Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

[Hafnium]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

HP = 21/41, PP = 35, EP = 32, Status = Injured

Rolls

Spoiler

Turns out I derped up your armor last round. You have 4 more HP than previously thought! Yay!

Lizard A: Attack vs Elizabeth.
Attack: Hit.
Damage: 6+19 = 25 - 26 = 0 damage. Chainmail at 26/40 TP.

Counterattack!
Stealth: Failure.
Attacks: Hit & Miss.
Damage: 14 + 11 = 25 - 8 = 17 damage.
Resistance: Enemy wins.

Lizard B: Attack vs Elizabeth
Attack: Hit.
Damage: 7 + 19 = 26 - 26 = 0 damage. Chainmail at 21/40 TP.

Counterattack!
Stealth: Failure.
Attacks: Miss & Hit.
Damage: 3 + 11 = 14 - 8 = 6 damage.

Yes, dear. You discovered my master plan to make my presence known and offer to help you in order to enslave you. To think that I thought it would slip by unnoticed because it was a much more circuitous route than simply leaving you and the lizards to weaken each other and then taking all of the spoils for myself. The voice mocked her through the link. It was around that point that the lizards chose to follow up their attack. Elizabeth backed away, assuming a defensive posture. The two lizardmen came in, razor-sharp claws swiping at the heiress. They couldn't pierce her defense, however, although their claws were beginning to seriously damage the assassin's armor. The rogue countered with four swings, two for each, but only managed to score half of them. It was still hopeful, she had clearly won that exchange. By that point it seemed she had given at least as much pain as she had received at the hands of the hunters.

Good showing! Perhaps I didn't give the mighty blademistress her proper due! I wonder if she'll be able to keep it up, the feminine voice narrated as though it were watching a dramatic play unfold. The lizards seemed to be preparing to attack again, though the trained Silver noticed that the beastmen's movements differed from their latest, ill-advised attack. Perhaps the dashing rogue will decide that she needs the mysterious stranger's help. All this humble traveler would require is a chance to drink of the spiritual essence of a noblewoman. A small morsel, a sip to whet her appetite, a minor portion. Perhaps the additional voice in the bleeding rogue's head had gone insane, or maybe the voice she was hearing was a sign of having lost too much blood. It continued, however, slightly less pompously and incoherently too. Then a simple parting of ways would be in order, or if you simply must have my company I might stick around. I have no need for slaves or servants in this environment, they tend to slow a girl down. The presence in Elizabeth's mind continued to simply wait, she could push it out with ease at any time if she liked, or continue conversing with it. Although, small chatter with an arrogant watcher might be considered a strange pastime to include into battling alien rapists.

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

“Deal” Elizabeth didn’t really see much choice, she wasn’t losing any ground, but she wasn’t really gaining it either, and she has the creeping suspicion that her mysterious advisor wasn’t talking exclusively to her. She’d never seen the lizards move intelligently before, last time they’d been distracted by Alice’s bare breasts mid battle. “But you’re to in addition escort myself and my companions to our destination. Once there, you can do as you like. Though I will be murdering the estate master, so if you’re interested in a safe haven and possible ruler-ship.” She smirked to herself, she didn’t know much of succubi but she had the assumption that they could be as swayed by personal ambition as any man, woman, she-demon?

“I’m told he’s quiet the womanizer. After his death you will of course be welcome to pick through his belongings, after myself of course.” She smirked a little holding her swords raised, ready for a second round.

Spoiler

Continue Scissor Defense
Continue Fight Defensively
Sudden Strikes against monsters again

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

HP = 21/41, PP = 35, EP = 32, Status = Injured

Rolls

Spoiler

Lizard B: Grabby hands.
Attack: Hit. Elizabeth is grappled.

Counterattack!
Stealth: Elizabeth wins. (Immediately after 3 rounds of really bad rolls...)
Attacks: Automatic Successes.
Damage: 4 + 11 = 15 - 8 = 7 * 2 = 14 damage. 15 + 11 = 26 - 8 = 18 * 2 = 36 damage. Lizard B dead.

Stealth: Success. (She has a worse stealth modifier than Elizabeth and somehow managed to win by 1. >.>)
Attack: Automatic Success
Damage: 12 + 21 = 33 - 8 = 25 * 2 = 50 damage. Lizard A dead.

I'm glad you see it my way, fearsome heiress, but I really wouldn't stoop so low as to deal with reptiles. The voice was amused. It occurred to Elizabeth that the voice on the other end could probably read some of her surface thoughts. That became less of a pressing point, however, as the connection broke. The lizards advanced again and the assassin quickly became aware of their new plan as the first one grabbed her. It seemed that the beastly invaders intended on holding her down to neutralize her defense. The rogue caught the over-sized reptile by surprise that time, however, and managed to gut the thing with a few well placed cuts. One had been slain but it wasn't a certainty that the lone heiress could take the remaining enemy.

But, as the second creature approached, her newest 'ally' finally made an appearance. A feminine figure, clearly so even obscured by simple hood and cloak as she was, silently dropped down from the rooftops. Making only a little more noise than the assassin herself might, the newest arrival launched a kick at the head of the alien. It never spotted the succubus before she drove a heel into its skull, apparently knocking it to the ground, unconscious. The woman drew a dagger from her belt, then knelt beside it and slit its throat in one smooth motion, causing some of the thing's blood to get on her hands. "Now we match!" The woman announced cheerfully as she nodded to Elizabeth, who had a fair amount of the stuff, hers and the reptiles, on herself.

"My, my, what a pretty rogue," the woman spoke up as she wiped the dagger off on the lizard and stood up. The succubus, or what Elizabeth could see of her, wasn't necessarily lacking herself. She had lips that looked mostly suited for smirking but still managed to do their part in a charming smile, though she was currently preferring the smirk. Crimson red eyes were complimented by a frame of long straight crimson red hair that fell well below shoulder length. Her nose, cheeks, and chin weren't likely to grace the statue of some goddess of love, but were perfectly suited for a status as pretty. "What luck I have, finding such a jewel in the rubble. No, I'm not as interested in some lecherous nobleman's belongings as much as I'm interested in you, I'm sure of that. But, I don't think those wounds suit you, I could heal you before taking my payment, if you'd like." The woman, around the same height as Elizabeth, advanced towards her a few steps, hips swaying seductively as she moved. The succubus chose to remain a healthy distance away, however, until the assassin sheathed her weapons, it seemed that she put actual stock into the noblewoman's prowess with them.

"It would only require a simple touch, not unlike my payment," she purred while unashamedly leering at the Silver rogue. It was difficult to tell what remained hidden beneath the robes, but the rogue would probably find out if she kept the succubus around for long enough.

(Gain 2 XP and an ally that wants to molest Elizabeth!)

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

“God, you’re not going to be obsessively cheerful all the time are you?” Elizabeth rolled her eyes lightly whipping her knives off on her pants, before putting them away, and stepping toward her unconscious friends, just to make sure they weren’t her dying friends. “I wouldn’t mind not having to worry about bleeding to death.” She did her best to adjust her armor, at least enough to make sure it didn’t fall off the next time something hit her. “And two things; first you’re not going to die if I make you wait till we’re outside some corpse filled alley to bend over for you, are you?” This question had two parts, or at least it did to the guileful rogue, she needed to know how a succubus’s powers worked, in order to better understand how to manipulate their owner, and part two, the idea of getting felt up by some she-demon with her unconscious allies right there, along with her deceased assaulters, didn’t exactly appeal to her.

“We’re going someplace that, in addition to safety, is likely to have beds. If you’re hungry,” She reached down her shirt to toss the lady an apple. “Try some of that.” It did make her shirt a little lopsided though, so for the sake of looking busy she took the other apple out and started eating it herself. “And second; what’s your name?”

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

HP = 41, PP = 35, EP = 32, Status = Fine

The succubus frowned and her eyes shimmered dangerously at the rogue's response. She caught the apple and took a bite, responding after she had swallowed. "Why, pretty heiress, if I did not know any better I would say that you are trying to cheat me out of my meal." The cloaked woman's cheer was gone, her voice deadly. Tension mounted in the air as the newcomer stared at Elizabeth for several, unnaturally long feeling, seconds. When it seemed as if the assassin would have to add one more to the pile of dead, however, she finally broke the silence. "Fine. You're on the clock. Every bit of energy I spend is going to come from you by the end of the day. I might have to get more creative about how I take it if you leave me waiting too long."

Suddenly, as she moved to check on her comrades, the other woman dropped the apple and grabbed Elizabeth's hips, bringing her face close enough to the Badarian woman's own that both could feel the others breath. The only thing keeping the sudden action from seeming hostile, and like the beginning of a rape attempt, was the pleasant tingle that ran through her body, magically mending her wounds. As could almost be expected of the succubus, she was reluctant to let go of the heiress, though she kept her hands from wandering, obviously still a little cautious of the various edged weaponry that Elizabeth had a proficiency for stabbing lizards with. "If you really need a name you can call me Ruby. The clock is running," she reminded with a cocky smirk as she let go, even as the Silver noblewoman went to check on her followers. Alice and Karina were breathing, though Elizabeth suspected that they'd have the mother of all head and stomachaches when they awoke, respectively. It would be easy enough to stir them from unconsciousness and continue moving at the rogue's whim.

Spoiler

If you choose to continue in the next post, you may alter your speed/stealth choices as you desire.

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

“Don’t worry, we’re heading straight to my cousin’s estate, I’m murdering him, and then we can settle up some place where we don’t have to worry about being peeped on by voyeuristic squids.” Elizabeth hated that that was an actual concern as she shook off a shiver as her flesh knit. It was certainly a faster healing than Alice’s that much was for sure. “I don’t suppose you know how to teach that little trick?” She smirked to herself, standing back from her unconscious friends.

“Ruby, meet Karina, and Alice.” She gestured to each unimpressively unconscious girl, before stamping her foot. “Girls! Get up!” She was indebted to a succubus thanks to their glass jaws, no reason to let them off easy right? “Come on get up, we’ve got to get on the move. I want to reach my family’s estate before sundown!” She sounded only a little like a drill instructor, stamping her foot again, just to add that metaphorical fire beneath their asses. “Girls this is Ruby, she and I are the reasons our other guests,” she gestured to the deceased lizards “are not currently having their way with you. Next time; pay a little more attention to your surroundings.”

Spoiler

Let’s stick with a 6-4 Stealth-Speed mix.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

HP = 41, PP = 35, EP = 32, Status = Fine

"A pleasure to meet you...Ruby... I am Lady Karina, of House Silrocio..." Karina spoke hesitantly. It wasn't difficult to tell what was making her nervous, Ruby licked her lips more than once as she appraised the psychic, her crimson eyes began to look like those of a hungry predator as she took in the sight. "I am Alice, handmaiden of milady," the mousy maid bowed with a gesture towards Elizabeth. Ruby didn't seem to have a preference for any of the three women, leering at all of them in an equally disturbing manner. "I am Ruby, the pleasure will be all mine... The cloaked succubus smirked at the rogue, though the other two seemed to assume that the gesture was just more lechery.

Elizabeth and her followers, now counted as three and Bob, were in a bit of a rush to set off. However, Ruby beckoned that they wait a moment before starting the next leg of their trip and then returned to the lizard corpses. In a display that horrified Karina enough to make her turn away and visibly disturbed Alice, though the maid didn't look from the gore, the cloaked woman freed her knife and skinned the aliens before presenting their pelts to the more sanguinary Elizabeth. "These will be worth some coin to some interested parties. Waste not, want not." Her grisly task completed, the succubus wiped the blade on her own cloak before sheathing it.

(Gain 2 Hunter skins unless Elizabeth refuses them. Kind of assuming that Elizabeth is ready to head off, too. If she wasn't then just let me know and I'll edit it.)

With that, they were off. The group followed a pattern similar to their last trip. They ducked through alleys and sprinted through streets when the opportunity arose, heading straight for their goal of her cousin's estate. They didn't run into any other raiders on the path they cut through the city, unfortunately they didn't find any treasure or survivors either. The trip, from beginning to end, had probably taken the better part of an hour. The assassin noticed that there was a distinct lack of death in the streets close to her cousin's estate, in fact, there was a distinct lack of anything. Upon arriving at the wayward Silver's holdings, it was a little more obvious why, her cousin was under siege.

The rogue's cousin had apparently built quite the tactical stronghold for himself. The building was situated on a bit of a hill with several hundred feet of open grass around it. It was three stories tall, though not as spread out as some estates. Around it was a privacy wall that looked like it had been built to withstand even the most well-armed of solicitors. The wall was made of thick stone, at least fifteen feet tall, and all of the vegetation was carefully trimmed back so that nothing could sneak up to the imposing structure or easily jump it. A heavy wooden gate stood at the only road in, which happened to be the only part of the hill that was on a gentle slope, the gate appeared to be reinforced with iron. Aliens were even then attempting to breach the defenses from all different angles and even then being repelled by the wayward Silver's personal guard.

It did not appear that Elizabeth's wayward cousin was a complete fool when it came to the value of numbers, either. From the apparent bustling occurring in the windows and from what the assassin could spot, it appeared that he had armed his servants and perhaps even random survivors with guns. The improvised garrison inaccurately rained fire upon the aliens, but every once in a while one of the invaders would die from a lucky shot or simply the law of averages.

Elizabeth couldn't see her cousin in the chaos at first, particularly as his defenses were located on a hill that she was not on and through a wall that she wasn't behind. She did, however, notice from her vantage point in the streets, that a group of four juggernauts, all vaguely humanoid with masses of wiggling tendrils spouted from random locations on their bodies, was on its way up the road in front of a creature unlike any she had seen yet. It was of a size to shame even the juggernauts but it had obviously never been human. It had long, spindly arms with human-sized hands. It had a skirt of hundreds of tentacles, the main use of which was obvious since it hovered, never touching the ground. Its neck was overly long and slender and ended in a perfectly round head. It was plainly dangerous, which made the next thing that happened a bit more surprising.

As the group reached the gate, the juggernauts seeming to simply shrug off the shots fired in their direction, and prepared to remove the offending obstruction, it swung open. There, at the head of what appeared to be a group of dismounted knights, was a black-haired man, handsome and with obvious silver features, there was Elizabeth's cousin. He charged sword first into the group of juggernauts with his retinue following boldly and a pitched melee ensued. Somehow, the siege had become even more chaotic than it was moments before.

Elizabeth was still hidden near the buildings before the open ground of the wayward Silver's estate, the assassin's followers were waiting in silence next to her. There were numerous aliens attempting to take the estate but they weren't so clustered that she wouldn't be able to make it in, just enough that her route in would probably involve combat and a lot of running when they realized they had been flanked. The question, simply, was how or if the heiress wanted to approach the entry.

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Elizabeth except the bloody skins, slinging them over one shoulder as she carried Bob in her other hand. She was less interested in giving them away as the potential of making armor out of the thick hided beasts. The lizards were, irritatingly durable, and turning them into a sweater or perhaps lizard-leather armor seemed like an apt possibility, she rather liked her chainmail but Alice was relatively unguarded. Karina could probably use something too, but what do sorcerers wear into battle? The stories kind of always depicted them in leather bikinis, which seemed, amusing, but less than practical.

Unlike cousin Silver’s estate. Elizabeth supposed it would have been too much to ask to have been able to simply walk up and say hi, though the chaos of battle wasn’t exactly her idea of an easy entrance. From a tactical standpoint it would make the most sense for her to rove and pick off the weaker singular members of the assault force, leaving the bulk of her cousin’s, forces, to deal with the bulk of the enemy’s forces, but she didn’t really like the probability of getting shot by some stray bullet from the balconies, and she only had a few knives left, but wasn’t too keen on getting too close to the larger beasts, two lizards nearly had her on her knees.

And there was the problem of getting over the gate.

Elizabeth rolled her teeth over themselves surveying the chaos of the battlefield as she slowly formulated her own plan. The best option would probably to follow the alien assault up the main path, then once encountering it, do their best to be small annoying distractions and not get within reach of their tentacles, though that would leave their backs vulnerable, being on the far rear of the battle line it would flank the larger creatures. If they took the time to close the gate behind them, or perhaps even barricade or blockade it, then they could be instrumental in routing the alien army. Elizabeth nodded, that seemed a good idea. There was just one thing to be attended to first.

“Ruby.” There was a vague temperance in her voice. “How far can I trust you?” They had literally just met, and she was a succubus, which Elizabeth natural had her doubts about, but more than that; Elizabeth preferred holding debts to having them, she had virtually saved Karina’s life, and Alice almost worshiped her, they could both be counted on to charge into battle, or flash their tits, upon Elizabeth’s command, but Ruby. Elizabeth was indebted to Rose. It made her uneasy.

She took a deep breath. “I’ll take point, Karina you follow me close behind, Alice you’ll be in the center, straight line formation with Ruby bringing up the rear.” To put their two most powerful members on their edges. “We travel in a straight line, make for the gates. Karina, once we’re past them do you think you can use your magic to seal them behind us? I’d rather not have to worry about being flanked, that’s our job. Once the gates are sealed we’ll cut out way up the path, moving as quickly as we can, single file to prevent getting bogged down, focus on the ones in front of us, move together, I’ll cut down anything in our way, Karina you’ll support me. Alice you watch out for her, keep an eye on our sides, Ruby, you’ve got back up, can I count on you to push us up that hill?” That was the question, this formation relied on Ruby to keep them together, and keep them from just being tore apart from the rear, which sounded, unpleasant. “Once we reach that monstrosity break apart, try to keep out of their reach but make as much noise and commotion as possible, keep them off their guard but let the men with swords worry about cutting them down.”

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

HP = 41, PP = 35, EP = 32, Status = Fine

Rolls

Spoiler

Encounter: Nothing notices the party running up the road. (Elizabeth's luck returns, apparently! The odds were...really low.)

"Dear heiress, you don't trust me?" The succubus responded with a tone of mock-disappointment. "Well, I suppose that proves that you're not a fool," she spoke with a sudden sense of seriousness. Ruby made no attempt to hide her reply from the others and, from the looks of things, had managed to make them even lest trustful of the red-haired woman, which was quite a feat, considering. "But I have no intentions of stabbing you in the back. If it comes to a point where I must betray you, I will simply flee," she noted her potential betrayal matter-of-factly, as though it were the only logical conclusion. "If the battle is not truly lost then I will not need to flee. So, simply avoid leading me into any stupid engagement and I'll be all yours, pretty rogue." Not quite Karina and Alice levels of dedication.

Still, Elizabeth saw an opportunity to push right into the juggernaut force that was even then fighting with a group of dismounted knights and her wayward cousin. There was little time to tarry if she wanted to take the more direct way in. The psychic and the handmaid were obviously quite dedicated to the assassin, as they didn't make any complaint at Ruby being put in the perfect place to lecherously stare at their rears unnoticed (which she did). The group went dashing up the gently sloping road and, through some miracle, didn't attract the notice of any of the countless aliens. While Elizabeth had no issues with the run, thanks in part to her experience and training, and Ruby managed well enough, Alice and Karina were a little slower than that. None of the other three really wanted to stop in the middle of so many rapist monsters though, so they pushed on. The occasional shot whizzing overhead was an excellent motivator as well.

At their pace, they would reach the group of brutes and the strange skirted monster even before any casualties had been taken by either party. Five dismounted knights and her cousin struggled against the four behemoths and the even greater behemoth. As things were, the groups seemed almost evenly matched. The knights appeared to be holding off the juggernauts in melee so that the assassin's cousin could close with the spindly creature, which appeared to be casting something. Locked in the pitched battle, neither had noticed the assassin's own party. It seemed that the heiress had a few choices. If she attacked either group, she might easily turn the tides but would also alert them to her presence. The rogue might also try to backtrack and sneak into the estate, not alerting her target but also leaving the fate of the melee up to whichever side was the luckiest.

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Bob was dropped in the road as Elizabeth drew the last three of her remaining Throwing Knives, two in one hand the third in another, drawing them back and hurling all three at the jiggling mass between the more stalwart behemoths, empting her hands toward the mass of tentacles and slime, reaching down her shirt once more to pull the Silver emblem necklace from beneath her armor, letting it hang from her neck as she grasped back to pull Robin’s sword and her own long knife from their sheaths and cross them over her chest. “Scatter! Ruby, Karina, take the left!” She didn’t much care for sticking Ruby with Karina, but if the succubus could be believe, even in the worst event, she’d just flee, not act against them. “Alice, you’re with me!”

Plus, though Ruby could likely be counted on in a fight, or at least she seem so confident to be considered such, not to mention surviving on her own in the city and its current state, though there was the question of how hazardous exactly dangerous rapist monsters were to a sexual demoness. Either way, they were going to test the succubus's true battle-worthiness, the titans seemed to be of the same stock as Bob, which meant they were likely just as strong, though Elizabeth had never seen the jiggling thing between them. It made her more nervous than being indebted to Ruby. It was something she didn't know how to kill, which meant it was on the top of her 'who to kill first' list, her cousin was at the bottom, humans were easy to trick, deceive, and murder, lust-fulled tentacle rapists however were, less so.

"Alice, keep moving weapon up, look for the breaks in their armor, joints are always vulnerable!" Be it chain-link armor, fleshy plating or whatever it was the animal titans were made out of, joints had to be soft and flexible, which in Elizabeth's mind, meant they were the perfect place to stick a knife, or two, or three should the opportunity present itself. The Silver heiress kept moving, bounding from one foot to the next, staying light on her feet. It was crap for digging in and sticking it out, but with the size of the enemy Elizabeth didn't want to risk taking even one blow. "And for god's sake Keep Moving!"

Spoiler

Sudden Shot X2
Sudden Shot + Called Shot: The Last Throwing Knife
Activate Scissor Defense
Fight Defensively +/- 10
Sudden Strike X2 Nearest available

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

HP = 41, PP = 35, EP = 32, Status = +36 Body Buff.

Rolls

Spoiler

IT BEGINS! Dropping those first two sudden shots since she hasn't been detected yet anyway and so can attempt a stealth attack without the penalties. Also, letting you choose more actions since you have been given the gift of excellent magical buffs.

Elizabeth: Throw knives at the tentacle-skirted alien thing!
Stealth: Enemy wins.
Attacks: Hit & Miss.
Damage: 9 + 5 = 14 damage.

Karina: Mind Cutter X = 10 against the tentacle thing!
Attack: Hit.
Damage: 3 * 10 = 30 damage.

Ruby: Attack Juggernaut 1 because attacking the tentacle thing seems like a terrible idea for an unarmed combatant!
Attack: Hit.
Damage: 3 + 21 = 24 - 12 = 12 damage.

Erhard: Move past the tentacled thing, ending near Elizabeth. Then cast Empowered Arcane Might on Elizabeth.
Casting: Success.

Alice: Follow Elizabeth.

Knights: Engage with Juggernauts!
Knight 1 vs J1. Hit. 7 + 33 = 40 - 12 = 28 damage.
Knight 2 vs J2. Hit. 22 + 33 = 55 - 12 = 43 damage.
Knight 3 vs J3. Hit. 11 + 33 = 44 - 12 = 32 damage.
Knight 4 vs J4. Hit. 3 + 33 = 36 - 12 = 24 damage.
Knight 5 vs J4. Hit. 4 + 33 = 37 - 12 = 25 damage.

Elder Lord uses Healing.
Casting: Success.
Heal: 8 + 12 = 20 * 3 = 60 health regained.

Juggernauts: Punch back.
J1 vs Ruby. Hit. Ruby is grappled.
J2 vs K2. Miss.
J3 vs K3. Hit. 5 + 25 = 30 - 16 = 14 damage.
J4 vs K4. Hit. 8 + 25 = 33 - 16 = 17 damage.

Everything seemed to explode into chaos as Elizabeth gave her orders. The knights and juggernauts clashed, surprisingly with knights doing quite well against the titans. Their greatswords went slashing into grey arms and grey shoulders, they lopped off extra appendages, only for the swordsmen to go rolling out of the way or deflect the brunt of the return blows with steel both worn and wielded. Unfortunately, when Ruby chose to enter the melee her target lost interest in its opposing knight. The giant mutated creature found the succubus kicking it much more interesting and grabbed her, lifting the red-haired woman right off of the ground.

The assassin knew her target in all of it, the dangerous and unfamiliar creature ahead of her. Her hands came up and, with a well practiced and plenty deadly movement of her own, she flung the knives at her target. The first piece of vicious steel struck home, causing the beast to shudder in pain, but the second went off course, sailing harmlessly past it. Karina joined in her friend-turned-commander's attack on the resilient creature, pointing her pitchfork at it. After having been around the busty psychic for so long, Elizabeth could almost see the manifestations of the noblewoman's energy tearing across the open air and into the grey flesh of her target. The manifestation of Karina's might and Elizabeth's dagger had left it with several more holes than it had began with and, for a precious moment, it seemed like the battle might be easy. Then one of those all-too-thin grey arms rose into the air and its vicious wounds began to knit. By the end of its spell-weaving, it was as good as new.

By that point, her cousin had noticed the assassin's arrival. "Cousin?" He shouted over the din of battle in both disbelief and hope at the arrival of reinforcements. Elizabeth finally managed to place the wayward Silver, his name was Erhard. A prodigal swordsman in his youth with a knack for petty magic and an enchanted sword. The offshoot of the Silver line seemed likely to go far before his poorly chosen alliance caused him to flee. Though given that he had a plainly visible, if fortified, estate still in Necropolis...

Whatever assassin made of the combination of information, her cousin moved with renewed vigor at the sight of the reinforcements. He went dashing through the lines drawn by the juggernauts and his retinue. Perhaps surprisingly, he went directly past the distracted behemoth as well, straight towards the heiress. Erhard placed his hand on Elizabeth's shoulder for a moment in what might have seemed like an incredibly pointless gesture...at least until she could feel power flowing through her veins. The already veteran assassin felt almost powerful enough to fight every lizard in the city. "Let's break this siege together, like family should!" He said with an amount of cheer that suggested he was completely oblivious to Elizabeth's real reason for being there.

The battle, overall, seemed to be going in their favor. Ruby was grappled, which was an issue for Ruby, but the knights seemed to have a good chance at defeating their gargantuan opponents without interference. Alice stuck close to the empowered Silver and her cousin, who were about ten feet away from their target, obviously not wanting to end up in a melee before the two much more competent fighters did. Karina was similarly with Elizabeth, though she was trying to stay spread out from the assassin as per her orders.

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Well that was annoying to say the least; all that work to hurt the jiggling thing, and then it just went and patched itself back up, which also raised questions as to where the feminine Silver’s throwing knife had gone. She’d have to have Alice look for it once the tentacle mass was good and truly deceased. There was of course the question of how to make it dead if it could restore itself as such… Though she did feel stronger. “Nice to see you too cousin, Father sends his regards.”

New plan; “Kill the juggernauts! That thing is healing faster than we can hurt it!” then let the overwhelming force of her cousin’s remarkably well trained, and ‘inexplicably’ present army kill the jiggling mass of things that Elizabeth really didn’t feel comfortable touching. Ruby seemed to be having a little trouble, but Karina had hurt the mass more than Elizabeth’s knife. She was impressed, though she’d never tell Karina that. Still the succubus was in trouble and that needed to be dealt with, Elizabeth lowered her knives to either side and charged the colorless giant clinging to the shrouded succubus, twisting her body dangerously as she did.

“Karina focus on that thing! Alice, keep Karina safe!” Elizabeth may have reprioritized some things, but if that beast could restore itself so thoroughly after their cutting attacks, she didn’t want to see what it could do if it turned that magic against them. Hopefully Karina's spells would be enough to distract it and Alice's, admittedly lacking protection, would be enough to allow the Silrocio sorceress to put a dent in the tentacle’d thing’s jiggling.

Spoiler

So did my Called Shot+Sudden Shot combination get a Stealth roll or just the two Sudden Shots that didn’t need to be Sudden Shots? Do I have 1 Throwing Knife left?
Deactivate Scissor Defense
Activate Whirling Death
Attacks on J1.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

HP = 41, PP = 35, EP = 32, Status = +36 Body Buff.

Rolls

Spoiler

Elizabeth: Attack J1.
Attacks: Both Hit.
Damage: 5 + 29 + 10 = 44 - 12 = 32 damage. 3 + 29 + 10 = 42 - 12 = 30 damage.

Karina: Mind Cutter X = 5 vs That Thing.
Attack: Hit.
Damage: 2 * 10 = 20 damage.

Grapple: Enemy Wins.
Ruby's clothes are removed.

Erhard: Attack That Thing.
Attack: Miss by 1. :|

Alice: Attack J1, then move to guard Karina.
Attack: Hit (On a 25% chance to do so...)
Damage: 16 + 11 = 27 - 12 = 15 damage. Wow. Alice just finished that crippled Juggernaut off.

Knight 1 vs J2. Hit. 10 + 33 = 43 - 12 = 31 damage.
Knight 2 vs J2. Hit. 3 + 33 = 36 - 12 = 24 damage. Dead.
Knight 3 vs J3. Hit. 18 + 33 = 51 - 12 = 39 damage.
Knight 4 vs J4. Hit. 7 + 33 = 40 - 12 = 28 damage.
Knight 5 vs J4. Hit. 14 + 33 = 47 - 12 = 35 damage. Dead.

That Thing: Nasty Magics.
Casting: Success
Attack: Alice, Erhard, Karina, Knights 3, 4, and 5.
Damage: 8 + 8 = 16 * 3 = 48 damage. Alice, Karina, Knights 3, 4, and 5 are unconscious. Erhard takes 36 damage but is mostly fine.

Elizabeth put her new plans into motion, charging at the nearest behemoth. With the arcane power flowing through her body, the assassin felt stronger than ever before. As she closed the distance, she leaped at the creature's back while it was still distracted by the task of ripping off Ruby's clothing. The rogue's weapons came down in a vicious arc, tearing through the hulking brute's flesh even easier than the knights' steel had. The thing turned, causing her to drop away from the vicious wounds she had given it. But it was tittering on the edge of death, too weakened to fight back but too determined to give up and die. The monster went to one knee and raised a hand as if to strike...then Alice hacked into the bottom of its throat with her dull hatchet. The handmaid continued to hack again and again, serving no purpose other than to mutilate the juggernaut's neck further. Even as the corpse dropped the newly naked Ruby and fell lifelessly to the ground she swung over and over again. The skinny servant girl turned the raider's throat into nothing more than tendons and gore barely keeping its head and body connected before remembering her assignment and returning to protect Karina.

Ruby, for her part, seemed fine, if a little stunned by the drop. Elizabeth could see her athletic figure and pale skin on full display, perhaps surprisingly there was nothing odd about her body. The knight didn't seem too bothered by the handmaid's frenzy or Ruby's nudity, instead joining in the melee with the other juggernauts. Once again, the dismounted knights did well. They even succeeded in slaying two more of the aggressors, ending with a large advantage for the combined Silver forces. Karina opened up another barrage against the tentacled lord but it wasn't as effective as the last had been. Erhard joined in melee with the creature but wasn't able to score any blows against the surprisingly agile behemoth. Then, as Elizabeth had feared, it turned its attentions on the group.

Faster than any of the targeted men and women could react, its hand swung forth, issuing a ball of flame that hurtled at the ground. It struck the ground, followed by an explosion of heat that caught Alice, Karina, Erhard, and three of the knights in it. It was difficult for the assassin to tell what had happened in the explosion, especially since she had to shield her face from the heat. It wasn't difficult to guess that it was bad for all those inside of it.

When the dust cleared, all of the alien's targets but Erhard had been downed by the magical flames. Alice, Karina, and the knights appeared to have been badly burned and were unconscious, if not worse. The Silver forces still had the advantage, they would probably rout or destroy the remainder of that particular group in moments. The fight had brought attention to them, however, and more of the raiders were making their way towards the melee. Even if her enemies were defeated quickly, the matter of recovering the wounded and whether or not the gate could be held would need to be considered soon.

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Elizabeth was pissed. That jiggling thing had just taken out a huge chunk of the people she was relying on to kill it for her, and Ruby was naked, which sucked for her, but Elizabeth wasn’t about to let the succubus complain about that, there was a jiggling thing to kill. Still she had expected maybe, a tail or something, some horns maybe. Still the Silver rogue moved to the stripped woman’s side. “You want a knife?” and offered her Long Knife to the nude succubus, ready to replace it with her Short One should Ruby accept the offer. It was silly to carry three blades anyway. “Ruby, deal with last of the juggernauts, That Thing is mine.”

She really didn’t want to touch it, or get anywhere near it really. It had masses of tentacles, too many limbs to keep her eyes on all of them, but it was too dangerous to ignore. “Erhard!” Elizabeth howled across the field to her cousin. “The enemy is routed but if we don’t recover the downed they’ll be lost!” She didn’t really give a damn about the knights, but Karina was a noble woman, and a sorceress, both rarities and she had already lost Robin, though he wasn’t dead he certainly wasn’t here either, plus Alice has shown remarkable improvement in the short time she’d been under Elizabeth’s wing, it would be a shame to leave that potential drowned beneath alien fluids. “Retrieve the fallen, I’ll distract the big one!” Elizabeth grit her teeth and lowered her blades, charging the tentacle behemoth as she twisted herself. She couldn’t keep track of every limb, but she could hopefully cave off a couple dozen off. Hopefully she could at least injure the creature enough to repay it in-kind for its assault on Elizabeth’s companions.

Spoiler

I should’ve taken -5 health for Whirling Death, or does the +Body grant temp hit points that I’m burning through?
Give Ruby a knife, if she accepts.
Whirling Death {Continued}
Attack That Thing!

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

HP = 31/41, PP = 35, EP = 32, Status = +36 Body Buff.

Rolls

Spoiler

(Derp, forgot all about whirling death upkeep.)

Elizabeth: Attack vs That Thing.
Attacks: Hit & Hit.
Damage: 4 + 29 + 10 = 43 damage. 16 + 29 + 10 = 55 damage.

That Thing is evolving!
That Thing is now That Dead Thing!

Ruby: Attack Remaining Juggernaut.
Attack: Hit.
Damage: 4 + 21 = 25 - 12 = 13 damage.

Erhard: Attack Remaining Juggernaut
Attack: Hit
Damage: 11 + 26 = 37 - 12 = 25 damage. Dead.

Knight 1 grabs Karina and carries her inside of the gate!
Knight 2 grabs Alice and carries her inside of the gate!

Knights 3, 4, and 5 are still outside.

Perception: Success x4. Elizabeth spots all four of the lizards attempting to assail her

Ruby simply shrugged and took the knife from the heiress. The succubus didn't seem very bothered by her own nudity at all, not if her immediate dash towards the juggernaut, followed by a vicious stab into the back of its knee, was any indication. Erhard was a little less compliant. "I won't leave you out here alone, cousin! Not after your timely reinforcement!" Her cousin shouted in return, though his attempt at nobility might not have been appreciated. Still, he retained some common sense. "Men! Save the fallen! Women first!" The knights snapped to it, rushing for the two unconscious women, picking them up, and then making a sprint back to the safety of the walls. Then her cousin was off, stabbing through the wounded juggernaut and finishing it.

Elizabeth was a little preoccupied, however, by the tentacled behemoth that had downed two of her followers and three of the knights. It raised its arm to cast another terrible magic on the remaining humans. It wouldn't happen this time, though, the assassin would see to that. The rogue charged at it, weapons at the ready. Her first cuts were aimed at its skirt of tendrils. One cut, then a second, appendages falling free with each. It shuddered in pain as she removed several of the foul things. Up close, she could see the aphrodisiac slime coating them, which gave her all the more reason to dodge when they started trying to grab her.

The assassin ducked, weaved, and sliced her way through the assault of the overly grabby alien. Defense wasn't enough for the magically empowered noblewoman for long. When the invader's attack began to slow, she went on the offensive. The rogue leaped at the creature's stomach, or what she guessed would have been its stomach if it were human, blades first. Her weapons dug into the creature as though they were climbing spikes, her feet found purchase on its slimy gray flesh for only an instant. But an instant was all the lean noblewoman needed. With the power flowing through her veins, she boosted herself up by kicking off of its stomach, withdrawing the sniffler's sword from the wounded giant as she did so. The woman's sudden upward momentum wasn't enough to bring herself up to its shoulders, but it was enough for her to get a clean swipe at its neck. With more strength than the rogue had ever put into a swing before, her arm flicked across its throat, going through flesh like it was nothing more than melted butter. The thing's head came off and rolled free, followed by the crashing of its previously hovering corpse to the ground. The assassin fell free and rolled away, no damage from her impressive kill other than a bit of dirt and slime on her clothing. The assassin quickly retrieved her dagger from her kill, noticing that Ruby grinned at her and Erhard actually saluted her as she did so.

The celebrations couldn't last for long, however, the first wave of hostile reinforcements was on its way. Without the arcane boost she had been given, the assassin might not have noticed them. With it, she could pick them out easily. Four more of the lizardmen, exactly like the ones from earlier, had come to accost her. But unlike earlier, the assassin they had come to fight was much more dangerous. Elizabeth, herself, was on the road about twenty feet away from the reinforced gate with Ruby and Erhard. Her enemies were coming up the road, about ten feet away from the group. Karina and Alice had just been taken past the opened gate, but the three fallen knights were still outside the safety of the walls.

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Elizabeth was feeling confident, and wondering lightly whether she should take the titan’s head to make friends with Bob, but first, there was something she’d been meaning to do. She smiled sinisterly toward the approaching lizards. She really didn’t like lizards, and she had her cousin’s enchantment upon her. Elizabeth licked her lips, slowly running her tongue along the back of her teeth, nipping it between them inside her cheek and lowering her knives to her sides. She was going to kill them, she was going to really enjoy killing them. She had other reasons, giving Erhard a chance to get his men inside, maybe shore up the gate, Bob was still somewhere in the street, but when it came right down to it, the reason that she held nearest and dearest to her heart, was the simple fact that she was really going to deeply and truly enjoy hacking lizard limbs from lizard bodies and watching lizard blood run red in the streets.

The Silver rogue charged the four lizards, twisting and cleaving her blades as she smiled. This was going to be so satisfying. She was debating whether she wanted to just mutilate them beyond recognition, or just kill them as quickly and elegantly as possible, but she supposed there was four of them, she could mix and match.

Spoiler

Whirling Death {continued}
Murder the lizards!

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

HP = 36/41, PP = 35, EP = 32, Status = +36 Body Buff.

Rolls! (read: Slaughter!)

Spoiler

Round 1!

Elizabeth: Engage in Recreational Lizard Murder.
Attacks: Hit & Hit.
Damage: 8 + 29 + 10 = 47 - 8 = 39 damage. 17 + 29 + 10 = 56 - 8 = 48 damage. Incredibly dead.
Elizabeth takes 5 damage from Whirling Death.

Erhard: Cast Emergency Healing on Self.
Casting: Success.
Healing: 7 + 6 = 13 * 2 = 26 health restored.

Ruby: Grab a knight and drag him to safety.
Other two Knights: Return to grab a knight and drag them to safety.

Lizard 2: Attack Elizabeth. Miss.
Lizard 3: Attack Elizabeth. Miss.
Lizard 4: Attack Elizabeth. Miss.

Round 2!

Elizabeth: Crank Murderosity to 11!
Attacks: Hit & Hit.
Damage: 9 + 29 + 10 = 48 - 8 = 40 damage. 8 + 29 + 10 = 47 - 8 = 39 damage. Dead.
Elizabeth takes 5 damage from Whirling Death.

Erhard: Cast a level two heal on Elizabeth.
Casting: Success.
Health: 8 + 6 = 14 * 2 = 28 Health Restored (Putting her at Full Health as of this point)

Ruby: Continue to drag unconscious knight to safety.
Other knights: Reach and begin dragging unconscious knights to safety.

Lizard 3: Miss.
Lizard 4: Miss.

Round 3

Elizabeth: This is what it sounds like when lizards cry.
Attacks: Hit & Hit.
Damage: 17 + 29 + 10 = 56 - 8 = 48 damage. 12 + 29 + 10 = 51 - 8 = 43 damage. Dead.
Elizabeth takes 5 damage due to Whirling Death.

Erhard: Triple Jab against Lizard 4.
Attacks: Hit, Hit & Hit.
Damage: 15 + 26 - 6 = 35 - 8 = 27 damage. 12 + 26 - 6 = 32 - 8 = 24 damage. 7 + 26 - 6 = 27 - 8 = 19 damage. Dead.

Ruby & the other knights: Made it to safety.

The arcane-empowered assassin plunged into the lizards like a whirlwind of death. It was almost unfair to the aliens, Elizabeth's first target never had a chance. Her dagger plunged right through its thick chest, by the experienced killer's reckoning it should have hit a lung, if the reptile-man's biology was anything similar to a human's. A punctured lung would be the least damaging part to its ability breathe, however, as she followed up with a flick of the sword. It cut through the lizardman's throat with ease, leaving him gurgling as he slumped onto the ground, dying. The other three raiders weren't intimidated by the rogue's deadly efficient display, perhaps unfortunately for them, and attempted to attack. The vengeful heiress dodged all of their attacks like they were nothing more than bumbling schoolchildren.

After Elizabeth had charged, Erhard had taken the time to cast a minor cantrip in order to heal some of his own wounds. Ruby moved to help the returning knights carry the fallen men inside. The assassin, for her part, had three more lizards to murder. One of the green creatures made an ill-advised swipe at her legs. The lean noblewoman responded by dancing out of the way and delivering a fierce kick to its face, dazing the invader. With it too stunned to defend itself she took a vicious overhead swing at it, cutting into its shoulder. The momentum behind the blow caused her sword to almost cleave through the entirety of the lizard's torso. Sadly, for the assassin at least, the way it was flailing made it too difficult to withdraw her blade and fight the others. So, instead of taking the opportunity to further mutilate her disliked enemy, Elizabeth stabbed it through the eye with her dagger, finishing it off. Erhard arrived in the skirmish as Elizabeth ripped her weapons free of her latest kill and it slumped to the ground. He placed a hand on her shoulder and the exertion she had felt from her acrobatics vanished.

With a completely fresh assassin, covered in their kin's vital fluids, looking at them, the lizards began to look a little nervous. Or, at least she thought they looked nervous, it was hard to tell with lizards. They still weren't smart enough to run, though. One of the two remaining hostile creatures swung wildly at Elizabeth. It was another mistake. The swift rogue ducked it and slashed her blades outward at its midsection, almost cleaving the thing in half. It fell to the ground, twitching, just barely remaining in one piece. The whole thing was almost a shame, really, the lizards were simply dying too fast for Elizabeth to give them the excruciating deaths they likely deserved. The final opponent took a feeble swipe at the heiress, it was so pitiful that it almost seemed to move in slow motion to the enhanced woman. The rogue didn't need to dodge, though. Erhard stopped the lizardman with a brutal stomp to the back of its knee, causing it to kneel. Then with two deadly hacks at the back of its neck, the reptile's head rolled free.

By that point the entire party, except for Elizabeth and Erhard, were in the relative safety of the walls. "Come, cousin! Let's retreat!" The wayward Silver offered. There were several more creatures, some of types that she had never seen before, on their way towards the two stragglers. While Elizabeth could stay and indulge in bloodlust, and maybe even do some serious harm to the besieging aliens, it might not be the wisest idea. A quick dash would take her to safety.

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

That had been very cathartic, and Elizabeth had probably enjoyed it far more than had been entirely necessary. She felt; warm and fuzzy inside, which was odd for her, and she was a little disappointed when her cousin murdered the last of the lizards. It had been vindicating to so effortlessly massacre the creatures that had previously been so keen to prevent her from ending their lives. Just a few of their crimes were forcing her into compact with Ruby, who was actually carrying her weight better than Elizabeth had expected a succubus who had basically blackmailed her into sleeping with her, and that whole mess that had Alice flashing her tits to the Dreslin guards, of course they were dead now so, that didn’t really matter.

But there were more monsters coming, and the fallen were retrieved, it was time to retreat, so with a heart-heavy sigh Elizabeth sheathed her swords. She had enjoyed killing things, though she wasn’t entirely done with that… Erhard and her were by themselves, beyond the fortress gate, an opportunity like this was unlikely to present itself a second time, so for a second, Elizabeth’s hands lingered on her swords, just a moment longer than entirely necessary. Still she didn’t take the opportunity, mind you not because of any affection for her cousin, though he had proved himself an apt fighter, but because she had better things to do, like retrieving Bob, the lizard skins Ruby had made for her; she still wanted to see about having them turned into armor, either for herself or for Alice. Alice needed it a little more urgently.

Elizabeth threw the lizard hides over one shoulder, already covered in enough of their blood to ignore the gore of having bloody skins over her shoulder, while her right hand fetched the head bag containing Bob, and her left caught the head Erhard had removed from the last lizard’s neck. Bob was still going on the bartering table, but Elizabeth wanted the lizard’s head for herself. She really hated lizards, and was beginning to wonder what they’d taste like, cooked and seasoned properly, just so she could eat one to spite its kin.

“Retreat it is then.” She sounded a little disappointed, she had been really enjoying killing things. Elizabeth sped toward the gate, keeping time with her cousin and her burden of fleshes and heads. “Though once the walls are properly barricaded, I’d like to talk to you Erhard, regarding father’s designs for you, and yours for him.” She was no fool, it was hardly a coincidence that she had been sent to murder her cousin while he just so happened to have an armada of knights, and was fortifying himself with recruits from the city ruins. Her father wasn’t the only one with plans for the family, and neither was Erhard.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

HP = 41, PP = 35, EP = 32, Status = Fine.

The heiress managed to recover her thrown daggers along with the skins and heads without much trouble, though she didn't dally about given the large number of alien rapists bearing down on her. Erhard seemed a little surprised at Elizabeth's trophy collection. The swordsman quickly got over it, however, as they made a quick dash back to the relative safety of her cousin's holdings. As soon as they were clear, several of the wayward Silver's militia were in position and pushing the gate closed. With practiced teamwork, another two barred it, sealing the besiegers out of direct entry. As soon as the walls were secure, the footmen were back to their posts and stabbing any hostile target that tried to scale its way into the estate grounds. Inside the courtyard, surrounded by a well drilled and armed personal guard, it could almost pass for safe, even with the noise of tens of guns firing volleys off at creatures that came too close to the walls.

It was a very spartan courtyard, Elizabeth had seen minor merchants with more impressive grounds. The heiress could probably make it from the gate to the doors of her cousin's home in less than five seconds if she made ran. An already small area seemed even smaller when surrounded by a large group of her cousin's personal guard. There was probably almost fifty of them. The commoners were distinguishable by their simple iron breastplates over padded cloth, and because they were armed with pikes rather than swords. The dismounted knights varied, some used greatswords and some used a combination of longsword and shield, all were armed in some mixture of plate armor. Ruby was in the middle of the courtyard, tending to the wounds of the unconscious Alice and Karina with her magics. One of the militiamen offered her a sheet to cover her nudity, which the succubus refused. Erhard had remained beside the heiress as she made her way through the yard.

"Nuncle's designs?" The wayward Silver finally responded to her earlier statement, puzzlement evident in his voice. "Strange wording, cousin. If the head of House Silver requires reinforcements I would gladly send them as soon as possible." It was difficult for even the experienced rogue to discern whether the man was playing stupid, was stupid, or any mixture thereof. "If this discussion is a matter of urgency then I will assign one of my men to oversee the defense and we can speak inside. After your defeat of that creature I don't believe this siege will hold up much longer. Your retinue will be brought inside once the lady," he gestured at Ruby, "has concluded her work on them."

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Elizabeth Silver (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Elizabeth took in the things about her, making note that Ruby seemed to be warming up to the others, or at very least seemed to be showing them enough respect to patch them up after combat. She didn't know if she should have been thankful for the succubus' attention to the other's, at least she didn't have to worry about them dying on her, but there was some part in the back of her mind that recalled Ruby's warning, 'any energy she expelled, she was going to take from her.' Still, time enough for that after she had a sit down with her cousin. He seemed to be playing the fool, but Elizabeth had never been one to put much faith in coincidence. That her father would order her cousin's death at the same time that he happened to have a well-stocked, well manned, fortified stronghold within the necropolis. If she thought anyone in the necropolis could actually pull it off, short of the Lich himself, she might have wondered as to the timing of the Invasion coming in time with her father's order and her cousin's fortifications. “The nude one is Ruby, I met her in the city on my way here, that is essentially all she’s seen fit to share.” No reason to go spreading secrets like Ruby’s nature without cause. “The others are Karina Silrocio, of House Silrocio. She was to begin study as a sorceress before the calamity if you have any mages I’d like them to talk to her, and the other is my new retainer Alice, she’s young but an eager learner and has some magical aptitude of her own. If you have any facilities suitable to training I’d like to make use of them.”

Though if her cousin wanted to play dumb, or was the puppet held by some unseen hand, she'd have to play this a little more carefully. "Who else is here?" Elizabeth turned her head, surveying the establishment. "Have any other of our family found refuge here?" Or more specifically was there anyone else who might look to have her cousin's death insight a family feud, Elizabeth may have been the heir apparent but there were doubtlessly male relatives who would look to depose her father. If anyone had heard of her mission to murder her cousin, they could have easily sought to use it as provocation to, do whatever they wanted really, they could stop her before the assassination use the attempt of her cousin’s life as cause to hold her prisoner, they’d need her to implicate her father to rightfully depose him, which she was loath to do but if it came down to her or him, alternatively someone in Erhard’s family could wait till after his death, then use take control of his army and use that to do whatever they please, she didn’t much care for her future under that prospect either. And there was always the question of how one in Erhard’s circle could have heard of her intention, it may have been that she was there to murder her cousin, but Elizabeth was wary of betray from unexpected corners… that was what she was there to do.

“You seem well stocked here Erhard. I hate to bear bad news, but House Dreslin has not fared as well. Last I heard it was burning to the ground.” Having her companions unconscious did have some advantages. She could make up whatever she liked and there was no one there to correct her, or screw it up. She just had to make certain she didn’t say anything that could be brought up later, or were at least partially true. “It’s fortunate that so many skilled swords have found their way here...”