Hands of Herman
Log Info
- Title: Hands of Herman
- GM: Aftershock
- Place: Wild Rose Inn
The lonely Wild Rose in stands in the middle of the road in an opportune place for an inn. It is a moderately sized inn with two entrances (or exits), one in the front, and the other in the back where the kitchen is. It's a quiet little inn without much seeming to go on inside. A quiet day gives way to a quiet evening where the mist hangs low to the ground and the hot humidity of the day becomes a sticky evening thick with mosquitoes.
Roved out to find the rose, promised by the thorns.
Carver left Deathless behind. Her absence irritates more than hungry mosquitoes, whose bites are fleeting and bloody. It was for the best she kept assuring herself upon this point, suppressing emotions beneath cold lizard logic. She swallows down a mouthful from her waterskin, as the inn comes into sight, her war accoutrements obvious and ready. Pair of bristling quivers, a massive warbow, her strange earthy armor of scales and rocks peeking out from beneath the layers of her cloak.
She pulls her hair up and ties it back, the long red hairband dangling behind her as she walks toward the front door. As ready as she ever will be.
Corey can see her hands shaking. Clearly.
Cor'ethil is by Carver's side, an ever-stalwart friend. Even now, he's smiling, although it's the light one that he tends to wear for the sake of other people who are in need of even the smallest sign of reassurance. He's dressed in his usual armor, green cloak of Gilead billowing behind him as he walks by Carver's side.
"We will succeed this day." Corey says those words quietly for Carver. "Do not lose yourself to doubt. I have faith." He does. Not only in Gilead, but his friend and his allies, although he often thinks of his allies as friends yet to be made.
"And this one has certainty. Do not let one door nor man make one forget whom Huntress is." The ruddy sith-makar, Aelwyn rumbles with a flicker of his tongue. He seemed to be wholly immune to both mosquitoes and the notion of fear. He bows his head towards Corey, and then addresses Carver once again.
"How does she wish to play this?"
GAME: Skyler rolls perception: (14)+15: 29 GAME: Skyler rolls sense motive: (1)+15: 16 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Skyler rolls sense motive: (15)+15: 30 GAME: Skyler rolls bluff: (7)+10: 17 GAME: Skyler rolls fortitude+3+4: (19)+5+3+4: 31
"Thank you," Carver says as the two speak support. She was grateful she was not alone. She took one last calming breath then goes to lay a hand on the door, fingers of the other already brushing against scarlet fletchings of her arrows. "Life is cruel, of teeth and claws and hunger. We have the responsibility to make sure that it can be beautiful too. Time to kill monsters."
The door is pushed open hard.
"Time to kill monsters indeed," Cor'ethil breathes. He follows Carver, murmuring a little prayer of protection. Nothing nearly so showy as the one that he does with the angel wings and whatnot, not even to ask for a specific spell. Just so that the White Stag might bless and favor his allies. (Not himself. Corey doesn't usually ask for these kinds of things for himself because Gilead gifts him so many things already to protect himself, unless he has need of a specific boon or prayer.)
"Oh, there can be plenty of beauty in teeth and claws." The Dragoon replies, flashing his teeth as he follows on after the others. "Let us show them the beauty of our weapons." His glaive is lowered, the blade slowly starting to smolder into a crimson hue.
As the group of adventurers enters the entryway of the inn, there's no one in sight. No women (or succubi) nor any sign of Herman himself. Instead you can hear a little bit the sound of something from one of the rooms further down the hall. It sounds like... Slithering? Dry raspy, clumsy, scratching, faintly metallic... slithering?
GAME: Skyler rolls acrobatics+1d6: 20+(4): 24
Meanwhile, some time ago...
Skyler Skywalker arrived at the inn as agreed with the small hunting party. Harkening back to a past life he's only vaguely begun to reference, he compares it to a flushing dog that locates and disturbs to make grouse and pheasents take the air. It only took a little flirting to get a room for cheap, and prepare to explore and attempt to flush out the game.
Time distorts.
- Like a mirror...
- And then...
- Like a mirror...
From upstairs there's a crash, the sound of a body throwing itself against a wooden door. And something that distorted, twisted and crooked as it is, sounds like Skyler. "'WARE MIRRORS!"
GAME: Corey rolls Perception: (4)+22: 26 GAME: Carver rolls perception: (10)+22: 32 GAME: Aelwyn rolls perception: (11)+1: 12
"Hold," Carver says. "Bait."
She motions to a concealed trap, just in front of the desk where one might greet a guest coming to stay. A little sick joke from a sick man, as the trap's effects are unknown but presumed deadly.
It seems to take up the entirety of the floor, meaning circumventing it will be difficult.
GAME: Carver rolls disable device: (1)+13: 14 (EPIC FAIL) <OOC> Carver says, "I will spend reroll." GAME: Carver rolls disable device: (17)+13: 30
Carver slinks over to the desk, pausing for a painstaking second, feeling the sweat on her brow and beneath the arms. Guilt and heat mixing, knowing that her aspirations likely cause harm to Skyler and perhaps even more, given he risks warning them. Of Mirrors. She does not quite understand but...
First problem. She pulls an arrow and looks to the other two, "I can jam it but for a few seconds. When I say go,"
She looks back down and sloooowly leverages the tip to a sliding plate. Then...
"Go!" She smashes down hard with the arrowhead and runs to the door as well, a step behind the others.
Corey is almost, almost about to walk into the room when Carver calls out 'hold'. He blinks with widened silver eyes, and as Carver shoves her arrow into the mechanism to (seemingly) disable it in part, he doesn't miss a beat. "Go, go," he urges Aelwyn as he advances across the opening that Carver's created for them.
"Skylerrrrrr?" Cor'ethil says it in a little hush, hoping to find his friend somewhere, living and well, if not terribly happy. (Being bait for a horrible killer isn't exactly a rousing experience... for most people.) "You around here?"
Aelwyn doesn't hesitate when told to go; the sith-makar nods his head towards both of them and runs across the floor. He then glances back towards the others to make sure they are fine, before moving towards the sound. "Pirate?" The makari calls out, then at Corey. "Split our search?"
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+21: (7)+21: 28 GAME: Skyler rolls acrobatics: (9)+20: 29 GAME: Skyler rolls 1d6: (5): 5
Bang.
BANG!
BANGbangbangBAAAANG!
Out of a doorway comes a pair of glossy black boots, vein-like traceries of arcane fire making a hissing steam as the sorceries within Skyler's boots are almost as abused as the broken distorted mockery of a man. "MIRRORS! WARE THE MIRRORS!" Skyler hits the opposite wall and his twisted, torture coils so that he seems to spring like a slinky. "WARE THE MIRRORS! THE BASTARDS TRAPPED THEM!"
GAME: Skyler spends ONE point of PANACHE. GAME: Skyler spends TWO uses of CHARMED LIFE.
Only... there's no sign of Herman... Only Skyler, looking like a horrid version of himself twisted and maligned into a shape that could only be imagined and should never, never be seen.
Carver is absolutely shocked by the hideous, twisted abberation vaguely Skyler shaped. The sour bile is swallowed down as she struggles to proof her heart and will her feet to motion, but the guilty shackles at seeing her friend(as unlikely as that relationship might be) paying for her hubris.
She forgets to take advantage, or will a spell out, stunned and gaping.
GAME: Aelwyn rolls perception: (9)+1: 10
Aelwyn looks towards... that thing formerly known as Skyler, and then glances towards Carver. There was horror in here - watching the horror of hesitation. "Focus, Huntress!" He calls out with a low hiss, "Do not forget the truth of one's charge at the first misstep!" But he was feeling it too.
The tingling sensation at the back of his neck. Of that thing Skyler. That thing Skyler watching. At least the glaive's flames were a familiar distraction.
GAME: Skyler rolls knowledge/arcana: (1)+1: 2 (EPIC FAIL)
"K... Ki.. Kill M... M...me..." Broken, shuddering, distorted... Skyler is barely recognizable as human, much less Skyler: one shoulder is broken and out of socket until it claws at the floor from his lower back. The other is in the right place, but backwards hinged. Visible so even as the hand on his lower back claws at the ground to hold his weight the other one waves sheepishly at the group. One leg is digitigrade now in the leather boots still hissing and smoking with the weight of the draw on them.
He blinks, one eye near his lips the other on top of his head. "Ow."
GAME: Corey casts Greater Angelic Aspect. Caster Level: 15 DC: 18
Cor'ethil stares at Skyler (the person that is Skyler, the vision that is Skyler), drawing his rapier in hand. There's an ever-slight quiver on the wrist that travels up the blade. Silver eyes are wide and horrified.
This is his friend, who is begging for death.
"No," Corey breathes. He shakes his head ever-lightly. "No, I can't. I'm going to save you. We're going to kill that son of a bitch. We're going to do the Light's work. Gilead!"
Corey's voice picks up volume and strength as he bellows. "O Great Hunter! Give me your blessing, that I might defend my allies, that I might save them, that we might win this day!" Angelic wings unfurl from his back, a holy aura washing out from him and across his allies, his friends. He looks at Skyler and holds out a hand.
"You come here. Come here. I'm not afraid." His voice is ever-gentle.
"Kill him." It's the voice of a little girl giggling somewhere nearby unseen.
"Yes, kill him!" Another woman's voice. "End his misery." They laugh at your pain and the echo of those words spreads up and down the hall.
GAME: Carver casts Hunter's Eye. Caster Level: 14 DC: 16 GAME: Carver rolls perception+2+20+4: (8)+22+2+20+4: 56
"I can hear you, Mudgett." Carver hisses, the shock and horror at seeing Skyler being replaced with rage. Her bow slips into her hands, one of her eyes a soft golden of a coyote's, motioning with her left hand to the nearby wall where she must have heard it. "Do not worry, Floozies. I have plenty of violence for you as well!"
GAME: Aelwyn rolls ranged: (11)+18: 29 GAME: Aelwyn rolls 1d6: (1): 1
Aelwyn's eyes turn towards Skyler. "One does not have enough to make such demands." The Dragoon states with voice cool, eyes ablaze. "Exist, Pirate." He steps forward, lagging behind Carver. The voices make him turn his head, but the draconian was never the most observant kind. "We should not be playing to their tune." He reaches into his satchel. "Lest we all become him."
And when the screams start, he tosses a vial of fire at the wall Carver pointed, teeth exposed in an annoyance as the wall is set on fire.
As heavenly light washes over him, the sobbing wreckage of a friend stops crying, still trembling painfully as the mismatched eyes widen in awe at Corey's powers. "B.. beautiful!" He breathes, reaching for Corey...
Except he falls short. Flops back down like a fish. "Er. Sec." He flops some more, reaching out for Corey, "Oop." He turns and hikes his hips up as he sort of throws himself upward so the back-hand can grab Corey.
And just as he makes contact, he begins to scream as his body distorts around the hand Corey is holding, which spasms and squeezes as the familiar form of Skyler sort of.. oozes and coagulates around the arm. There's a wet glistening visible with the fire from Aelwyn's bottle...
It isn't a pleasant experience, apparently, as the swashbuckler squeals like a pig.
"Hey, hey, hey," Corey says gently, adding a shushing noise like a mother or father might do with a child who's crying or having a bad day. "It's okay. This isn't forever. We'll get you fixed up. Please don't worry..."
His words trail off as he murmurs a soft prayer:
- "Exceedingly sharp, bane to dark,
- I call on Cen to bring the spark." <Celestial>
A soft light enters Cor'ethil's blade. "Just focus on me, Skyler. It'll be okay. I promise." He wants Skyler to get through this horrible and traumatic moment with some promise of gentleness.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+30: (1)+30: 31 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Aelwyn used a Alchemist's Fire. GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+30: (11)+30: 41 GAME: Corey casts Liberating Command. Caster Level: 15 DC: 15 GAME: Carver rolls Escape Artist+20: (17)+16+20: 53
Herman comes through the burning wall, swinging his scythe across and knocking Carver off her feet and riding her body to the ground where he presses the weapon in his hands to her throat. "You're prettier than I remember." He grunts. Even as he gloats Corey casts a quick prayer to the heavens and Carver wiggles out from beneath of him. He frowns, but they're still inches apart from one another. Her on the ground, and him crouched like a black spider near her.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+26: (14)+26: 40 GAME: Carver rolls weapon24-3+3+4+1: (19)+24+-3+3+4+1: 48 GAME: Aftershock rolls 2d4+15+4d6: (6)+15+(20): 41 GAME: Carver rolls 4d8+44+2d6+2d6: (20)+44+(6)+(7): 77 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+11: (14)+11: 25 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d6+1: (2)+1: 3
There is a flash of inspiration, a divine spark that briefly blinds Herman, a boon from Gilead and their agent. It is enough that Carver is able to wedge a knee up, and then shove hard, so hard that she feels muscles tear and ligaments scream. It gives her the inches she needs to roll back, green and gold frantic motes meeting Herman's gaze. They harden with killing intent.
She does not rise to the mocking comment, rising up, the sweep of the scythe sending blood splattering against the far wall. Her arrow slams into and through Herman, his own black ichor staining the floor.
A brutal, beautiful little red wedding. The Sister presses her as well, long nails raking her cheek, but her eyes never leave her quarry. Just a hateful, unblinking stare.
GAME: Aelwyn rolls perform/dance: (20)+15: 35 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+10: (6)+10: 16 GAME: Aelwyn rolls weapon19+2-4: (3)+20+2+-4: 21 GAME: Aelwyn rolls weapon19+2-4-5: (8)+20+2+-4+-5: 21 GAME: Aelwyn rolls weapon19+2-4-10: (17)+20+2+-4+-10: 25 GAME: Aelwyn rolls damage19+1d6+12: aliased to 1d10+5+1d6+12: (8)+5+(6)+12: 31 GAME: Aelwyn rolls damage19+1d6+12: aliased to 1d10+5+1d6+12: (6)+5+(5)+12: 28 GAME: Aelwyn rolls damage19+1d6+12: aliased to 1d10+5+1d6+12: (2)+5+(2)+12: 21
Aelwyn watches Carver fight the creature - because surely this is what this man is - and presses forwards. But hallways and big long polearms do not play well together. Instead, his eyes focus on the Sister. He languidly straightens and raises his glaive above him. "Let us, then." He says - and his glaive spins; falling from his hands. Yet the draconian was surging towards her already; the flaming blade follows soon after, striking her several times with its flaming fury.
GAME: Skyler rolls weapon1: (14)+21: 35 <OOC> Skyler says, "Burning panache for double-precision" GAME: Skyler spends ONE point of PANACHE. GAME: Skyler rolls damage1+20: aliased to 1d6+10+20: (1)+10+20: 31
The weird twisting of Skyler at the end of Corey's grip shudders and abruptly there is a very shocked and horrified Skyler with a hand on his sword. "Oh, fuck that!" He says with wide eyes. He abruptly uses the grip with Corey to drag himself up, and juuuust short of actual kissing he pauses, makes a kissy face, and says, "Yolo."
He then throws himself at the sister, sword a wicked blur as he ducks, twists, and slashes under her arm with a wickedly precise blow in an attempt to sever her arm. "You die. You die and go to the hells, bitch!"
GAME: Corey casts King's Castle. Caster Level: 15 DC: 18 GAME: Corey uses an AoO! 6 remaining. GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+2: (4)+24+2: 30 GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+2: (16)+24+2: 42 (THREAT) GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+2+4: (7)+24+2+4: 37 GAME: Corey rolls damage1+2+damage1+2+2d6 holy: aliased to 1d6+8+2+1d6+8+2+2d6 holy: (3)+8+2+(3)+8+2+(8 holy): 34
Corey sees Carver in peril, and as Skyler blows him the kiss, the paladin of Gilead hops into action... albeit with several blinks. "For your safety, I'm not telling Karasu about this," he says. Assassin husbands can be so moody. Especially one that is descended from a kitsune.
He hops into action, though. "Change our places, O Gilead!" he beckons of his deity, and--
Poof. He appears right into place where Carver was, and Carver's behind him.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+30: (19)+30: 49
Herman takes a wholloping from Corey to duck into the wall and disappears only to reappear behind Carver and put her on the ground again. He grins. "Didn't we just do this?" He asks her the question cruelly.
The two succubi, seeing that they are getting their tails kicked a little too soundly become intangible and float into the walls to try and gain a little distance and protection from those that are attacking them.
GAME: Carver rolls weapon0+4: (12)+16+4: 32 GAME: Carver rolls 1d3+2: (1)+2: 3 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+26: (10)+26: 36 GAME: Aftershock rolls 2d4+15: (6)+15: 21
Carver has a lot happen in a very brief breath, the first brutal exchange of blows between the two followed by a disorienting flicker of magic. By the time she has her senses about her, she looks up just in time to be tackled again, sliding across the floor with her breath blasted out of her lungs. She husks and wheezes as she is mocked, snarling up at the larger man.
She does not have the breath for a witty riposte. So instead, she drives her teeth down into the meat of his hand as a great big 'FUCK. YOU'.
Aelwyn's motions cease as his combat partner retreat, leaving the Dragoon leaning against his polearm held behind his back. "Tch, running away already? But we have not come close to the finish yet," He flickers his tongue, before he straightens out.
"They might think us trapped here, but our bodies are their walls! Swarm them from both sides!" The sometimes cavalier calls out, pointing his finger at Carver. "... and this one would appreciate if one's body were not in so much way."
GAME: Skyler rolls acrobatics+5: (18)+20+5: 43 GAME: Skyler rolls weapon1+2+2: (19)+21+2+2: 44 (THREAT) GAME: Skyler rolls weapon1+2+2: (16)+21+2+2: 41 (THREAT) GAME: Skyler rolls damage1+damage1+20: aliased to 1d6+10+1d6+10+20: (5)+10+(3)+10+20: 48 GAME: Carver rolls fortitude: (12)+15: 27
As the sisters disappear, Skyler shudders and sags in place until he spots Herman surging out of the wall at Carver. Eyes widen and he throws himself forward, drawing his sword against his stomach as he barrel rolls over Carver and Herman, landing behind him even as his arm flicks out to use the momentum to make a vicious blow at Herman. "Your name makes you sound like your parents were brother and sister." He snarls, "Herman!"
GAME: Corey rolls weapon0: (9)+21: 30 GAME: Corey spends ONE use of LAY ON HANDS. GAME: Corey rolls 7d6: (24): 24
Corey rushes down the hallway to Carver's side. "No, no, please, just hold on," he urges to Carver, hoping to all the gods that he gets there in time. He skids to a stop by her in Herman's grasp, and he reaches out with a luminous hand, pouring forth some healing into her form.
"Please, please, live," he urges, and then he looks at Herman with bright silver eyes, dark brows furrowing in focus. "O Gilead! I draw on your power to smite the wicked right here in front of me!" His blade surges a little in its holy aura, as though responding to his call.
GAME: Corey uses an AoO! 6 remaining. GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+26: (8)+26: 34 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+21: (18)+21: 39 GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+2: (1)+24+2: 27 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+21: (6)+21: 27 GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+2: (16)+24+2: 42 (THREAT) GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+16: (12)+16: 28 GAME: Aftershock rolls 2d4+15: (4)+15: 19 GAME: Aftershock rolls 2d4+15: (4)+15: 19 GAME: Aftershock rolls 2d4+15: (7)+15: 22
Herman is a man possessed. There's a beautiful woman before him. He stabs her and stabs her in a fury that is hardly human. He doesn't defend himself. Doesn't try. He just stabs into her flesh and spills her blood into the cold unfeeling wood. The light is fading out of her eyes, her body no longer jostling to the blows that fall upon her. Still Herman stabs her body. Consumed by his love of violence.
Carver spits out the dark blood, teeth stained with whatever foul machinations run through Herman's veins. "Mongrels. Murderers. You'll die like a dog, Herman." She knows what's coming before the sharp, splitting pain of the first stab of steel to yielding flesh. She grabs hold of his arms, to hold him, but vaguely aware that it isn't necessary. Bloodlust locks them in embrace that was determined the moment she shot him down in the forest almost half a year ago. Now, it was his turn.
The second blow hurts, but doesn't kill, but she is aware that bloodslick fingers do not grab as easily, and her arms do not obey. Heavy and useless.
They flop down on the third, useless, and the next few blows reign on defenseless flesh as her vision narrows down to his hateful, lust-twisted visage.
She looks past him, dull eyes taking in Skyler over one shoulder and Corey, over the other. Finally to the blur of red and fire that is Aelwyn further down the hall.
"Die like a dog. Just like me." She cackles just as the final blow slams through her throat.
Dead.
GAME: Aelwyn rolls weapon19-4+4: (18)+20+-4+4: 38 GAME: Aelwyn rolls weapon19-4+4-5: (12)+20+-4+4+-5: 27 GAME: Aelwyn rolls weapon19-4+4-10: (1)+20+-4+4+-10: 11 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Aelwyn rolls weapon19-4+4-10: (18)+20+-4+4+-10: 28 GAME: Aelwyn rolls damage19+12+1d6: aliased to 1d10+5+12+1d6: (1)+5+12+(4): 22 GAME: Aelwyn rolls damage19+12+1d6: aliased to 1d10+5+12+1d6: (7)+5+12+(6): 30 GAME: Aelwyn rolls damage19+12+1d6: aliased to 1d10+5+12+1d6: (6)+5+12+(1): 24 GAME: Corey rolls Reflex: (17)+20: 37 GAME: Aelwyn rolls reflex: (12)+9: 21 GAME: Skyler spends ONE use of CHARMED LIFE. GAME: Skyler rolls reflex+3+4: (20)+14+3+4: 41 (CRITICAL SUCCESS) GAME: Aftershock rolls 3d6: (11): 11
Stupid hallway. It was hard to maneuver. Hard to breath. The paladin rushes past, bodies are swapping places. The Sisters were in the walls. Aelwyn steps forward, watches Herman lunge at Carver for those short, bloody moments.
The visage of Aelwyn on fire spreads into a wicked, menacing grin. The flames lick those ruddy scales as he steps forward and raises his glaive, uttering only one single makari word:
"D I E."
There was no flair in the ruddy sith-makar's movements. No evidence of his skill. Just a creature with a long polearm with a flaming sharp edge. An edge, that was savagely dismantling the creature formerly known as Herman.
And even after the explosion off the foul beast; the Dragoon is still standing with a disturbed look on his eyes, before he strides forward to retrieve Carver's body.
Corey's heart drops the moment that he watches the light leave Carver's eyes. That space of time where he'd tried to save her--but failed--will haunt him forever. He remembers his mother's words--wise woman that his mother is, having seen and caused far too much death. 'People live, and people die. It is the natural way of being.'
Not even does getting buffeted with the explosion from Herman Mudgett tear Corey from the sight of Carver. "Hold on," he finally manages, realizing that the house is on fire. It's going to be eaten up by flames. He turns and offers a hand to Skyler. He needs to make sure the swashbuckler is going to get out alive.
He can't lose another friend today. He can't bring two bodies to the Temple of Gilead today.
"Follow me!" he calls to Aelwyn and Skyler once they're out of the house. "The Temple's got clerics who can resurrect her. I'll cover the cost. I've more than enough coin." Corey can feel his eyes burning (like the house is burning) but there's no tears yet.
He'll shed them either when Carver breathes her next breath or when the clerics tell him she's not coming back. He knows that much is certain. Just like death is certain. Just like the house is burning.
Skyler looks about ready to cry when Carver goes down, and when Aelwyn finishes with the corpse, he is preparing to kick the body as it explodes. He dodges, bouncing off the wall upward to avoid the worst of it. He lands, and slides his sword in as his hands go to his mouth and he stares with wide eyes.
Pause, and he shakes his head, nodding to Corey and Aelwyn with a firm nod. And adds, "I'll see if I can leverage some Society resources. She is a fucking hero. And more than that, a hunter that found her prey. Lets get hoofing." Beat. "Oh, god. Someone's gotta tell Deathless."