Episode 7- Boss Battle: Face of the Beast!

After the large fight, some revelations, and an encounter with Hellenrae and Qarbo,;the party was sent to retrieve the bodies of the intruders and the fallen.

Upon arriving back, they were asked where the guards that had accompanied them were.

"They're...lagging behind." Menelwen spoke.

Hellenrae tilted her head the elf's words.

"Remove your mask."

"..."

"You don't want her to do that. She's hideous. She has the pox." Henry spoke up, trying to cover. But the damage was done.

Roll Initiative (fuck)

The fight had begun. Menelwen tried to attack Hellenrae but ended up getting hit by the woman a couple of times instead. Qarbo opened up a ramp that led down and rushed for it.

Theamen came in as the fight started, and put a hand on Menelwen's shoulder. The spot felt warmer where he touched. He granted her +2 to her AC through Shield of Faith.

Vega transformed into a bear and rushed down after Qarbo, trying to prevent him from whatever he was going to do. He caught up to him, succeeding in the intimidation (Qarbo pisses himself a bit in fear as he tried to unlock the door. Unfortinately, not in time. The Umberhulk that was held captive  burst through the gate. He crushed Qarbo's head and attacked the bear.

Henry and Menelwen rushed towards the ramp. Theamen beat them both and engaged the Umberhulk. As he was hit, Shield of Faith faded.. She felt his pain as though it were her own.

Vega fell but was revived by Theamen. It was a combined effort between the four of them that brought the beast down. Thok, who had take care of and kept an eye on Hellenrae caught up.

The party then takes the spoils that they can find including a staff of healing, and a note from Q to someone named Grimjaw...

The party returns to the kitchen and takes a rest to heal.

During this rest, Theamen and Menelwen actually talk. They start trying to think of who or what could have made the statues out back. There are three possibilities that they came up with: a basilisk, a cockatrice, and a medusa. 

None of which the party is equipped to handle at the time.

Before leaving the monastery to go to Feathergale Spire, the party explored a little more. 

What they found was Marlos Umrayle's testament, a scroll of dust devil, a scroll of erupting earth, and several bottles of alcohol. The latter Vega thought would be funny to drink and breath fire. He inhaled more than he exhaled, dealing damage to himself.

Theamen hauled him out of the room. "I understand your recklessness, but please don't breathe fire in a room full of explosives. Stand here."

The party collected their things and moved on. Back to Red Larch before going to Feathergale spire.

While in Red Larch, Theamen and Henry have a bonding moment by learning Burning Hands from Menelwen's book.

The next day, they set back out for the spire.

Upon arriving back, they were hailed by Savra. They were escorted inside to see the Commander speaking to a woman wearing half armor, her long chestnut hair in loose crazy curls with blue eyes and red lips.

On her head was a pair of goggles.

This woman...is Henry's sister Rosette. 

She offers Henry, and the party an option. Stay and join the Howling Hatred...or die. So while the party prepares for a fight, the shaken Henry steps towards his sister's open arms.

And stabs her.

Rosette smirks, dimension dooring her and Henry out into the open air away from the spire.

Where she drops him, her flight suit catching air.

Henry plummets, sure that this is the end of him.

When Luca jumps off, falling. For a moment, Henry fears fof his furry companion until...he realizes that Luca transformed.

Into a tiger with wings that saved Henry's life.

So he frantically wings back to the party as they begin the Battle of Feathergale Spire.

~To Be Continued ~