The Claim of the Rose: Bastion of Blood pt 2 has started at Outside Arx - Lyceum near The Roseward - Edge of the Roseward - Volkov Forest.

In the previous instance of Bastion of Blood, our heroes came across the woman from the entrance hall, just as she starts to 'operate' on someone. She looks at them with sheer disdain as she stops, reaching for that sickle of hers, lying on the table. Her patient forgotten in favor of greeting these new guests.

"It was a mistake to have come here."

Vitalis darts forward, halberd whickering - some instict says 'she probably shouldn't get hold of that scythe.' He means to knock it away or foul her steps before she can lay hands on it - or the hapless victim - or them!!

Vitalis checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 1 higher.

Vicente already has his sword in hand for having just killed the other person who was in such agony. He spots the woman darting towards the scythe and while Vitalis has been moving towards knocking it away, Vicente is moving to run his sword through her knee rather than attempting to kill her outright.

From one gruesome scene to the next, as Vitalis charges forward she then follows suit to help provide as a countering distraction to the maneuver. With the success of knocking it out of her reach, Brigid lunges forward, thrusting towards the woman herself from the side in tandem with Vicente's attempt for a blow to her knee - glaive is used for now keeping her greatsword secured.

And Lora..? Lora hangs back several steps, though that simply means she's slower to come along. It might be that she's caught by the sight of this strange woman preparing to carve up her chosen victim. It might be that she's drawing out another vial of oil, Lagoma-blessed, in case it becomes necessary to burn the whole place down.

Vicente checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 5 lower.

Thea wields Skystrike, the finely crafted diamondplate kopis.

Brigid checked strength + huge wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 7 lower.

Thea sees the woman and for the briefest of seconds contemplates--well--doesnt matter. Her blade is drawn and seeing Vitalis dart forward, Thea does the same. She cant possibly fight them both off. Can she?

The weapon is kept out of the woman's reach by Vitalis, while Brigid and Vicente try to take out her legs. But she proves to be faster than expected, and just as well, because she reaches for a scalpel on the table beside the 'patient', holding it with a trained knife-master's hand. Then, in a blur, she lashes out, and it feels as if the wind blows close to those three that attempted to hit her.

Vicente checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 22 lower.

Brigid checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 21 lower.

Vitalis checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 17 higher.

Esme checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 3 higher.

Thea checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 4 higher.

The Vivisector brutally stabs Brigid and Vicente on the shoulders, likely intentionally only narrowly missing a tendon. 30 inflicted and Vicente is harmed for serious damage.

The Vivisector brutally stabs Brigid and Vicente on the shoulders, likely intentionally only narrowly missing a tendon. 30 inflicted and Brigid is harmed for serious damage.

Thea checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 3 lower.

While Thea manages to score a strike on the Vivisector's gut, she is also struck, under the arm. 30 inflicted and Thea is harmed for serious damage.

Vitalis hisses at the swiping arc of a scalpel all too close for comfort and the bright blood that spills from his comrade's wounds. He bares his teeth, and readies a viscious strike - no quarter.

Vitalis checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 20 lower.

Esme has been with Lora or something this whole time. She was praying because that's what devotions do, however, knights pull their swords. Kindness gleams as Esme wields it and swings her sword at the woman.

Esme checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 8 higher.

Vicente snarls at the blade nearly hitting the very area he had been trying to hit on her leg as he tries to step back. He draws his sword back after a moment and glances around the room but shifts his eyes back towards the woman with narrowed eyes and then takes his arm and rather than aim at her leg he now moves for a broader slice across her stomach.

Vicente checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 24 lower.

Perhaps at some point Lora will question having come here without a weapon, but so she is. And while most of the party goes to counter the Vivisector, she moves deeper into the room, to blow out all of the flames on of the candelabra. As she goes, she retrieves what might've been a scarf from her bag and douses it with the oil.

Brigid bit back a cry, but the strangled attempt was leaked through as teeth bit down savagely into lower lip - eyes were blazing as the grip on her glaive loosened, hoping that the several points of attack and the fact multiple sources were striking would put the fiend down. Another strike is attempted, this time trying to take a position further away as fingers curled white knuckle before thrusting the serrated point of her glaive towards the woman's torso once more.

Brigid checked strength + huge wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 37 lower.

Vitalis checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 26 higher.

Esme checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 14 higher.

Brigid checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 5 higher.

Vicente checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 13 lower.

Thea winces as she's struk, but nope. She will try again.

Thea checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 9 higher.

The Vivisector, weakened by the attacks, howls as she strikes Vicente on the gut with her scalpel. 45 inflicted and Vicente is unharmed.

The woman moves fast; slower now that she's been wounded not once, but twice, and the combined efforts whittle down her defenses. But she moves faster than a normal human, and her muscles ripple strangely; almost as if they're fueled by something, as she strikes fast and strikes hard on each and every one of them, wher she can hit at all, that is. But it's the howls in pain that herald the arrival of boots pounding on the floor, not too far from their position. Reinforcements are coming, but they have time yet.

Her scalpel, gleaming red with the blood of Vicente and of Brigid, is held outward and down, now.

Vitalis thudding footfalls bring Vitalis' head up, eyes widening, "Lora! Can you see how many?" If she's not too far from the door, that is. He grimaces, firms his grip, and steps into another strike, putting all his weight behind the thrust.

Vitalis checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 2 lower.

Esme hears the footsteps as well. "Thorns." That was her swear word of the day. If you are from Fidante that's so naughty, anywhere else it's cute and tame. Then she narrows her eyes and attempts to swing at the woman's neck again.

Thea checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 2 lower.

Esme checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 28 lower.

Vicente checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 39 lower.

Once all the lights on the candelabra have been extinguished, Lora wraps the oil-soaked silk tightly around a few of its branches. Some, not all, twisting the fabric tight and wrapping it as thickly as she can manage in short order. The sound of approaching footfalls is alarming, and maybe cause to hurry on up: once she's satisfied with it, she holds it up to a still-burning light so that it will ignite, then moves some steps in the direction of those reinforcements.

Brigid upon hearing the footfall of more approaching snarls, hurling her glaive forward in a ditching effort which might be impeded by the wound to her shoulder, the greatsword Canon is wielded now and gripped tightly does she lunge forward to take the strange creature down before Lora has to burn some bodies.

Brigid checked strength + huge wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 17 lower.

Lora checked wits + intimidation at difficulty 50, rolling 8 higher.

Vicente takes the blow to his stomach but his armor seems to absorb all the effect. His own attack somehow missing fabulously in a way that only the most skilled can to intentionally because not even the unskilled could miss so badly unintentionally. He has a slight hobble from the first slice and draws back to prepare to strike at her through her leg once again as the opportunity presents itself.

Dante checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 11 lower.

Dante checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 15 higher.

Vitalis checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 44 higher.

Esme checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 7 higher.

Thea checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 18 higher.

Brigid checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 16 lower.

Vicente checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 6 higher.

Brigid is struck repeatedly by the Vivisector's scalpel, who still seems to be howling in fury. 60 inflicted and Brigid is unharmed.

Wounded or not, the woman moves quickly; each strike of hers is done in half the time one of theirs is launched, and her wounds seem to be hissing out with smoke, where she was struck by the diamondplate. The blade pointed low as she strikes at Brigid's gut, but it doesn't get past her armor.

The reinforcements are just around the corner now, and already can Lora make out their misshapen, misfit bodies, encased in steel armor.

Vicente checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 30 lower.

Vicente checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 21 lower.

Vicente checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 2 lower.

Vicente checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 0 higher.

Esme checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 7 lower.

Esme checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 11 higher.

Dante checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 5 lower.

Dante checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 46 higher.

Esme checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 1 lower.

Esme checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 11 higher.

Vitalis checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 14 higher.

Vitalis checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 21 higher.

Vitalis checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 2 higher.

Thea checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 19 higher.

Vitalis checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 4 higher.

Dante checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 19 lower.

Dante checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 28 higher.

Thea checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 8 lower.

Brigid checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 28 lower.

Thea checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 21 higher.

Thea checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 36 higher.

Brigid checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 60, rolling 41 lower.

Lora checked wits + intimidation at difficulty 50, rolling 15 lower.

Brigid checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 11 lower.

Brigid checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 7 lower.

Lora checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 20, rolling 3 lower.

"Too many," is Lora's grim pronouncement of how many reinforcements have come. She doesn't immediately yield her place on the floor, though; rather, she wraps both hands around the candelabra and waves it in their direction. A distraction, a delay. And not much more than that before they're coming again and she has to fall back again.

Esme lifts her head a bit as she hears Lora and hears the footsteps. She keeps the sword in her hand but she oddly lowers it to her side. She will calmly walk over to Lora and then in front of her. There is something just serene about her movements. The woman lifts her helm and she seems just a bit brighter. Her hair more than auburn but something of a shimmering effect. Her always present smile is suddenly far more radiate. Not only channeling her inner happiness, but something almost glowing to it. In fact, should one look her emerald eyes are actually lit up with an unnatural light. She /smiles/ towards the running hoarde. "Please put down your weapons."

Vitalis checked willpower at difficulty 10, rolling 7 higher.

Vitalis struggles a moment when Esme - radiant - steps forward and speaks. He blinks and shakes his head as if to clear it, hunkering low to keep out of the gathering haze of smoke.

Thea checked willpower at difficulty 10, rolling 1 higher.

Brigid checked composure at difficulty 15, rolling 9 higher.

Surprisingly, the brutes lay down their weapons, but it doesn't seem like it's too far from their reach to just grab it and rush the group again. Whatever is holding them at bay is giving the group an easy way out of a fight with these creatures.

As for the Vivisector, the group, especially Vitalis, deals a lethal blow to it, raking across her neck as she bleeds out; it comes out a dark red, almost black, in fact, and thick as treesap.

Thea starts to lower her weapon. Starts is the keyword as she sees Esme practically shine. Coming to her senses at the last second, she grips her weapon again. Nope.

Vicente has seemeed to almost stop fighting altogether after taking a few steps back from the woman and seems to almost stop paying attention to anything in the room, his eyes focused away on something far on the other side of the room.

Brigid watches with a cool countenance as the vibrant Esme dazzles the reinforcements, the edge of her lips touched with a wry smile before it fades, soon she remembers as the disgusting woman bleeds out that there is a person on whom she was about to experiment on, " Do we take him? " A nod of her head in indication of the poor individual.

Vitalis looks with something like wary awe on Esme, edging towards the man slabbed out for the The Vivisector's pleasure. "Someone get that scalpel." Meanwhile the Mazetti lord works fast, doffing his cloak and rolling it around his halberd - makeshift litter. "Someone help me get him onto the cloak." He'll make an attempt on his own.

Esme's command, combined with her radiance, has Dante starting to kneel and lay down his sword - once he snaps out of it, though, he stands back up again and seizes it by both hands. Watching the Vivisector bleed out, the Marquis looks at those things. "We should destroy these abominations. They are affronts to the Gods and they'll likely just follow us later." With a determined look, he grabs the Edge of Perdition in both hands and steps forward, pivoting to try to hew one of the creatures in half.

Dante checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 4 higher.

Vicente looks absolutely hollow as he stands there, his eyes focused on the far side of the wall then over towards the man on the slab and says rather forcefully, "Get out of here, everyone and now." There's a steady empty feeling to his voice as though he's even now perhaps holding back or forcing forward and a slow sinister grin on his face.

Vitalis checked willpower at difficulty 10, rolling 12 higher.

Thea hurries after Dante, blade lifted and hurries out. She goes and darts atvthe first--whatever that is, aiming carefully.

Thea checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 1 higher.

Brigid checked command + leadership at difficulty 20, rolling 15 higher.

Lora notably does not put down her flaming candelabra, but sort of keeps it between her and the dumbstruck horde as she falls into line behind Dante. He's adept enough at carving a path out for the both of them, perhaps, leaving her to threaten to jab the melting candles at anything that gets too close. Something's murmured to Esme as she passes, with a tilt of her head toward Vitalis.

A nod towards Vitalis, going the scalpel is it hefted up and the man on the slab freed from the bonds that held him. Grunting, does she shoulder him with a steadying of her frame and guides him onto the makeshift litter. There is a cautionary glance towards Vicente, however and she makes sure to keep Canon close, " I would suggest you take that grin towards those out of the room, Lord Fidante."

Esme nods to what Lora says to her, but for the moment, Esme doesn't really move. She maintains her pretty self for the moment. She's trying to be calm and instill it for as long as she can hold it. The cleaving of two of their men is probably not going to assist. Her sword is not swung but it is hoisted a bit more in her hand. She's getting to 'at ready' as she shifts a bit in protection of Vitalis and those that reamin to help the other man.

Thea checked perception + medicine at difficulty 40, rolling 11 higher.

Two of six down, four are left. Already does Esme's influence on them start to wane, they are reaching for their weapons. Their limbs, too, seem mismatched, but moreso for their frames. Far too muscular, and they all have this sickly pale tint to them; some stitch marks here and there on their wrists and elbows.

Thea assesses the man while she can. Yes, she's trained to do that! "He needs to get to proper care. Stat!"the Malvici declares. "I can do what I can, but I need more supplies than what I have,"pointing out griss skin graffs parts of rejected skin and a spreading of infecting everywhere.

Vicente checked perception at difficulty 10, rolling 1 higher.

Esme checked perception at difficulty 10, rolling 4 lower.

Brigid checked perception at difficulty 10, rolling 2 lower.

Lora checked perception at difficulty 10, rolling 8 higher.

Thea checked perception at difficulty 10, rolling 13 higher.

Dante checked perception at difficulty 10, rolling 2 lower.

Vicente just continues to grin as he looks at the man that was on the slab and looks rather hallow save the grin on his face, "Slit his throat and get out of her now." His eyes staying fixed on the man. If there's an urgency in his words, it's not evident in his tone, "It's the best you can do for him now but out." His tone ever even, more flat than normal if such a thing could be stated.

" You do realize that he might have answers? I'm not leaving him but I suggest we move swiftly." A glance towards Vitalis, " I move when you're ready."

Thea lifts her eyebrow at Vicente,"Why are you looking at him like that,"but her eyes look at the walls behind him. "The walls--theyre bleeding."

Vitalis checked perception at difficulty 10, rolling 27 higher.

"Jayus wept, we're gonna get devoured..." Vitalis' hands are full of makeshift litter, he's got it, and nods to Brigid, heaving and ready to haul clear. "We'll do what we can," for the poor bastard, muttering to himself, "Even if that's just burying him."

It's a few steps before Lora fishes another, likely her last, little bottle of oil out of her bag. She breaks the wax seal and turns about with it, looking back toward the elder Fidante. "Lord Vicente, we need to go. Now." Over all the bloody, copper chaos, her voice is cool and silvered, an echo in it of demand. Command. Something. The oil is poured though, splashed in a line just beyond where the last of the momentarily paused stitched-men stands.

Whomever the man on the slab is, Dante figured he's already dead. Instead, his sword flashes in the light of torches and Esme's radiance, the combined illumination flickering on the alaricite blade as it comes down for a second savage strike on one of these stitched together monstrosities.

Where it hits, there is a hiss. A loud hiss, and some smoke. The oil makes something react poorly, that much is clear. But what /exactly/?

Dante checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 24 higher.

Thea checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 13 higher.

Dante checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 7 higher.

Esme takes a breath a bit to this. "Run." Esme says it as calmly as she can as she's trying desperately to hold this hoarde captivated. Her sword is hefted fully into her hand now. She hasn't swung yet. She's trying. Look. She's pretty. Look here.

Vicente checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 18 lower.

Esme checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 6 lower.

The band of goons slowly but surely reach for their weapons as Esme's spell seems to break. With a savagery, they rush the four closest to their position, their maces in hand.

The goons attack viciously and violently both Esme and Vicente. 25 inflicted and Vicente is harmed for moderate damage.

The goons attack viciously and violently both Esme and Vicente. 25 inflicted and Esme is harmed for moderate damage.

Thea eyes notice the reaction from the oil. "Why?" but there's still things abd the floor is sick, Thea is scrambling. The ceiling is pulsating,"We need to hurry out--NOW!" Her blade hacking into the next goon she sees.

Thea checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 24 higher.

Vitalis is still busy hauling a hapless bastard out of the blood-filling nightmare throat of this old forsaken hells hole.

Esme checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 6 lower.

Brigid, having gotten the green light from Vitalis would begin to haul and move, as she sought to exit the room itself with wounded man carried betwixt Dragoon and Ghost - save dropping him in a hurry to prevent an attack, they'd shift him out behind the line put forth by Dante, Esme, and Thea.

Esme is trying to hold the line, but she got hit. That causes the pretty shiny light to flick back to normal. Awww, just poor plain Esme now. "Ouch." She swings her sword towards the creatures while shifting to try and block them from the others trying to get out.

Vicente seems to release whatever he was holding and then starts to run away as quickly as he can from there. He's not even trying to attack anyone at this point, he's only fleeing as quickly as he can until he spots Esme and stops to offer support in her defense until she leaves or follows as she departs but not allowing her to take up the rear.

"Hurry," is Lora's only real advice. She stands, watches, waits - but mostly is watching Vicente for some sort of movement, some sign that he's actually going to vacate that position. Or she is watching the effect her oil has on the ground, more interesting somehow that the seeping, bleeding red... until she drops her candelabra into it and then turns to go as well.

Dante checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 36 higher.

While the others are busy getting the dying man out of the ground and the building is heaving and roiling like a sickly throat of madness, Dante charges forth and viciously hacks at the remaining obscenity while bringing up the rear guard, a savagery seeming to take hold of the Marquis as his strikes grow increasingly violent, keeping his body between Lora and anything that might approach from behind.

Amund has rolled 1 2-sided dice: 2

The firelight catches on the curve of the sickle, cast aside when the strange woman died. It's lit up enough to catch Lora's attention - and likely much to Dante's dismay she heads off in that direction to nab it before heading into the hallway properly. Away from the burning. And the bleeding. And ahead of whatever particular savagery seems to have taken hold of the marquis.

A flame creeps up the wall after Lora tosses her candelabra into the ground, while Thea and Dante both kill a goon. Esme fails to do so, however, but since she's blocking the goon's path, nothing is there to be done other than fight the Fidante. Then Dante strikes it again from behind and it's dead. Past the corner is a straight corridor that leads into a large stairwell. It has no railing as it spirals down, so a misstep could mean certain death, as it is at least five stories tall.

At the bottom of it is a basement. Not a common basement, but one where the floor has changed to a flesh-like texture, where there is a sickly green light coming from the scones that were apparently spared this strange conversion. Encased in what appears to be fresh amber are several people, with mismatched limbs and heads, their faces contorted into horrified expressions. And there, at the center, with a fleshy cord attached to the back of his neck, is Vladislav. Only, his eyes are no longer of the same color, and there is something just off about him. Torn in half at his left is the corpse of a man with armor bearing the markings of someone beholden to House Eco. A fine alaricite sword, broken in half, lies beside him.

When Vladislav rises to his feet, he speaks with the voice of a hundred people, and slowly but surely reaches for something in the blood-soaked ground: a wicked great-axe, made of blackened bone.

"Welcome to the Workshop. You will not be staying long."

Vitalis its a long slow curse that forms, rounded lips and widening eyes. "Shhhhh-" Vitalis dips carefully lowering the poor bastard to the ground, "-iiiiiii-" he straightens, going for a weapon at his hip, one he's practiced with, but never wielded in earnest against a foe. His father's weapon. "-iiiiitt." He fumbles for the stays and frees them, weight of the hammer strangely unexpected, however familiar. He tucks his chin, head down and charges, a broad and reckless swing meant to take the ... man's head off.

Vitalis checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 65, rolling 11 lower.

Brigid checked perception at difficulty 20, rolling 6 lower.

Vitalis checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 21 higher.

Vicente checked willpower at difficulty 15, rolling 7 lower.

Thea checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 65, rolling 14 lower.

Thea checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 15 higher.

The injured man is lowered, Canon gripped tight as she watches Vitalis charge towards the monstrosity but her attention is on the cord that is plugged in to Vladislav's neck, finding that it is attached to the wall. A deep breath is taken, wondering exactly how far the reach would be and what would happen, she charges forward to test it.

Of all of this - all of it - the fact that Vladislav, or the parts of Vladislav sort of patched back together is what causes Lora to freeze up for a couple of moments. She goes very still, possibly causing somebody else to pile into her slightly clunky steel-clad self, and very nearly drops the sickle she appropriated above. Then Vitalis moves, charging to go engage, and it seems to break whatever dark spell there was. "I'll watch your patient," she murmurs to Thea.

Thea looks over to Lora, thanking her with a small smile. Her gold-flecked green eyes lower to the poor the man. "There isn't much time." With that, she hurries to the--thing of pieces and lets het blade fall. On someone. Maybe.

Esme takes a breath and releases it. She takes another breath and releases it. Then she watches as others ready their weapons. Her eyes fall to the broken alaricite sword. Then she looks back towards Vladislav. The look in her eyes isn't anger. It's sorrow. Something deep and sad as she views all of this. Kindness is hefted up slightly and she focuses her attention. She notes where the flesh attaches to the back of the man's(?) head. There is a consideration as she swings for the arm that picks up the weapon.

Esme checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 65, rolling 14 lower.

Esme checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 1 higher.

Brigid checked strength + huge wpn at difficulty 65, rolling 37 lower.

Brigid checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 11 lower.

Vicente seems to be utterly unaware of everything around him, everything. He begins to toss oil about, on people, one the floor and walls, it just goes everywhere without so much as the slightest concern for where or who it goes on. His sword doesn't even seem to be in his hand anymore, it's been sheathed again. All regard for anything, even himself. After he has finished pouring the oil about he takes the nearest light source and throws it into the oil, all vacant stares at this.

This fresh horror - or rotten, as the case may be - doesn't improve Dante's mood. Whatever rage was building in him before slowly increases as he levels his sword at Vladislav. "I killed you once before! I will do it again! WE will do it again!" Not normally one to scream or bellow, he doesn't now either - the words issued in an icy voice. "With Gloria's power, you will be consigned to the Abyss, forever!" Whirling on his feet to slash viciously at the cord coming from Vladislav's head...

Dante checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 65, rolling 20 higher.

Vladislav, when he hits, is nothing like he was in the first encounter with the diFidantes. He is fast, and he is immensely strong. Brigid gets struck hard. 90 inflicted and Brigid is harmed for moderate damage.

Dante checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 55, rolling 3 lower.

When Dante severs the cord, it causes grievous damage to Vladislav's incomplete metamorphosis. But it also enrages the hulking former human, who is trying his best at turning the diFidante into diced meat. 100 inflicted and Dante is harmed for moderate damage.

As Vicente starts to pour oil everywhere, somehow, fire starts to spread. It is slow, at first, just embers. Then it starts to really catch, the heat and the flames and the smoke billowing everywhere and filling the room quickly. Soon enough, a circle of fire keeps the group and Vladislav trapped within a ring, even as Dante, Esme, Brigid and Vitalis go for it.

Some are more successful than others, with the diFidante severing that cord clean, only to receive a wound to the chest in return. Brigid, too, is noticeably hurt. The pale bulging arms of Vladislav start to have veins popping in a striking crimson as his enraged cry fills the room, and he starts to bullrush the group, fast; perhaps faster than any human ought to be.

Dante checked dexterity at difficulty 20, rolling 25 higher.

Brigid checked dexterity at difficulty 20, rolling 5 lower.

Esme checked dexterity at difficulty 20, rolling 3 higher.

Brigid gets trampled by the hulking Vladislav! 30 inflicted and Brigid is unharmed.

Lora checked perception at difficulty 25, rolling 5 lower.

Vicente checked perception at difficulty 25, rolling 18 lower.

Taking the strike, it breaks through her guard and blood is spat out onto the ground as she struggles to maintain her position - then comes the flames, momentarily distracted by the glow the Dragoon is then trampled into the ground. Slowly the tip of Canon is plunged into the strange floor, using it to get to her feet, movement is clearly slowed and an eye swollen shut. Regaining the greatsword, is the blade leveled once more after the mad rush, trying her best to gauge positioning.

Vicente stands and watches the fire burn unless something detracts him from it. He's not so much enjoying it as mesmerized by it.

There's little Lora can do, though she looks, perhaps, a trifle horrified that Vicente has set this entire room aflame, or tried to. She takes what might be akin to a defensive position by the victim from so many floors above though, and begins to hum to him, like someone might sing a lullaby to a child to help them sleep. Likely everyone here has heard this tune before. It's a dark world, after all.

Dante checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 65, rolling 15 lower.

A huge bone axe to the chest is no joke, leaving Dante reeling and gasping for breath through bruised ribs. Flames burst up around him, a shocked stare aimed at his uncle for a moment, but that's no more than he can spare before there's a rush by the berserk dead (semi-dead?) Vladislav. The Marquis' famed footwork gets him out of the way with a nimble spin - and the strike that he makes goes wide, barely missing.

Esme checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 65, rolling 6 lower.

Vicente checked willpower at difficulty 15, rolling 10 lower.

Esme is barely missed. Then there are flames everywhere and she moves for the creature man, man creature with her sword. There is a glance towards Vicente as well as the heat in the room grows in intensity. A breath pulled inoto her lungs but she trusts Lora to manage the man.

Thea is seriously wondering about Vicente and his--why the hells would he light the room on fire?! She takes a breath, debating to take the crazed man out(one extra body to cary out), or try for the pieced together thing again. She goes fir the latter..

Esme checked dexterity at difficulty 20, rolling 3 lower.

Vicente has been watching the fire but then his eyes break away from it, completely and utterly distracted from the fire. His eyes turn to look over towards the amber vessels and there's almost the look of desire to move over towards them, not quite moving but almost making that hesitating movement towards it, start then stop. He's focused on it though and he's pulling out his sword.

Thea checked stamina at difficulty 20, rolling 3 lower.

Dante checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 55, rolling 19 higher.

Thea coughs and sputters as her nose fills with the acrid smoke of the flames. 5 inflicted and Thea is unharmed.

Thea coughs and sputters as her nose fills with the acrid smoke of the flames. 5 inflicted and Thea is harmed for minor damage.

Esme checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 55, rolling 6 higher.

Thea checked stamina at difficulty 20, rolling 9 lower.

Vladislav fights quite like an animal. The bone axe seems like an extension of him, the sharp end glancing off the attacks of alaricite and diamondplate as he tries to rush the two assailants, to no avail. The smoke is thickest near Thea, and as the fight rages around them, the fire seems to add to the sheer chaos of the situation. Blood starts to drip down from the ceiling, like water from an icicle.

There is, then, the sound of something cracking. It is around them, it is near them, but it isn't near enough to be a concern yet.

Esme checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 65, rolling 5 lower.

Esme checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 65, rolling 15 higher.

Dante checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 65, rolling 16 lower.

Dante checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 65, rolling 3 lower.

Dante checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 55, rolling 6 lower.

Dante checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 55, rolling 6 lower.

Esme checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 55, rolling 1 lower.

Esme checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 55, rolling 15 lower.

Thea checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 65, rolling 6 lower.

Thea checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 65, rolling 16 lower.

Thea checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 55, rolling 3 lower.

Thea checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 55, rolling 11 lower.

Brigid checked strength + huge wpn at difficulty 65, rolling 37 lower.

Brigid checked strength + huge wpn at difficulty 65, rolling 35 lower.

Brigid checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 11 lower.

Brigid checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 4 higher.

Our intrepid heroes are all attacked at once by Vladislav, who, despite losing one arm, seems limber as ever. 50 inflicted and Esme is harmed for minor damage.

Our intrepid heroes are all attacked at once by Vladislav, who, despite losing one arm, seems limber as ever. 50 inflicted and Brigid is unharmed.

Our intrepid heroes are all attacked at once by Vladislav, who, despite losing one arm, seems limber as ever. 50 inflicted and Thea is harmed for minor damage.

Our intrepid heroes are all attacked at once by Vladislav, who, despite losing one arm, seems limber as ever. 50 inflicted and Dante is unharmed.

Esme readies her sword for the being's arm, hoping for the one with the weapon. It's not easy to hit it with all the smoke around her. She tries to use her helm to filter out some of the smoke as it raises. Then there is that crackling noise. There is a moment worry that it's her ribs cracking for a moment there. A coughing heard to come up from her side of the helm. She's less focused on the others and more on the thing before her. Somewhere in the back of her mind, that cracking noise though.

Brigid gathers what strength she still possesses, good silvery eye glittering as she spits out more blood onto the already gory floor. She strikes, misjudging given the swollen nature of her other eye and misses a lunge. As he turns to retaliate she is smacked back, cracking ribs further which causes a grimace to paint across the Dragoon's pale features.

Lora checked composure + performance at difficulty 45, rolling 5 higher.

Slashing violently at Vladislav, both quick cuts simply are repelled by the monstrous fiend as they deflect off of his armor and grafted flesh, leaving him unharmed. Dante is whacked but other than a painful bruise to the upper arm, is left without a wound. He prepares for the next assault.

Lora checked mana + occult at difficulty 20, rolling 14 higher.

Thea is well--surrounded by fire and her lungs fill with smoke. But she finds her way up anyway and tries again, her blade getting nowhere! In fact, the Malvici is already a bit breathless.

Vicente is still focused amber vessels, sword drawn but not yet moving towards them.

Vicente checked willpower at difficulty 15, rolling 5 lower.

Vicente checked luck at difficulty 10, rolling 3 lower.

The humming goes quiet as Lora looks around. At the flame, and the blood. At the massive creature that was a barbarous traitor, cut down on a drawbridge. At the place where he was sitting. And then she looks up toward the ceiling and whatever she sees up there is enough to make some decision for her. She sets the sickle down by the dying man, and with a little snap of metal pulls something from one of her bracelets. Pulls it, and throws it into the flames. Then, as she has in times past, she begins to sing and that is quiet for just a few moments before a song familiar to all of them will lift above the crackling. One of Gloria's canticles, calling for courage and protection for the weak.

Vicente reaches the amber vessel, shatters it with his sword. The thing comes out and as it does so, Vicente draws his sword back to slice it in two. His focus is utterly fixed, completely forgetting about those things about him, whatever those other people in the fire might be doing with that minor distraction with them. Just that thing on the floor.

Whatever worth is in the sacrifice, in what is spent, it also eases the hearts of those fighting. Their blades feel lighter, their steps feel smoother, despite their wounds. Thea is no longer bothered by the fire.

Vicente, poor Vicente, has a reprieve from whatever moment of fugue he's experiencing, a glimpse of clarity. Of course, he had to run through the six-limbed thing on the ground through the shoulder before that realization. But it is there.



As for Vladislav? Vladislav attacks several of them at once, with a savagery that is unparalled. There are stories of men who have this sort of fury within themselves, but it likely doesn't feel as wrong as this. Doesn't seem as wrong as this. As Esme cuts off his arm, he seems unstopped by the blood that leaks out, cleaving at them and harming Brigid, Esme and Thea, one time, each. And from the stumped arm, something seems to be growing in its place.

unparalleled*

Esme checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 55, rolling 8 higher.

Esme checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 7 higher.

Thea checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 55, rolling 11 lower.

Thea checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 33 higher. Thea rolled a critical!

Brigid checked strength + huge wpn at difficulty 55, rolling 35 lower.

Brigid checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 2 higher.

Dante checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 55, rolling 17 higher.

Dante checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 16 higher.

Dante checked luck at difficulty 10, rolling 0 higher.

Esme checked luck at difficulty 10, rolling 4 lower.

Vitalis wields Mandate.

Esme gets struck with a jagged... piece of rib? ... that juts out of Vladislav. 20 inflicted and Esme is harmed for moderate damage.

Vitalis dragged the poor bastard to safety and returns to find ... holocaust. Shielding his face from the heat with an elbow, Vitalis wades in and closes with the transforming horror of Vladislav.

Vitalis checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 55, rolling 19 higher.

Brigid checked perception + investigation at difficulty 25, rolling 17 lower.

Dante checked perception + investigation at difficulty 30, rolling 5 lower.

It's clear that whatever the ceiling is doing, it's going to do it soon. Lora doesn't miss a note, though there's possibly a keener edge to her song. She fishes sort of blindly through her bag until her fingers catch on smooth glass: one more vial of the oil she burned upstairs, that set the floor to hissing and smoldering. She looks at it, and then at those battling the horror show that is Vladislav. It takes her a second or two to decide and then she moves forward, so that this last bottle might be passed off. "Lord Vitalis! Above you!"

At the beginning of all this, Vitalis spied something out of place, or odd... he's peering through the strange dim and sees it still, but then there's Lora, foisting a vial off on him and gesturing at the protruberance above. Vitalis comes set, he winds, and throws!

Vitalis checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 30, rolling 46 higher.

Brigid, with a hitch in breath watches the thing catch aflame, attention is drawn then to look around however for an exit as the flames continue to leap and rise all around.

A finger points across the chamber, towards the far wall. "There's a doorway back there. With...a layer of flesh in front of it," Dante mutters in disgust, but then watches as fire spreads across the pulsating horror above them, a shudder racing through his body. Before he goes though, he eyes Vladislav and decapitates him, kicking his head across the fleshy floor. "No coming back again this time."

Esme watches as the thing catches fire. Then she looks towards Vicente doing the stabby stabby to the amber things. Her green eyes move across the area slowly as she takes in the people. "So... the door?" She hasn't really reacted to the gross just yet. Then she looks up the stairs. The non-glowing, just a girl over here, Lady Fidante waits for options to be rendered. She will attempt to pull up rear to make sure everyone is out.

Vicente checked willpower at difficulty 10, rolling 2 lower.

Vicente checked willpower at difficulty 15, rolling 2 lower.

Brigid checked strength + huge wpn at difficulty 20, rolling 11 higher.

Back there. Through the fleshy bits. And the blood. And whatever is dripping from the ceiling. Lora is already headed in that direction and so she keeps going, pausing just long enough to collect something else, though likely not a souvenir of this trip: the broken pieces of the alaricite sword are gathered up and wrapped in the hem of her cloak for safekeeping before she makes her way toward the door.

Vitalis watches the horror and insanity unfolding all around, themselves scrabbling like beasts to find fouled birth from a horrid womb and there - the thing again - it's... a book. He ducks through the spongy macabre morass and prises the book before either flames or flesh can devour it - ever faithful Disciple of Vellichor. He races to the fleshy seal, readying a knife to help cut their way out, Mandate swinging again at his hip - still not blooded in battle. Save the splash of gore seemingly everywhere.

Nodding at Dante, the antalgic gait that is developing seems to fade the more deeply Brigid breaths, sucking in a deep breath to pass through the flames towards the designated flap of skin that covers the doorway. Canon is then lifted to slice through the fleshy mass covering the doorway, making it large enough for all the pass and drag another through. Glancing back towards the injured man on the makeshift litter does she suck in a deep breath gritting her teeth and staggers back over, grabbing the sword which kept it all together and would then make to drag the injured soul towards the exit.

Lora and Vitalis taking care of picking up some stuff, Dante grabs that great bone axe with a snarl. "I'd take your foul head but that would just be gauche, this will have to do." Brigid peels back flesh from the door with Canon, causing him to sigh in relief. He raises an eye at the horrifically wounded man, then the Baroness. "Are you sure? We need to get out of here as quickly as possible, and we're far from any Mercies with proper supplies." He, himself, is shepherding Lora towards the doorway while hurrying out with his souvenir.

Vitalis checked strength + athletics at difficulty 40, rolling 12 higher.

Brigid checked strength + athletics at difficulty 40, rolling 3 lower.

" I've not been able to prevent many a horrible death, Marquis di Fidante. I'd like to at least have his passing be swift and out of this horrible place, it will feast no longer on his blood. " It would be clear there was very little room for argument, but her strength was waning and it is with the help of Vitalis that the tortured figure it carried out.

Esme looks towards where they are starting to drag the body. She will move over to attempt to assist, "You should all get out as soon as possible. We don't know how long this is going to burn or what is coming next." There is a pause. "Or from where."

Esme checked strength + athletics at difficulty 40, rolling 19 lower.

Vitalis waves the others ahead, "Clear the way," he's slick and slippery, his fine armor is smeared with blood and ichor. If they can give the man a measure of peace before he dies, it's a blessing. If they can at least learn his name, it'll be one fewer person devoured by the Abyss.

As soon as they clear out of the passage, they find themselves at a room adjacent to the entrance hall once again. The castle starts shaking, some pillar collapsing as the roof starts to give in. Dust falls over them and before long they find themselves outside a collapsed keep, ruined for even a small garrison.