Session 8 Report

General Summary

The Widower roared "HAARLOCK!" and charged the acolytes. Luckily for Ennaeus he previously had the forethought to keep some distance between himself and the others following at what he considered to be a safe distance so as not to be drawn into any situations exactly like this. He was better for the team at range anyway so his distance from the group was really a net positive for the others in his mind, or at least that's what he told himself. Regardless of the truth of the matter he rushed into a nearby building when the trouble began to get a good vantage point over the battle that had just started. The Widower's charge caught Miria, Magdala and Pious unprepared and they were knocked around the quickly emptying street like bowling pins. The trio brushed themselves off as they got up and returned fire. The damage that soaked into the monstrosity was enough to kill any normal man for sure but it seemed like the creature was unphased. Its shifting facade and appendages seemed to wane and wax at the incoming damage. It transformed one of its own arms into cruel claws incredibly long and jagged that promised misery to any that he would use them against. Use them the Widower did though and the three acolytes along with Lady Melua were forced into an alleyway in half retreat from the brutal assault.   Ennaeus reached his chosen perch and did not see his compatriots on the street so he growled to himself and headed to the other side of the building to look into the nearby alley. Finally getting a view of the abomination that was attacking he centered his aim, squared his shoulder and began firing. As the shots started raining down on the alley, many finding their mark, Pious and Magdala had discovered that hitting the same locations again and again seemed to have a greater degree of success than simply attacking wildly. It seemed like the natural ability to absorb and recuperate from damage was limited and hitting the same locations over and over again slowed this process to a crawl and allowed the group to eventually out pace the healing factor.   With victory assured after some damage taken themselves the acolytes pressed the attack. The Widower saw that this was suddenly a losing fight and made his escape, turning into jagged tentacles of tenebrous material and seeking out the cracks and crevices of the buildings around it. In less than a few seconds the monster was gone with the almost assured promise of appearing again at an even less convenient time. No matter, the team had a job to do and they were not going to be sidetracked any more.   They reached the manse of the Haarlocks. The great gates were open and allowed guests to enter in their finery. Well armed guards stood watch over the gateway and checked invitations. Luckily for the group they had earned theirs fairly and thought nothing of making their grand entrance to the debauched upper crust of society. The Haarlock estate was opulent in the extreme. It wasn't simply acres of land in the middle of a thriving starport city but kilometers of wild land surrounded by impassable curtain walls and housed forests, jungles, field rivers and fortresses of its own all on the grounds neatly contained in the middle of Xicarph as if the city were built around it.   Time to explore and maybe find Lady Melua's missing brother in any case.