ivan simultaneously.

Spoiler:

Each has DEX 15[dice]1[/dice]

Ducking away from one of the pair, Ivan is able to avoid its sharp and corruption-bearing claws; the other, however, seizes this opportunity to plunge directly at him.

Spoiler:

damage[dice]2[/dice]

The monster's beak tears a hunk of flesh from Ivan's cheek, chewing on it with grotesque pleasure, and causing blood to flow from the open wound.

[jp1885]

Lepus is loathe to throw more explosive stones so close to the injured Russian. Instead he instructs his servant to seize a branch or somesuch to wave about one of the creatures, while he, steeling his queasy stomach, draws his dagger to strike the one which is feeding.

“Begone foul Furies!” he yells in whatever mangled Greek he has managed to pick up in his travels.

[SunlessNick]

Had William a scholar's mind with which to understand the bird women's speech, he might have gleaned that their remark may refer to his own fated death some years hence and far from Highdark Hall. It is perhaps then serendipity that his soldier's nature compels him to draw his sword and true to drive off the monster assaulting Ivan.

[Mr. Handy]

The Regenerator already in his hand, Henry applies it to Ivan's wound. "No more stones," he says, "Now we fight them hand to hand! William, they cannot kill you. You have a different destiny."

[SunlessNick]

William does his best to interpose himself between the bird women and the others. "To strike at these, you must first kill me and break your own law!" he cries.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Lepus is loathe to throw more explosive stones so close to the injured Russian. Instead he instructs his servant to seize a branch or somesuch to wave about one of the creatures, while he, steeling his queasy stomach, draws his dagger to strike the one which is feeding.

“Begone foul Furies!” he yells in whatever mangled Greek he has managed to pick up in his travels.

Spoiler:

Battle of DEX between the servant and the Kindly One; DEX = 9 and 15[dice]0[/dice]

The bird-woman is easily able to seize the branch from the invisible grip of the servant, breaking it into twigs with her claws.

Spoiler:

dex 15 - 3 for nausea = 12[dice]1[/dice]damage [dice]2[/dice]

Lepus drives his dagger into the monster's breast, releasing a heavy flow of black blood, although, unlike its vanished sister, it has not yet been destroyed entirely.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Had William a scholar's mind with which to understand the bird women's speech, he might have gleaned that their remark may refer to his own fated death some years hence and far from Highdark Hall. It is perhaps then serendipity that his soldier's nature compels him to draw his sword and true to drive off the monster assaulting Ivan.

Spoiler:

adjusted dex 13 as before[dice]0[/dice]

The air is rent with the sound of William's flashing blade, which misses the hideous being by no more than the breadth of a hair.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Whilst Doctor North and Ivan are otherwise occupied, the one dispensing and the other receiving care for the wound, and the others make their attacks, the female creature reaches for the bird-woman, intent on destruction.

Spoiler:

adjusted dex = 15 as before[dice]0[/dice]

Her fingertips barely touch the monster, irritating it but causing no real harm. Meanwhile, her sister launches an attack. (Given her ability to fly, William's attempt to block her from the others, although a noble gesture, is not terribly effective.)

Spoiler:

target 1 = Lepus 2 = William 3 = Doctor North 4 = Ivan 5 = the female creature[dice]1[/dice]

Surely the Kindly One bears some animosity to the bold Russian, for once again she strikes at the hapless fellow.

Spoiler:

dex = 15[dice]2[/dice]

As luck would have it, her razor-sharp claws fail to strike Ivan as rolls away from the attack.

[jp1885]

Stomach heaving, Lepus moves in to defend the Russian and his master, striking out with his dagger once more. If he can talk in between gagging, he will instruct the unseen servant to throw detritus from the ground at the other creature, if only to distract it.

[SunlessNick]

"Cursed beasts," mutters William. He readies his sword to lunge at the next one to come low enough to attack - his attention is mostly concentrated on Ivan, since the bird women seem to have singled him out.

[Mr. Handy]

Henry raises his cane and directs Ivan to draw his sword. and they both attack the harpy that just tried to kill him.