Merek gets Heat, a smoldering aroma from a belt made with black leather and two weapon sheathes.

Merek puts Heat, a smoldering aroma in a belt made with black leather and two weapon sheathes.

The battle at the docks had been successfully turned aside, despite the intelligence used to sneak the ships close enough to unboard the enemy into the Lower Boroughs. The dock had been the Culler's escape route. So while the booby traps that littered the Lower Boroughs did work to an extent, the plan was backwards. It had become about getting the most effect out of them as they could, since eyes had been on the Seawatch gate, the river believed to be safe.

It's late at night, the clang and rattle of the ship yard carries, as well as a certain glow from fires that erupt near to and are being dealt with by bucket chains. What was known, is that someone called out that Bringers slipped by the defenses. Now it was up to a rag tag group hastily assembling in a section of the tightly grown boroughs that leads in four directions, an intersection of streets that people may have assembled. There, Orathy Culler's team, or what was left of it, looking well worn. There's signs of blood on every single one of them, in various states of injury, others with clear signs that they're responsible for the shit exploding and traps being deployed as dust from collapsed buildings and the like, settle over dark leathers.

Orathy is standing with a slight lean, hair wet from sweat, looking around, "Aye, they be somewhere close by! Ain't going ta be a good thing iffin we let 'em be... We's gots to find 'em." One of the other associates of the Lowers complains, "We just have steel. You saw how we got ripped into back there!" Orathy nods, "We need more ta our numbers. See iffin youse can find help--" and with a flick of his hand, he sends a pair still capable of running off to search out help... which means possibly you!

Merek is covered in blood when he is found, none of it his own, while he nods to the delegate and makes his way to where Orathy is, and tips a nod at the familiar man when he comes about, "I heard you all needed help," he states, while he looks through his glassed visor around the area. He unlatches both his blades, black and red steel flashing out while he tilts his head a bit, "Just some news, but the Bringers I saw recently can turn invisible, so be wary," he warns Orathy, and then will follow his lead as needed. The Guard with the Cullers, oh buddy! Fun times. He likely brought Sparte with him.

Umay would be quick to try to arrive as soon as she could, having been kept away from the worst of the conflict. Still, the moment that she was freed, she was there in hopes of helping the injured or just being there to help however she could. She was worried of Orathy afterall, and the other friends that she had managed to make in the Lower Boroughs who would have been working out in the front lines. When she catches up with Orathy's group, Umay tries to wave to get Orathy's attention as she runs up to them, some medicinal supplies being carried in a satchel held under her arm.. "Orathy! I'm so glad that you're okay. If there's anything that I can do, just say so and I'll be ready to help."

Emerging out of the shadows in scout's gear with a whitened look on her face, Tikva is a hasty, darting figure in leather and chain, returning in the wake of one of Orathy's agents gone looking for help. Her bow is ready. Whether the woman herself is as ready is less clear. Her teeth bite hard against the curve of her lowerlip as she arrives, a little out of place in the dark and the close buildings here. She squeaks: "/Invisible/?"

Dominique wields majestic lily of the oathlands steel blade.

Merek wields Nox'Dreki, a sleek black steel sword made in a Eurusian fashion, with a quartz-pommel on the silvered knuckle-bow full guard hilt, and sides lined in smooth silver, with one edge upon it.

Dominique ducked back from one of the alleys, coming upon others. "Hail." She announces she has someone much taller in tow. Dominique is careful where she is going. She awaits for her battle companion not too far behind. "I know it's a close fit but I know you can squeeze through that alley." She urges and even offers a hand.

Valdemar likely intended to be one of many protecting the Seagate, but then word of the attack on the river reached him, as well as the fact that these Bringers used //Thrax// as part of their deception. That makes it personal. So, instead of facing an army, the Grimhall has come to help root out those who thought falsely painting themselves as members of Mourning Isles was clever, rather than suicidal.

Sparte follows along behind Merek with his visor flipped up and a lantern raised high in one hand. His armor still shows scuffs and blackening from dealing with the events at the dock previously, and he smells just a smidge. Not much rest for this guardsman to tend to niceties right now.

Ferrando emerges from the alley behind Dominique, a fairly indistinct figure in dark leather and a darker cloak that would somewhat belie his size if Dominique hadn't just been accusing him of having problems fitting through tight alleys. "Thank you for the consideration, Marquessa," he deadpans, glancing around to size up the situation.

Orathy gives a look at Merek, "Shit... fuckin invisible?!" He heaves over with his hands resting on his knees, trying to catch his breath as it looks like the lot of them did what they could in the fighting, especially when lines broke and hammered into the buildings along the dockside. The set up traps was backwards, so it did slow the enemy. That was enough, at least, at first, as Orathy takes a long steadying breath, before pushing up and looking at the people who are coming around, nodding to Umay, "We's can be seein iffin you can bandage 'em up, who ever be hurt 'nuff." He glances to Merek, "Aye. We be hearin someone called out tha Bringers got through the lines. We found a cluster of Shavs tha did too, figured somethin' wasn't right bout the way they were rippin into us. Invisible Bringer would be explain it!" He looks around at those assembling, then points toward the road they just ran from, "We's had our men cut down from up there." UP there was a narrow stretch of road that weaved up stairs and zig zagged back and forth between shanty squat houses that looked built on top of one another. "Reckon tha be a place ta start lookin. Someone tell me they got good eyes ta track?" (Investigation Roll for anyone who wants to look!)

Ferrando checked perception + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 29, 14 higher than the difficulty.

Merek checked perception + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 10, 5 lower than the difficulty.

Dominique checked perception + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 34, 19 higher than the difficulty.

Umay checked intellect + medicine against difficulty 15, resulting in 56, 41 higher than the difficulty.

Tikva checked perception + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 40, 25 higher than the difficulty.

"I'm not the best tracker," Merek admits, while he frowns a bit. He then shakes his head and looks aside to Tikva, "Invisible, yes. But as was learned, some can... Sense, or see them, that's how we avoided an ambush. Oddest thing, one turned into a pile of dust before the other two attacked, even though no one touched him," he explains. He then debates, "Remember the Knight's manual, an arrow to the mouth will help stop their spellcasting, but do not stick your sword in there, it's how Her Highness Reese got poisoned by one."

"Scout," Tikva says, lifting her chin. She moves to take a look, slipping quickly forward on light steps. Her eyes are wide, and dark in the dim light. She holds a finger to her lips, and then slips forward to spy what she can see.

Sparte checked perception + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 13, 2 lower than the difficulty.

Umay blinks at the news that the Bringers can turn invisible and she looks around herself warily. When Orathy tells her that she can try to tend to the wounded, she nods her head once, "Alright. I'll make sure that they can keep up with everyone at least." She goes over to evaluate who is the worst off out of the group. Umay pulls aside the injured that she thinks needs the most care, she kneels down by them and works on cleaning and bandaging the wounds after some salves have been applied to try to help with numbing the pain that lingers in the wounds. "Okay, hold still please. I know it hurts, but I'll try to be as quick as possible...we have to get these out before they can be bandaged..." She requests softly of one of them, as she works on picking pebbles and stones out of an open gash in a knee. She works on bandaging it up once that is done and out of the way.

Ferrando peers up the road but steps aside to let Tikva the scout proceed ahead, carefully following her just to watch her back in case of an ambush. He can be fairly silent when he needs to be, and going towards potential enemies is a good reason to be quiet.

Ferrando wields Negotiation, a flanged alaricite mace.

Valdemar joins the group standing together, his brows lifting for Orathy's warning. Invisible foes? He growls under his breath for the news. "A pity we have no hounds. Even unseen things carry a scent."

Orathy swears a little at the information that Merek is providing, "Tell us quickly wha be needin ta do 'n not do with 'em bastards. I ain't wantin ta choke on there poison!" He looks to Umay as she starts to help some of his boys, nodding to those who are too exhausted and injured to take up arms again, even with the miracles of her touch upon them. Orathy will tag along behind the group that starts wandering toward the road he indicated, unhitching his axe to do so.

For those who were keen on investigating, they'll require to leave behind the intersection where the Lowers team had gathered and unceremoniously claimed as a spot to break at and receive healing. Their direction is winding up a north eastern roadway, that's unofficially the walking path between the housing stacked here. For those who stay behind, in the square, it's out in the open, accessible by four streets, and roof tops glaringly obvious overtop had a good vantage point, with the norther part of the street higher than the southerns streets, as it all sloped down gradually.

Tikva checked luck against difficulty 15, resulting in 10, 5 lower than the difficulty.

Dominique has her vial of holy water in her pocket just in case. Has her sword drawn and following along. She stays close with Ferrando, venturing down the winding street. "I have a bad feeling about this." She breathes very quiet.

"... That's the most I recall, but... I do know besides that, sheer force can take them down, they are just tougher than average men is all. Without their magic, they'd be nothing, unfortunately, they have... Magic," Merek admits, "And we don't know all we can about them." He then quiets a bit and twirls his blades, while he moves next to some of the wounded protectively.

"It's alright, you all have earned a rest." Umay tells the few who desire to stay behind, smiling warmly at them in understanding. "You've fought hard, and Gloria herself would be proud of the honorful fight that you've put up. We'll find them and make them answer for what they've done. Just try to rest, that will help more than anything at this point..." She gathers a deep breath and lowers her head once she is finished, offering a soft prayer to the few strong enough to continue and to those that are unable to continue to pray for their safety and swift recovery. When she stands up, she is vigilant about looking out for where she may be needed next. She does look towards one of the streets and chews on her bottom lip, seeming to be debating on whether or not she should go out to help search with the others.

Tikva heads for the rooftops like a born edificeer. She'd probably prefer the treetops, but scaling to the heights is right there in her wheelhouse. It's hard to keep sight on her as she skims along, light-footed and swift. Those nearest her can hear the catch in her breath when she finds as she drops to the stairs between some buildings. She drops to a knee, her breath hissing out past her teeth as she studies her find, and she balances carefully as she studies it, holding her next breath against some uncertainty. Her gaze turns, and she goes, "Ah!" but how far is she from the others?? she cranes her neck, trying to spy those she left behind, and then begins to move again, headed towards the wall. "Dead inquisitor," she calls in an intense hush. "Blood going-- Splattered ... above him? I'm going back up to the roof. Maybe get that doctor -- Sister Umay? -- to take a look at him? He looks messed up."

The Grimhall turns his head to take in the layout of the square where they stand, considering the rooftops and the way the terrain slopes. He watches as Tivka scrambles up onto the roofs, giving a small nod for the plan. Still, he draws his axe from where it rests across his back. To Umay he offers, "If you'd like to get a better look at that body, I'll serve as guard."

Merek checked mana against difficulty 15, resulting in 24, 9 higher than the difficulty.

Sparte continues to hold his lantern aloft, casting light this way and that. He sniffs the air a few times, but mostly just follows Merek. "Wonder what they're up to.."

Merek takes a moment to place both his blades before him, then he pulls out a bottle. From it he withdraws water, hearing what Tikva said. He does a small supplication to Jayus and Mangata, while he beseeches them, "In our time of need, let the waters of righteousness flow and wash away the impure blood, Mangata, and Jayus, oh my sight... Help my blade to be blessed under your firm guidance," he then allows the waters of Mangata to flow upon his black and red steel blades, using half of it, before he pockets the bottle once more.

Merek gets Vial of Holy Water of Mangata from a belt made with black leather and two weapon sheathes.

"Oh no.." Umay whispers, her eyes growing downcast at the mention of the fallen Inquisitor. She looks up at Valdemar and tells him gratefully, "Thank you. But feel free to leave if the others are in danger. I wouldn't want to limit our forces, I...should be okay." She sounds less than certain in that and goes to find the corpse that Tikva mentioned, and watches it with a sad gaze. It takes a few moments to gather herself, before she kneels to try to examine him for a cause of death. "You poor man...may the Queen of Endings have guided you to a better life beyond..."

Sparte checked mana against difficulty 15, resulting in 22, 7 higher than the difficulty.

Merek puts Vial of Holy Water of Mangata in a belt made with black leather and two weapon sheathes.

Ferrando is mostly keeping an eye out for ambushes once the body is discovered, staying still and silent until the scouting party continues along forward.

Valdemar gives a small nod for Umay's words, though nothing to offer whether he'll leave her or not, should a fight break out, elsewhere.For now, he walks with the healer, standing watch as she prays over the dead inquisitor.

Orathy tags along but clearly he's a little winded by everything that's been happening for the last few hours. The call from Tikva as she runs across the roof tops has him blink and suit. The body that they'll come across was that of an Inquisitor from the indication of the man's uniform and tell tale signs. He looks up at Tikva, then toward those who are standing around the body, "Ain't gonna do us much good. He be dead. Reckon we be needin ta find wha be causin 'em ta be dead." There's a tongue pulled out of the body and the man has in fact been disemboweled. "See iffin youse can see anythin if youse be going back up there?" He asks of the woman, looking to Ferrando and Valdemar, "Ain't no good us standin round over a dead man. Aye, either of youse good at climbin? Supportin 'er might be a good idea aye? Reckon the rest of us can be continuin on down 'ere."

Choices, climb up with Tikva. Stay with the body. Proceed to investigate further up the street.

Climbing will require Athletics roll.

Tikva checked dexterity + athletics against difficulty 15, resulting in 30, 15 higher than the difficulty.

Proceeding will require Investigate roll.

Merek checked perception + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 15, 0 higher than the difficulty.

Staying will require Survival roll.

Ferrando checked strength + athletics against difficulty 15, resulting in 22, 7 higher than the difficulty.

Merek takes a moment to twirl his blades, then he looks to Orathy, "I am going to look up ahead," he states, while he then moves quiet around the side of the building, and tries to gain a vantage point to observe if there is anything down the street.

Dominique checked dexterity + athletics against difficulty 15, resulting in 36, 21 higher than the difficulty.

Sparte glances over to Merek, glancing after Tikva a moment before sticking with his fellow guardsman.

Sparte checked perception + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 26, 11 higher than the difficulty.

"What say you?" Valdemar asks of Umay. She's the one who knows what to look for regarding dead bodies. He just knows how to make bodies dead.

Umay checked perception + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 9, 6 lower than the difficulty.

Valdemar checked perception + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 32, 17 higher than the difficulty.

Umay looks up at Orathy and then back down at the body before she nods her head. "Alright, you're...you're right. We should not linger too long on the departed. I'll just finish some of the last rites..." She takes a deep breath and murmers some final prayers before she reaches out to gently close the man's eyes if they are open. She nods to Valdemar and rises to her feet, "I am ready, but I do not think I can climb up there...so I will just follow you on foot." She follows behind the Grimhall, scanning the street and alleys in the process despite not seeming to know what she's looking out for.

Merek seems to be ill at ease while he moves on, and looks at a few shadows. He then looks back at Sparte and others that come that direction, "Hold fast, there's something... Here, forboding, its presence..." He frowns a bit. Fresh water drips off his bloodied blades of black and red, while he steps forward a few times to observe, but not /too/ far.

Tikva checked perception + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 18, 3 higher than the difficulty.

Ferrando checked perception + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 9, 6 lower than the difficulty.

Dominique checked perception + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 10, 5 lower than the difficulty.

Orathy checked strength + athletics against difficulty 15, resulting in 37, 22 higher than the difficulty.

Tikva snoops and scuffs her way across the roof, squinting as she pores over what she believes to be signs of struggle. She toes at some scuff marks very lightly with her boot. "There was some fighting here," she reports aloud, looking back to the others who've come up here to this flat roof with her.

Dominique is light, quick and sure footed. She is able to climb up the wall effortlessly. The Marquessa is stern, quiet and focused. She even clambors up with her sword in her mouth. When she arrives there appears to be a struggle.

Orathy checked perception + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 28, 13 higher than the difficulty.

Dominique says, "yep definitely some fighting.""

Sparte reaches a hand over his shoulder slowly drawing out his large blade and letting it hang in the air in one hand. He gives a 'psst' sound to the others, pointing with the tip of his blade towards a door of the second building. He furrows his brow a bit, before speaking scarcely above a whisper. "Got the same feeling I get from a crypt from that one. Deathly still, air is... Too cold."

Valdemar walks with Merek, Umay and Sparate, his brows furrowing as they move further down the street. He stops at the second building, eyes narrowing. "The shadows have weight," he says softly, "and something feels amiss about this building. There air is colder here, and I've a sense of... unease." He nods at Sparte's words and Merek's as well.

Ferrando doesn't seem to be finding much besides a breeze that blows a bunch of ash and soot from a still-being-put-out fire not very far away. He coughs into his cloak and tries to blink the smoke from his eyes.

Merek looks to the building, and then to the others he is with. A glance to Umay, then to Valdemar and Sparte. He nods, and moves towards the building, quiet. He swallows, and then closes his eyes. He reaches around, until he finds metal pieces of the building, if it had any metal in its building, running his fingers along it for a moment, as his gaze closes.

Orathy is scrambling up behind the other three. He's tuckered out from his earlier battling but he still manages to get a good grip hold as he climbs up the wall, using water spouts, windows and bad shotty work to wrench himself up and over the flat top building. With an exhaled breath, he looks toward the others who were already scouting the signs. "So, he was dropped then or...?" He looks back over his shoulder and then proceeds to carry on across the roof, crossing to the otherside where he sees Sparte down below pausing at a door way. That prompts Orathy to scount the edges of the building themselves. It takes a keen eye to see the small flecks of blood against the one edge of the building and the trail that it eventually makes, as if a body was carried kicking to the otherside where the Inquisitor ended up. "Well, looks like they be comin from that roof over there..." he points out, "We could be jumpin' or goin back down. Ain't nothin up 'ere besides us."

Umay checked composure against difficulty 15, resulting in 25, 10 higher than the difficulty.

Tikva draws a deep breath. She backs a few paces from the edge of the roof, and says, "I want to jump it." Oh is this going to be a good idea?

Umay blinks fearfully and frowns to herself in concern as she takes some steps to be more near Valdemar when they approach the suspicious building. She looks around herself and breathes in a deep breath to keep help with keeping herself calm. It is enough to help her hide the fear from her features and she remains quiet while she follows the group.

Ferrando troops up to Orathy, following his gestures and glancing across the gap. "It's jumpable," he agrees. "Sets up a pincer attack, if they're still in the building." He grins a bit devilishly, and gets himself some space for a running leap.

Ferrando checked strength + athletics against difficulty 15, resulting in 35, 20 higher than the difficulty.

3 Faith of the Pantheon novice guards, Ethan, KoS Man-At-Arms arrive, following Cassius.

3 Faith of the Pantheon novice guards, Ethan, KoS Man-At-Arms leave, following Cassius.

Tikva checked dexterity + athletics against difficulty 15, resulting in 25, 10 higher than the difficulty.

Valdemar watches as Sparte does... uh... something with the door? His head cants as he observes, asking quietly, "What are you doing?"

Dominique has rolled a critical success!
Dominique checked strength + athletics against difficulty 15, resulting in 75, 60 higher than the difficulty.

Merek shakes his head, finding naught but stone, then he moves into the building in one or two small steps, to look within it. He shifts his blades to his sides, and then looks around a bit, what might he find?

Those at the ground, near the three story stone building, shuttered up and with doors locked, are all sensing an odd coolness eminating from the entrance. The door is locked, solid. There's room to pick it, maybe. Crashing through it would be an option too, but noisy. It'd break the silence around the area. There are windows too, shuttered from the inside latches. There may be other doors, too, if one walks around the building.

Orathy checked strength + athletics against difficulty 15, resulting in 32, 17 higher than the difficulty.

Sparte steps a few ginger feet away from the building, carefully setting his lantern on the ground. Safe, stable light source. He then takes his claymore in both hands, rolling his jaw a second before assuming a combat stance facing the door. "Do we care about the element of surprise?"

Merek checked dexterity + legerdemain against difficulty 15, resulting in 26, 11 higher than the difficulty.

Ferrando takes a few steps and with quick acceleration and a powerful launch clears the gap. He turns, ready to quickly try and grab anybody who mistimes their leap and might need a sudden save from the edge, but Dominique clears the gap absolutely flawlessly, so she sure doesn't need the help, and everybody else seems to be making it across without terrible difficulty.

Dominique watches Ferrando in awe and horror. She looks over the edge. She is never going to make that! She goes to pysche herself up. "Wings of a dragon... wings of a dragon.. wings of a dragon." She goes to get a running start. As she leaps off of one side and lands flawlessly on the other roof, gracefully even. She giggles at Ferrando. "Hey I made it."

Tikva takes a flying leap and catches onto the roof. She kind of haul-scrambles the rest of the way up and rolls at the last second, lying flat on her back, and then rolls over and up ont her knees, pushing standing again as she rakes a hand back through the bright fluff of her red hair. "That was a hell of a leap," she says to Dominique, plainly impressed, her eyes bright with breathless humor in the gloom.

The roof top jumpers will definitely find more traces of blood. No need to investigate it. There's a big puddle of blood and well, body material that suggests the inquisitor had once been up here. There's a window on the third floor that's open. There's a hatched trap door noticable on one part of the building, for people to climb up and work maintanence. The window will require some rope, the hatch will require some lock picking skills, or an axe, but again, can be dreadfully alarming if you go crashing in!

Ferrando winks cheerfully enough at Dominique. "It's all about confidence, Marquessa," he observes before glacing around. "Now to get into the building..." He moves to the hatch and casually removes a few tools from his belt.

Before Merek enters, he actually attempts to pick the lock with fast maneuvered hands, that are working with luck, and a need to take these Bringers down, so that the defenders can't be assailed from behind, or something similar. Then he enters, if successful.

Ferrando checked dexterity + legerdemain against difficulty 15, resulting in 21, 6 higher than the difficulty.

Dominique smiles and nods her head. "Thank you.." She is a bit breathless. "I guess it was just ..luck." She clears her throat. She smiles at Ferrando, staying close to her little group.

Umay looks over at one of the windows and briefly steps away from the group to walk up and inspect it. Her hand brushes across the window to try to remove any stray dust from it to get a better look inside from between the shudders. She would walk back over to join the ground group once the door has been picked open, lingering near the back of them. She tries to wring out her fingers nervously as her eyes scan the inside of the house to try to notice anything particularly out of the ordinary.

"Oh, good. The remedial etiquette instructor has tools." Tikva gives Ferrando a huge, toothy grin. She does not have any tools.

Umay checked perception + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 12, 3 lower than the difficulty.

Orathy tails the other group, landing with an effective absorbing crouch, hand on the top of the roof. He looks toward the hatch but Ferrando is leading this charge and he isn't about to stop him. He frees his axe regardless, waiting to see what's on the other side.

Ferrando works on the lock not particularly quickly, but meticulously enough. "Always be prepared," he murmurs a little distractedly.

As doors behind to open and the chance of a fight seems increasingly more inevitable, Valdemar pulls his canteen from his hip to pour out some holy water onto the blade of his longaxe. If he offers a prayer, it's muttered under his breath. The canteen is replaced.

Dominique watches Ferrando's lock picking skills with some fastenation.

The locks on both the ground team's door and the roof team's door are both passed, efficiently. The ground team comes across some material blocked up against the door, heavy objects that have to be shoved out of the way first, but when they get through, the quietness of the dead follows them. The stench of fear resounds, as well as the aromas of blood. As for the roof top team, they'll have a ladder to climb down and end up somewhere on the top floor of the building. Here too, does the stench of blood permeate.

The building itself is of simple design. The ground team will find the bottom to have one main area that appears to be a kitchen and lounge space, with two rooms further on and a staircase that leads up to the second floor. The second floor will be a long hallway with four rooms and the third floor, will be a replica of the second. Four rooms, stairs. And blood smears. Everwhere. Broken pieces of furniture. And guess what guys, not a single lantern in the House, except for Sparte's... Even if one tries lighting one, it will flicker, then dim, and die out with a hiss of smoke.

So it begs to ask, do you really want to go in there?!

Sparte lowers his blade as Merek goes to pick the lock, chuckling at something despite the tension. He looks at his sword and chuckles again, sheathing it before flipping down his visor and picking back up his lantern. "Eh, I'm barely any good with that thing anyway. I'll go on in first, you just try to make sure I come back out."

Ferrando pops the lock with a final click and puts his tools away, peering down into the darkness before flipping the hatch back and climbing down the ladder.

Umay checked dexterity + stealth against difficulty 15, resulting in 12, 3 lower than the difficulty.

Ferrando checked dexterity + stealth against difficulty 15, resulting in 38, 23 higher than the difficulty.

Orathy checked dexterity + stealth against difficulty 15, resulting in 34, 19 higher than the difficulty.

Merek checked dexterity + stealth against difficulty 15, resulting in 22, 7 higher than the difficulty.

Dominique checked dexterity + stealth against difficulty 15, resulting in 17, 2 higher than the difficulty.

Tikva checked dexterity + stealth against difficulty 15, resulting in 45, 30 higher than the difficulty.

Valdemar checked dexterity + stealth against difficulty 15, resulting in 18, 3 higher than the difficulty.

Umay frowns to herself and reaches up to cover her nose as she frowns and looks around the room, not spotting anything particularly interesting just yet. Those close to her might be able to hear her mumbles under her breath, "Have to be brave, the Gods will guide and protect us. I just have to be brave..." When she realizes that her voice might be louder than she intended and she might be drawing attention, she tries to reach up and clamp her hand over her mouth. Still, the sounds of her footsteps creak on the floor below, unable to really tell which spots are safe to walk on from a glance. She keeps her gaze ahead to follow the light of Sparte's lantern in the meantime.

Tikva melts quietly through the shadows as she follows Ferrando down the ladder, moving with the care and precision of her training, even if they /aren't/ in the trees where she'd prefer to be.

Orathy pauses as he looks down at the ladder leading into the pitch dark of the building, "We gonna search room by room once we down there? Split up or stick together?" He offers as a suggestion, "Jist hope this ain't one we booby trapped..." He tries to get a good bearing where he's at before he slips down into the hatch and down the ladder behind the others. The darkness envelops him but he seems to be natural in it, slinking down in a crouch as his eyes adjust and he picks out objects here and there, from the faint gleam of the outside world coming in through that opened window.

For a tall guy, Valdemar is able to move fairly quietly as he steps inside the house. For Umay's words and creaks, he looks over at the healer and presses a finger to his lips. Not that that will be very visible in the heavy darkness.

Ferrando can't see much but is accustomed to moving around in very low light and can kind of feel his way around. He feels out a door and carefully slips it open, both to investigate inside and see if he can get a little exterior light in from the outside-facing windows into the hall.

Dominique grips onto Ferrando's shirt from behind, she can make it out better in the dark with a guide!

Tikva checked luck + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 32, 17 higher than the difficulty.

Ferrando checked luck + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 11, 4 lower than the difficulty.

Merek manages to be quiet, through the use of his sleek black boots, and some practice with the guiding light Sparte has. He however can hear the footsteps of Umay easily, but it doesn't bother him. Their presence will likely be known soon in this building.

Umay checked luck + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 24, 9 higher than the difficulty.

Merek checked luck + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 12, 3 lower than the difficulty.

Orathy checked luck + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 14, 1 lower than the difficulty.

Dominique checked luck + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 10, 5 lower than the difficulty.

Valdemar checked luck + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 15, 0 higher than the difficulty.

Sparte takes a few deep breathes to steel his mettle, then with lantern lifted in one hand and another being held to guard it, he makes his way into the building without any outward sign of fear. If anything Sparte seems downright bristling with courage. Or is that foolishness? "Mangata guard the air I breath, Petrichor the ground beneath me. Lagoma light my path, of this I must beseech thee.
Sparte kicks over a piece of furniture, drawing more attention to himself as he raises his voice. "Vellichor know my deeds, Gloria be proud of them. Jayus grant my words your grace for I'm sorely lacking of it."
Sparte continues onwards, making a right ruckus as he rhymes his way in. "Limerance, you know my heart, Sentinel why I wear this armor. Gild I thank for common grace which this beast will never savor."

"Sorry." Umay whispers apologetically to Valdemar when he turns to try to signal for more quiet from her. She keeps her hand clasped over her mouth as she tries to follow behind the others. She can't help but yelp out shrilly from behind her head when Sparte's random kicking of the furtniture startles her. She blinks when she realizes who did it, and thank goodness for the dark, as her cheeks end up burning a dark shade of red out of embarrassment.

Umay yelped from behind her hand!

Merek wields Nox'Dreki, a sleek black steel sword made in a Eurusian fashion, with a quartz-pommel on the silvered knuckle-bow full guard hilt, and sides lined in smooth silver, with one edge upon it.

Tivak, despite being behind Ferrando, would come across a managled corpse. Large masses of it were gone. There's evidence of Dust too, if one can smell it or touch it, or even taste it amongst the ruins of the trashed house. The air around the Ferrando, Dominique, and Orathy becomes cold... There's a voice, apathetic, devoid of emotion, "Why are you fighting us?" The spaces around them are empty, but Orathy staggers a bit.

On the ground floor, the startling noise breaks the silence of the room, of the obvious signs of the enemy trying to reign over the ground. Though, it does call something toward them. The sound over in a corner. Sparte's lantern will illuminate that far if he turns toward it. A gurgling sound of someone crying out for help, if only they could talk beyond the blood frothing out of their mouth. Umay will come across the mangled wreck of a woman, whose facial features look as if she's been ... a steady client of the drug trade, but her lower half seems to have been... gnawed on? Her legs definitely have bite marks all over and her arms are practically stripped to the bone in places.

Tikva drops to a knee as she touches her fingertips against the corpse. "Dead--" Her breath rushes out of her for a beat, and then she tightens her grip on the haft of her bow, looking up towards what ought to be the source of the voice. "Ah!" she cries out. Her eyes strain against the dark as she tries to see. "Invisible?" she whispers.

Well, whatever quiet sounds Umay made, they don't much hold a candle to Sparte and his lantern. Valdemar arches a brow as the plan seems to go from 'sneak in and find them' to 'bring the fuckers to you', but a corner of his mouth quirks for the change. It's the battle part he's best at (or thinks he's best at). And then... guh. There's a woman, still alive, but pitiably so.

"... Check the woman," Merek tells to Umay, while he moves to follow with her, "And... We've made enough noise, I think we'll be meeting our friends soon," he admits, while he guards around Umay and Sparte. He nods to Valdemar, so the man can join him in the perimeter he's making for those two.

Ferrando doesn't really need more than 'cold' and 'devoid of emotion' to go on before whirling towards the source of the voice and sending his mace whipping through the air in a vertically upward swipe, the better to not accidentally smash anybody else in his group. He's pretty sure he knows where they are, anyway. "Bringer," he hisses.

Umay looks down to see the woman huddled in the corner and she blinks as she quickly tries to hurry over to her side even before Merek gives the word for her to. "It's going to be okay miss." She tries to tell the woman, despite looking very unsettled by her appearance and the damage caused to her. Her eyes only get more wide and her features steadily more paled by what she sees. "Oh, dear Gods..." She whispers before she tries to lift a trembling hand for her supplies. "Here, spit onto this, try to keep breathing dear." She passes over a handkerchief to place near the woman's mouth to try to sop up the excess of blood. "It's gonna be okay." Umay whimpers out in repetition, the sound of tears creeping in as she tries to remain focused despite how little she may be able to do. To try to distract herself and keep the woman with her, she tells her, "I am Sister Umay, what's your name? Do you have a family? I'd love to head out of here with you to meet them when we get you out of here." She fumbles for her bandages and tries to work on cleaning the bite marks on her legs. "It's...I'm not gonna lie. This is going to hurt. I can see the bone. It will need to be packed..."

Umay checked intellect + medicine against difficulty 15, resulting in 20, 5 higher than the difficulty.

Sparte checked luck + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 20, 5 higher than the difficulty.

Umay checked perception against difficulty 15, resulting in 13, 2 lower than the difficulty.

Merek checked perception against difficulty 15, resulting in 12, 3 lower than the difficulty.

Sparte checked perception against difficulty 15, resulting in 4, 11 lower than the difficulty.

Valdemar checked perception against difficulty 15, resulting in 9, 6 lower than the difficulty.

Sparte could possibly be blinded by the glow from Lagoma's Lantern, but it will cast a glow upon the creatures of the Abyss. The blood is dripping down from it's face, jaw, and weeping down from it's shirt. Bringer? Or man? It didn't look like a horrible monster. It looked like a completely normal person, if you remove he fact that pieces of human flesh were swinging form it's fingers and it was chewing on more that was lodged in it's mouth. For a moment, Valdemar will see the man flicker in Lagoma's Lantern, staring at them with eyes that are unseeing and uncaring. Merek and Umay will catch a figment of it in their gaze. It's clear without that Latern, the Bringer would be invisible and fall upon them before they knew it. As it is, the creature's flickering form comes at Sparte in a rush.

The voice repeats upstairs for those who have crept through, "Join us... can't you see the rightness of the cause in the Silence, in destroying reality..." There is something about that voice, it comes from the stairwell. At least if the roof team eventually feels their way in that direction. The mace whipping from Ferrando meets empty air, but the voice again asks toward those on the third floor, "Join us... clear away the defenders of the Thinnest Point for Lord Brand." There's no emotion, there's no sound of desire or anything beyond that automated voice. And then the sound of it moving toward them, "Or die."

Orathy struggles up from where he was, nodding a Ferrando, "Aye... reckon so... Fuck me..." Fighting in the dark is one thing, but against a Bringer?! In tight quarters?! They're in a narrow hall, unless they can get the Bringer into a room, it's one at a time fighting... and that means the Bringer has all the advantage! Since Ferrando was in front, he has the first decisions to make! It's coming fast...

Ferrando checked luck against difficulty 15, resulting in 5, 10 lower than the difficulty.

Dominique checked luck against difficulty 15, resulting in 15, 0 higher than the difficulty.

Tikva checked luck against difficulty 15, resulting in 12, 3 lower than the difficulty.

Merek checked luck against difficulty 15, resulting in 8, 7 lower than the difficulty.

Valdemar checked luck against difficulty 15, resulting in 11, 4 lower than the difficulty.

Umay checked luck against difficulty 15, resulting in 13, 2 lower than the difficulty.

Orathy has rolled a critical success!
Orathy checked luck against difficulty 15, resulting in 20, 5 higher than the difficulty.

Sparte checked luck against difficulty 15, resulting in 25, 10 higher than the difficulty.

Ferrando being in front is pretty much committed to charging at the Bringer at the end of the hall, invisible or not. He's got some infiltrators to defend, and swings his alaricite mace in a wide arc to try and ensure the Bringer comes for him first. "You first," he snaps, trying to draw the Bringer back towards him and leave the others space to flank around him.

Orathy checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 15, resulting in 45, 30 higher than the difficulty.

Sparte lowers the hand guarding the lantern to his waist, pulling the container of oil from his belt. The lantern is held back, his body between it and the bringer. "And let's not forget Tehom, the thirteenth. The things you must hear! This sod is eating the weak and helpless right here." Sparte pops the container open with his thumb, flicking his wrist to send it splashing towards them. "So let's give him seasoning, cooking oil for taste! A proper and final baste."

Orathy checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 15, resulting in 27, 12 higher than the difficulty.

"No.." Umay whispers as she carefully tries to move around the woman's clothing to check what is making the blood sep through them, only to find her organs potruding out from her stomach. Umay's lips quiver and she finds herself helplessly frozen in the middle of dealing with bandaging the woman's legs. After closing her eyes, she looks down on the woman before her with regretful tears freely rolling down her cheeks. She starts to set the bandaging aside and just works on applying the salves that might spare the woman from some of the pain in her final moments. "Sentinal, I pray to you...to help us find the monster that did this. To help us bring justice for this poor lost soul. Queen of Endings, help guide her in this time...help her have no fear as she walks with you by your side..." When she looks over her shoulder, she blinks and looks over at Sparte, telling the others, "There's one over there!" She remains near the woman, not wanting to leave her side even if her death may be certain.

Orathy pushes beyond Ferrando when the Bringer tells them to join their cause. In the dark it's hard to see the confusion but it continues again to ask even as Orathy approaches with an axe raised upward to hammer down at the creature. It was rubicund, it was at least better than steal. "Why do you fight? The cause is what he wants. What you should want." Orathy doesn't do anything fancy, doesn't even say anything, but he swings... The blow while it catches the figure that hissed words at them, causes little damage overall. In retribution, the Bringer lashes out but Orathy's bounding back into one of the rooms to avoid being hit, opening up room for the others to try...

Sparte checked mana + occult against difficulty 15, resulting in 20, 5 higher than the difficulty.

Dominique checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 15, resulting in 44, 29 higher than the difficulty.

Sparte checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 15, resulting in 61, 46 higher than the difficulty.

Sparte's ointment of oil splashing toward the Bringer... Hard to say if it does anything on contact, although there's a strange odor rising from the Bringer afterward, one can certainly track it by smell if not by sight. Do you smell, what Sparte's cooking? The Lantern might give away the creature like a mirage would, flickering time to time, here, there, ghostly.

Dominique checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 15, resulting in 44, 29 higher than the difficulty.

Umay has rolled a critical success!
Umay checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 15, resulting in 26, 11 higher than the difficulty.

Dominique is the nest one in the hallway. She has no witty repitore. She just goes in for a strikes with her blade and then backs off ducking into a side room to give the next person a try. Human whack 'o' mole with a Bringer.

Umay tries to help the woman feel protected as she passes on, looking torn as she looks over at Sparte and the others. She starts to stand up and steps backwards away from the bringer to at least stay out of harms' away if nothing else. "B-be careful you guys, please!"

When Ferrando says 'Bringer', Tikva closes her eyes, opens them again, and then inhales, breathing in to support her voice from the diaphragm. Then people are in motion and everything seems to be happening quickly. But the Bringer is invisible. Shooting arrows at an invisible thing strikes her as not so smart. She watches with bright, hunting eyes. Inexplicably, like, this is totally a weird thing to do, guys, she begins to sing: "Limerance, guide us, our duty true, by light of flame, holy orders do, we vow to follow in love and trust--" Her low voice is warm and fuzzy, supported by strength from her core, and then suddenly she switches the words of her song from an old familiar hymn to something very different, belting out with rising volume, "Come forth into the light, I don't have a /rhyme/," and nocks a white-fletched arrow to her bow as she sings out, putting the full force of her will apparently behind her-- song.

Tikva checked mana + performance against difficulty 15, resulting in 39, 24 higher than the difficulty.

Tikva checked stamina + athletics against difficulty 15, resulting in 12, 3 lower than the difficulty.

Valdemar checked dexterity + huge wpn against difficulty 15, resulting in 36, 21 higher than the difficulty.

Valdemar checked dexterity + huge wpn against difficulty 15, resulting in 41, 26 higher than the difficulty.

Ferrando judges the time right to step in after Dominique and Orathy step back and swings his mace downward to where he thinks it will do the most damage on the Bringer upstairs.

Ferrando checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 15, resulting in 57, 42 higher than the difficulty.

Ferrando checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 15, resulting in 58, 43 higher than the difficulty.

The lantern swings, and in the swaying light, Valdemar can see the not-man charging towards Sparte. Well, he charges, too, towards the creature, axe at the ready. "Keep that lantern high!" he bellows as the axe blade arcs through the air and towards the bringer.

Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 15, resulting in 21, 6 higher than the difficulty.

Merek checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 15, resulting in 19, 4 higher than the difficulty.

Merek takes a moment to lift up his blades, then he rushes towards the Bringer of Silence with his blades, still wet from the water placed upon them. First the red steel is flashed, then the black, and he twirls both as he tries to do a step maneuver to the side, in hopes to avoid any return strikes.

Carissa, a Malvici bodyguard arrives, following Eirene.

Carissa, a Malvici bodyguard leaves, following Eirene.

The Third Floor Bringer was struck first by a hell of a hard hit from Orathy's brutual axe, slicing into the flesh of the Bringer in a hit that should have crumpled any normal man to the dust but here, only made the Bringer angry. A return attack was made but the Culler jumped out of the way, leaving the Bringer open for Dominique's ferocious tag teamed attack, as if she had worked with Orathy before in such dark confines in a narrowing hallway against a Bringer! No fear, the woman's blade matches the weight of Orathy's, but with little outward effect but creating an effectual need to kill. Only, the singing breaks the Bringer's attention away from the bounding Dominique, the black silhouette of the Bringer moving toward Tikva, convinced and utterly trained on her now, to the point that the others may not even be pursued in counter attacks. Death to the one who sings. Case in point, Ferrando's charge is met with little adversity, causing damage and simply making it look too easy to get out of the way! Unfortunately, that means for Tikva, things are a little more challenging! (Tikva, add +5 to difficulty of rolls. Everyone else, lower your defense difficulty by -5!)

The main floor Bringer is seeing some interesting reactions to the Lantern and the Oil. The creature is easier to see. Where the oil splattered, the invisibility wears off. Even after a vicious lunge at Sparte, the emotionless face turns toward Umay. It proceeds to walk toward her, gaining on the dead woman that she clusters over, until the duel attack by Valdemar and Merek prompt the Bringer back. The oil is doing something to weaken the Bringer, just enough that Valdemar's blade has more punch to it. Merek's strike caused there to be some more stench to rise, from the blade wetted perhaps, but the duo strikes make some visibility more keen. Runnels of slow clotting blood makes for another cinch in the invisibility. They can definitely see the thing now, the human face, the devoid eyes, the emotionless stance, the automated motions to kill.

Orathy checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 43, 13 higher than the difficulty.

Orathy checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 25, resulting in 35, 10 higher than the difficulty.

Tikva checked dexterity + archery against difficulty 20, resulting in 68, 48 higher than the difficulty.

Tikva checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 20, resulting in 21, 1 higher than the difficulty.

Oh, wait. Maybe it's a bad idea for the smallest person in the party to try to tank all the aggro, you say? Tikva lets fly the white-fletched arrow she held to ready, sending it for where she believes its mouth ought to be. Only after she lets fly and sends the gleaming steel head and white feathered haft towards the Bringer's gullet (?) does she dive into a roll in her effort to escape the advance she has drawn onto herself. You know. Or try to.

Keso arrives, following Aleksei.

Keso leaves, following Aleksei.

Ferrando checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 51, 21 higher than the difficulty.

Ferrando checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 25, resulting in 65, 40 higher than the difficulty.

Orathy charges back in once he realizes that the Bringer was attracted to Tikva. He comes at it from behind, hacking away at the thing! It looked human, but was definitely of a different smell. In the confines of the hallway or where ever that Tikva is leading it, for it will follow, Orathy's blade goes as well. Hack. Smack. Jumping back when it swats at him.

Ferrando finds it a little difficult to discern with the Bringer's veiled form making it indistinct at best, but he can tell that -something- Tikva did with her song seems to have turned its attention away from him to her entirely. This renders his attempts to block it a little difficult, since it basically doesn't seem to care if it goes -through- him or not, and he's forced to back up in a swinging defense just not to get trampled. "Is that what we needed to do to them all this time? Sing at 'em? I mean, they -are- working for 'silence', so I guess it makes sense," he observes hectically as he futilely tries to prevent it passing him and going for Tikva. At the very least, he can try and smash it hard in the side as it gets by, and that's what he does. Its return swipe is more perfunctory than anything else; it really wants to get after Tikva!

Sparte checked dexterity + athletics against difficulty 15, resulting in 13, 2 lower than the difficulty.

Sparte checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 30, resulting in 39, 9 higher than the difficulty.

The third floor Bringer is starting to look... mangled. While the stamina of a regular person by now would be entirely gone and the person a lifeless husk on the floor, this lifeless husk was standing, fighting back with wild swings, a weapon too hard to see in the pitch of the blackness of this creepy Dust house. It would appear the trio left to assault the Bringer were doing what they could in a three pronged attack while Tikva's song, had encouraged it only upon herself. "DIE" is all that it speaks now, aimed at Tikva. Orathy and Ferrando's blades do considerable damage, but it really was Tikva's arrow that jolts the Bringer back a step. Systematically, the Bringer's ominous presence grows, dooming those in the space before it. There's even a turn toward Orathy, "Why do you fight the rightness of the Silence?" But it's goal is on ending Tikva. (Difficulty increases to 35, 40 for Tikva for her +5. Tikva defense 35. Defense for Orathy/Ferrando at 30).

The lantern bobs as Sparte moves through the room, stepping up onto the furniture he upended before as he lifts his visor up with the side of his hand holding the oil flask, tipping the remaining contents into his mouth. The flask is dropped and he bounces back towards the bringer, hand snaking to the glass guard on his lantern and lifting it off as he spits the oil from his mouth through the open flame at the creature.
Sparte isn't entirely unscathed by the attempt. Some of the flame catches him in the face and singes away what had been eyebrows and eyelashes, a failure to expel it all swiftly enough. He drops the glass guard for his lantern, causing it to shatter on the ground as his hand reflexively goes to pat at his face. A reflexive crouch is all that saves him from a retaliatory strike.

Umay checked strength + brawl against difficulty 30, resulting in 18, 12 lower than the difficulty.

Umay checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 30, resulting in 10, 20 lower than the difficulty.

Umay looks around herself frantically and heads over to try to pick up the chair that Sparte had so loudly kicked aside earlier. She hefts it up and says, "Leave my friends alone!" She spins once to help pick the momentum before trying to toss it at the Bringer. While Umay looks happy that it's broken on him, she is anything but when the pieces of the chair are thrown back at her. She flinches and brings her arms up to shield her vital parts, though there are some pained shouts as some of the shrapnel embeds in her unarmored flesh. She looks down at the damage and focuses on her breathing to keep the pain under control as she tries to remove the bits of pieces of splintered wood.

Sparte checked luck against difficulty 15, resulting in 15, 0 higher than the difficulty.

Valdemar checked dexterity + huge wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 64, 34 higher than the difficulty.

Valdemar checked dexterity + huge wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 43, 13 higher than the difficulty.

Tikva checked dexterity + archery against difficulty 40, resulting in 52, 12 higher than the difficulty.

Tikva checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 35, resulting in 40, 5 higher than the difficulty.

One good hack deserves another. Whatever this bringer is, even half invisible, it seems Valdemar's blade can cut it. So he swings again with a shout, aiming his blade at the thing's neck and doing his best to try and leave some lasting damage. A full or partial decapitation would be peachy.

From her knees, breathlessly, Tikva levels another shot up the great height of the Bringer at its mouth, and then scrambles and flees, ducking and dodging quickly through the gloom of the room. "Life!" she calls back as she moves. It's almost another sung note, but for the loss of her breath.

Ferrando checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 35, resulting in 47, 12 higher than the difficulty.

Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 34, 4 higher than the difficulty.

Ferrando checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 46, 16 higher than the difficulty.

Merek checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 30, resulting in 29, 1 lower than the difficulty.

Merek takes a moment to circle around the Bringer of Silence, and then he shifts his blades. Whenever it strikes Umay, he seems to take the opportunity to match Valdemar's strike with one that is aimed towards the midsection, attempting to pierce it with both blades, then pull them clean out afterwards, however this leaves him open a small bit as he tries to maneuver back.

Ferrando turns and shifts his attack to pound at the back of the Bringer to punish it for its monomaniacal focus on Tikva. Nothing quite like a spurned tank for irritation. "Yeah yeah, you said that already," he grunts to the Bringer as he winds up to slam his mace into some vertebrae. Not that the creepily shrouded and unnaturally moving Bringer actually uses them anymore, but it makes Ferrando feel a bit better to crush a few of them with brutal ferocity.

Orathy checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 35, resulting in 35, 0 higher than the difficulty.

Orathy checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 30, resulting in 32, 2 higher than the difficulty.

The bringer on the Ground level was still in full fighting fashion. Anger isn't a part of what they are. It is silently done, with emotionless actions. The spittal of oil that gets ignited toward the Bringer is regarded with apathy. There is no determination toward self-preservation. While it was a good attempt, a good portion of the oil lands on the floor boards of the Dust House, flames spreading wildly with the aid of oil. It also catches the bottom hem of the Bringer's trousers. It's a slow catching build that rises up the leg of the Bringer. It seems unphased that it's burning, turning it's arm out toward the chair that's flung at it and sending back toward the Godsworn a woosh of splinters and chunks of chair as it basically explodes against the Bringer. Valdemar's strong arm would work well against normal Shavs, against enemies that weren't abyssal servants. The blades seem to just glance aside, even if they might get stuck in flesh, it is not something that hacks easily. The Bringer's gaze reverts to Valdemar, countering, before twisting to meet Merek's weapon of choice, whatever the blade was anointed with causing additional harm to the Bringer, visible now, as whatever had caused it to be cloaked from their eyes is no more. The fire, definitely the fire helps. ... but the fire also SPREADS... It starts flickering and moving along the floorboards, flaming oil driplets bleeding downward, to the cellar below.

The Bringer on the third floor is ... missing an arm? The flaps of skin are showing? Bones have been crunched! Yet is still walks. It still comes for them. It still has only an intent to kill showing through. It still goes for Tikva. Though it's weakened. It's drag of limbs to attack makes it clear. The Bringer is going to need to lose it's head though, before it can be called officially dead!

Orathy checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 40, resulting in 48, 8 higher than the difficulty.

Orathy checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 35, resulting in 28, 7 lower than the difficulty.

Tikva checked dexterity + archery against difficulty 40, resulting in 45, 5 higher than the difficulty.

Tikva checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 35, resulting in 41, 6 higher than the difficulty.

Ferrando checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 40, resulting in 58, 18 higher than the difficulty.

Ferrando checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 35, resulting in 59, 24 higher than the difficulty.

Tikva doesn't want to get any nearer to her number one fan, so she certainly isn't the one to take its head. She sends another arrow sailing back towards it and scrambles further away again, ricocheting off the wall even as she dodges around back in the vague general direction of the ladder.

Orathy's axe drives home in it's back again, striking from behind, always from behind. He might have taken the arm. It was hard to tell in the dark. He could only attack at things, movements, shapes and sounds that he associated with the Bringer. The last THUD of his axe sinking into the Bringer had it securely in, to the point that as he was going to thump his foot against the creature to dislodge it, he gets a backhanded WHACK... and is sent sailing into a wall, impact cushioned by some flower vase and hallway table... He ends up in a heap with all the junk! Even if no one could see it, the sound alone was enough to wince at!

Sparte checked dexterity + huge wpn against difficulty 40, resulting in 31, 9 lower than the difficulty.

Sparte checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 40, resulting in 49, 9 higher than the difficulty.

Sparte sets down the lantern, once again drawing his claymore. Whatever happened to his face is behind his visor, but this much can be told - he isn't that concerned with his safety either. Stepping into the area near the bringer Sparte drags his blade through furniture and other inanimates that might be between him and the bringer, floor included. That doesn't make his blows terribly effective, but he is suddenly all about getting up in that bringer's biz.

Ferrando growls a bit in frustration since he can't get the Bringer's attention and Orathy is all over (and his axe is -in-) the Bringer's back, so he switches up his tactics. Moving counter around the space to the direction Tikva is leading the Bringer, instead of chasing the Bringer and smashing it in the back, he ends up coming towards Tikva when she makes her next dodging turn and passes her from behind, already winding up and swinging a mace over her head and straight into to the face of the Bringer. With a wet squelch and a staccato series of muffled snaps of bone, the impact seems to stop the Bringer right in its tracks and it topples over backward, Ferrando losing his balance as well trying to keep his weapon gripped through the collision. He ends up crashing to the ground not that far from Orathy.

Umay checked intellect + survival against difficulty 25, resulting in 19, 6 lower than the difficulty.

The Bringer on Floor Three, is brought down. There aren't any wailing moans or shrieks. There is nothing but that squelch of blood and bone, and the heavy thump of what used to be a man, crumpling to the floor proper. Those on the third floor have yet to smell smoke, but there's certainly the aroma of the dead up here!

Umay checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 40, resulting in 14, 26 lower than the difficulty.

Orathy checked wits + survival against difficulty 15, resulting in 12, 3 lower than the difficulty.

Ferrando checked wits + survival against difficulty 15, resulting in 37, 22 higher than the difficulty.

Tikva checked wits + survival against difficulty 15, resulting in 51, 36 higher than the difficulty.

Orathy groans a little, looking toward the sounds of Ferrando crashing down near to him along with the collapsing body of the Bringer, "We... fuckin... did it?" His head slumps back against the wall, "Fuck.. where be the fuckin scotch... at?" His hand goes to the back of his head, scrubbing in the darkness, "We be all alive? Who be all 'ere then? Ferrando?"

Ferrando rolls to his side and then up onto his knees, swiping some bits of broken vase out of his cloak. "Still kicking. You okay?" he asks the Culler man before squinting to make sure the indistinct form of the Bringer is really down for good. It sure seems to be done with complaining that they haven't Joined Brand To Do The Silence Thing in the last ten seconds, so it seems pretty safe to call it done, though. "And yeah, I think we got i..." He sniffs suddenly. "...uhh, anybody else smell something burning?" he states with a definite THAT'S-not-good tone to his voice.

Umay is caught in a panic, trying to get the splinters out, and the growing fire only makes it worse. "Oh no! No, no, no no..." She looks around in desperation and asks, "What puts out oil, what puts out oil..It's something different than water...." She can't seem to recall, so she just tries to stomp out some of the smaller embers out to no avail. She tries to endure the flames but has to hop away from them when part of her skirt catches on fire. "Argh!!" She shouts out, trying now to focus on making sure that -she- isn't envelopped in flames.

Tikva lies flat on the floor for a moment, breathing hard despite the stench of death. Her lips move, shaping the muttered rush of a prayer. Then she pushes herself up to her hands and knees, crawls a few feet across the floor towards Ferrando and Orathy, and then springs herself standing. She offers them each a hand up, bracing her booted feet wide even as she provides this simple leverage. "I definitely smell smoke."

Valdemar checked dexterity + huge wpn against difficulty 40, resulting in 35, 5 lower than the difficulty.

Valdemar checked dexterity + huge wpn against difficulty 40, resulting in 33, 7 lower than the difficulty.

Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 1, resulting in 63, 62 higher than the difficulty.

Merek checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 80, resulting in 15, 65 lower than the difficulty.

And now there's fire. And a bringer that doesn't want to die. Valdemar decides he can do more about that latter problem, but this time his swing falls short, or the bringer ducks out off the way. Something goes awry. The creature's return strike has Valdemar staggering back and coughing as he's briefly winded.

Ferrando takes Tikva's hand and orients himself back up onto his feet. "We'd better get downstairs before we'll have to jump off the roof again to get out of here," he declares quickly. "Come on, the others could probably use some help too."

Merek takes a sweeping glance of a blow to his midsection, then he winces a bit. After he notices that people are being hurt, he feels he can watch no longer. He sees Umay, in the state she's in, and now he sees Valdemar winded. The flames won't let them proceed much longer. He then shakes his head, as he shifts back. Then he lets out a cry, "GLORIAAAAAAAAA!" and rushes forward, one blade aimed to sink in the side of the Bringer's neck and swivel, the other in its gut to come out the other side if he can manage it... Though this does not kill it, the beast has been severely wounded, but at the cost that he himself receives such a forceful tear from the claws that his leather armor's front is sheathed open, and a splash of the man's blood is sent flying, along with him, and shreds of what he was wearing. It's hard to tell if he is alive at this time, someone will likely have to pull him out.

Umay checked wits + survival against difficulty 15, resulting in 11, 4 lower than the difficulty.

The flames are rising. They're growing. No amount of effort from Umay could possibly see them controlled... now.

Ferrando checked wits + streetwise against difficulty 15, resulting in 31, 16 higher than the difficulty.

Tikva checked wits + survival against difficulty 15, resulting in 52, 37 higher than the difficulty.

Orathy lumbered up after Ferrando... his lean was considerable now. He grabs his axe but hobbles his way behind the others, starting to catch onto the smell of smoke that was rising up through the building. The glow as they race down the stairs (as much as they can in the dark) starts to illuminate things. Things he's seen before. People as he passes by rooms, the things that were familiar... He squints as he stops at the bottom of the last set of stairs that gets them to the ground team, looking toward the cellar. He suddenly bellows, "WE RIGGED THIS PLACE! GET OUT!! GET OUT NOW!"

The Bringer is MANGLED by Merek! Like if the blade had been anymore precise, the entire thing's head would've been clean off! As it is, the Bringer fights back, even if it was engulfed in flames now, flesh boiling black, the stench of its body cooking slowly smelt. It still seems to have some life in it, moving with the intent to kill and hurt maim and ... sparing no expense for itself!

Sparte sees Merek fall and his priorities are set. He steps in to grab Merek by the arm, pulling the man halfway onto his back if he needs to and straining to get the two of them out of the building. "Out! Out!"

Ferrando raises a hand to shield his eyes as they try to go from dark upstairs to on-fire downstairs. "You heard him! Get moving!" he shouts to Orathy's bellow, quickly looking around to see if he needs to carry anybody out. Sparte, Merek, Valdemar, Umay... he pushes Dominique toward Umay to help her and charges over to Merek and Sparte, helping grab Merek's other arm and trying to hustle them all out.

The Bringer starts to HISS.

Umay stmbles back from the flames and scrambles to try to follow the others out of the burning building. She does look over her shoulder and frowns to herself when she realizes that they'll have to leave the body behind, but it does not stop her from hurrying on out.

Tikva charges for the exit, pell-mell and lickedy split. "Run! Quickly!" she calls. "Break the windows if you have to, the building's going down anyway--"

Merek's hands seem to move for his blades, groggy as he is, so that the weapons don't remain in the place. However all he succeeds in doing is dragging them across the floor, even as he feels the flames in the room. He seems to be drifting through consciousness, as Ferrando and Sparte pull him out of the burning building that is about to be destroyed.

Orathy gestures toward the doors, the windows, anything. Get out. He looks toward where the oil had dripped, toward that cellar door. He looks toward the wall of flames that surrounds the Bringer. Coughing against the flames, he throws himself through them, coming to bulldoze through the flames, Bringer be damned. It does hiss as he leaps through the flames, "Thinnest Place! Rightness of the Silence!" Orathy comes alongside Umay and grabs her arm on the way by, "HURRY... HHAH! FUCK! Who lit that one on fire?!" He half cheers for it when he looks back, hoping no one was left behind. Merek was accounted for, Dominique, Umay under his arm, Tikva, Sparte, yes okay, where was Valdemar. Orathy pauses to look for him, "Get out of there! Leave the Bringer ta burn!"

Umay hisses out when Orathy grabs her arm, but tries to hurry and keep up with Orathy. "Not so fast Orathy!" She complains, the blood still running down from her wound and some wood splinters still sticking out here and there.

Merek seems to be out of it as he is dragged from the building. He will need healing and tending, but should be back to his old self eventually. For now though, he is peacefully in unconsciousness.

Ferrando is intent on getting as far away from the building as possible, dragging both Iron Guardsmen with him as far as necessary. "We might be out of that building, but a big enough piece comes off when that thing falls and hits ya, you're still fuckin' dead!" he yells, trying to get away down the street.

Orathy checked strength + athletics against difficulty 15, resulting in 49, 34 higher than the difficulty.

Orathy grumbles at the necessity that Umay forces of his hand, saying nothing as he stoops abruptly to pick her up off her feet and run them as fast as he could carry her with that limping gait. "AYE! Youse better fuckin RUN! It's going ta blow!"

Sparte sheathes his claymore once he is out of the building, moving both hands to Orathy. "Gonna need another lantern." Unconscious Merek is drug alongside Ferrando. "And a handcart to dump a body into. Anyone here know where to get one of those?" He isn't concerned for the danger overly much. His grasp of mortality is a smidge skewed by adrenaline right now.

"I'm trying!" Umay tries to say again to Ferrando, before Orathy hefts her up to carry her. She's small and light, but it's still probably a hard task on a bad leg. "Orathy, no, you're hurt!" She tries to protest, but at the same time she tries not to squirm too much to limit the strain on the man's injuries as he takes her to what he feels would be a safe distance.

Ferrando gives Sparte a vaguely incredulous look. "Maybe think about that in two minutes from a safer distance than the building they -rigged- to blow!" he complains as he tries to encourage a faster evacuation of KO'd Merek from the vicinity of the now-definitely-on-fire building's exterior.

It's a good thing they cleared the building - even if they got so far as the muddy path winding between the buildings, that'd be better than in the building. The fire would burn almost harmlessly for a while longer... until it doesn't. Until there's an explosion that rocks the foundations of the Dust House they were in. ONE enormous fireball engulfs the rest out the House, consuming it with an embracing hail of fire and smoke. It sends anyone in the close proximity sprawling... ! Debris are flung and launched... and then immediately, the building starts to collapse in on itself. All can be sure the second Bringer was good and dead. Merek's sword proved enough to cause it grave injury that it couldn't possibly have escaped... It couldn't be fast enough to avoid the fire, could it? Nawh. That sucka is dead!