Chapter 27

The bolt smashes against the chalkboard, embedding itself amidst the scribbles and notations from Professor Verin. Everyone turns to see two cloaked figures standing by the doorway into the classroom and four others in leather armor, slowly spreading outward from the door. One of them is stopped a few paces from the cloaked assailants at the door, still aiming their crossbow at the group by the chalkboard.

Professor Verin drops to the floor as quickly as possible and hides behind the sturdy table where the ancient map is laid out. Dolor can barely hear him mumbling, “That Tella, this is the last time I do a favor for him. I don’t care how ‘interesting’ the subject matter. It’s not worth losing my feathers or beak!”

Fight choreography

• Grindlefoot turns quickly and throws his dagger at the mercenary holding his crossbow, missing his head by a few mere inches.
• Mercenary 1 leaps at Dolor with their longsword, causing 11 slashing damage with their first swing and missing on their second.
  • Dolor reacts with Uncanny Dodge, reducing the damage to 6.
• Mercenary 2 attacks Gven with their longsword, missing on their first swing and connecting on their second for 9 damage.
• Mercenary 3 attacks Mond swings their longsword twice at Mond, missing the first one and causing 8 damage on the second.
• Mercenary 4 is hanging out at the door to the room and fires a crossbow bolt at Bilwin, narrowly missing.
• Dolor attacks Merc 1 with Gleaming Blade, connecting twice for 16 damage.
• Robed-cleric 1 casts a bolt of dark crackling energy at Dolor and misses, then a shining black sword appears in the air next to Dolor and misses its swing at the tiefling.
• Robed-cleric 2 casts a similar bolt of dark energy at Gven and misses, then follows with another shining black sword that hangs alone in the air and swipes at her, causing 7 damage.
• Gven invokes her barbarian rage and swings her greatsword at Merc 2 twice, connecting both times for 13 and 18 damage—they suddenly look quite vulnerable.
• Bilwin is visibly upset about almost being skewered by a crossbow bolt and attacks Merc 2 with his hurdy-gurdy, causing 8 damage and killing them.
• Mond casts Mind Spike at Merc 3 for 6 damage and follows that up with a Shadow Blade attack that misses.

• Grindlefoot casts Haste on Dolor, who can suddenly move twice as fast as normal, and then throws his knife at Merc 1, barely missing them.
• Mercenary 1 attacks Dolor with their longsword, causing 8 damage.
  • Dolor again reacts with Uncanny Dodge, reducing the damage to 4.
  • Merc 1 swings at Dolor again and connects for 11 more damage.
• Mercenary 3 swipes their longsword at Mond, only connecting on the first attack for 8 damage.
• Mercenary 4 leaps across a table at Gven, hitting her with their longsword twice for 6 damage.
• Dolor swigs a healing potion, regaining some health, then attacks Merc 1 with Gleaming Blade for 17 damage and missing on his second swing.
• Robed-cleric 1 casts Eldritch Blast at Dolor and misses, as does their magical sword.
• Robed-cleric 2 casts Eldritch Blast at Gven and misses, but their suspended magical sword connects for 4 damage.
• Gven attacks Merc 4 with her greatsword, connecting on both swings for 15 and 11 damage.
• Bilwin swings his hurdy-gurdy at Merc 4, missing on his first attempt then thumping them on his second for 6 damage.
  • Almost subconsciously, he casts Spiritual Weapon and it appears as a floating beer stein that attacks Merc 4, causing 10 damage and killing them.
• Mond attacks Merc 3 with his two daggers for 10 and 6 damage.
• Mercenaries 2 and 4 are dead, leaving two more mercs and the two robed clerics still alive and fighting.

• Grindlefoot misses Merc 1 with his knife and then casts Healing Word at Gven, regaining 7 health.
• Mercenary 1 misses Dolor with both of their longsword swings.
• Mercenary 3 attacks Mond, connecting on one of their attempts and causing 10 damage.
• Dolor swings Gleaming Blade at Merc 1, killing them in a single broad stroke!
  • He deftly advances on Merc 3, reversing the arc of his shining shortsword and causes 17 damage.
• Robed-cleric 1 casts a black smoke-like energy field at Dolor, causing him to take 13 necrotic damage.
  • Dolor responds with Hellish Rebuke, causing 24 in damage to the cleric.
  • The suspended sword swings at Dolor and misses.
• Robed-cleric 2 casts a similar black smoke-like energy field at Gven, causing her to take 11 necrotic damage.
  • The suspended black sword swings at Gven and connects, causing 2 damage.
• Gven swigs a healing potion and regains 16 health then attacks Merc 3 with her greatsword for 16 damage, killing them instantly.
  • She quickly moves to Cleric 2 and connects with her greatsword, causing them 15 in damage—they’re looking pretty haggard.
• Bilwin whacks Cleric 1 with his hurdy-gurdy, inflicting 12 damage.
  • The magical beer stein attacks Cleric 1 and causes another 8 damage.
• Mond casts Chaos Bolt at Cleric 2 for 13 in acid damage.
  • He drinks a health potion to regain 9.
• All four mercenaries are dead and one of the two robed clerics is looking battered.

• Grindlefoot casts Healing Word at Mond, granting him 10 health and then takes a health potion for himself, increasing his health by 9.
• Dolor attacks Cleric 2, who isn’t doing well, with Gleaming Blade for 19 damage, killing them.
  • Still moving at twice his normal speed, and before anyone realizes that the other cleric has been killed, Dolor expertly slices Cleric 1 twice with his sword, causing 11 in damage.

As the dying cleric’s body falls to the floor, it suddenly erupts into flames with a bright flash and loud whoosh of air, as though it was being sucked out of the room. The other cleric, the only attacker remaining from the original six, notices its companion’s fate and mutters a spell that the adventurers can’t quite make out. Their body suddenly bursts into flames, leaving two piles of ashes where each of the clerics once stood.

Each member of the group looks around slowly, wondering if more combatants might come running through the door. Bilwin sees that Gven is still hurting from the short battle and casts Healing Word, helping cure her wounds.

Professor Verin crawls tentatively out from under the sturdy desk, moving their head all the way around, like an owl verifying that the coast is clear. “I’m done with Tella’s favors! You tell him that! No more! And now, I think it’s a good time to head home for the day.” He’s flustered by the audacity of the mercenaries to attack them in broad daylight, in the supposed safety of the university, and to use clerical magic so openly.

Ever practical, Dolor searches the mercenaries’ pockets, finding nothing of apparent value. Although, each one carries a small coin with the image of the ship on it, the same as they saw in Davanor’s warehouse. The Damian seems to have noticed their interest and escapades, despite their lackadaisical yet sincere efforts to disguise their activities.

Not wanting to leave a mess or add to any of Professor Verin’s stress, Grindlefoot wild shapes into a giant spider and moves the dead bodies up to the roof, wrapping each one up in a web cocoon. At least the suspicion will be on a giant spider roaming Elsemar, rather than any ill-fated associations of poor Professor Verin.

The group decides that Tella needs to be appraised of the situation, regardless of the time of day or their agreement to stay away from the Broken Spy Glass. It’s likely that Davanor is already aware of their association. When they arrive at the pub, Dolor goes in through the back door and gives Tella an update. He agrees that they did the right thing in telling him sooner than later and will follow up with Professor Verin. He urges them to return to the Iron Vulture for the night, get some rest, and they’ll regroup on the morrow.

The rain storm outside is howling and blowing as though the gods themselves are unleashing their displeasure on the mere mortals who dare to think that they can move freely around Elsemar. Night’s darkness has set on the town as the five adventurers make their way to the ship they temporarily call home. There aren’t many others on the streets, enduring the raging weather, only those who must get to where they’re going. Only Grindlefoot, in his newly acquired cloak and boots, is remotely dry, even though the fiercely gusting wind still threatens to pick him up and hurry him along a completely unintended route.

As they navigate the narrow cobblestone streets, their surroundings camoflauged by the darkness of night, howling winds, and downpour of rain, they barely notice a lone figure standing off to the side of the road. Concerned only with reaching safety from the elements, the group passes without a second glance.

“Sister, you’ve found me.”

Gven reacts instantly, turning to face the ghostly figure and moving closer before her companions even realize that she’s doing so.

“Where the fuck have you been, Torp?”