Nomen Infernale XLVII: No Profit for the Charmer
General Summary
Maddened by the flames can cackling laughter of the serpent woman, Asbjorn was unable to find his way back from the pulsing red path he trod. Before Brother Theo could speak honeyed words into his ears, Asbjørn caught sight of Kegho readying to attack Khat Nofer and leapt through the fire to attack this threat. In his rage he felt little pain as the magic flame singed his flesh, but he missed his strike on Kegho, who grunted petulantly "Why all hit Kegho!?" as he swept Asbjørns sword away with Wraithcleaver. Teleptyon chanted words of power to sweep away the effects of manipulation of the Ar around him. The fire vanished, as did the scorch marks that Asbjørn had received jumping through it. As Tele's unworking of the Ar spread outward from him, the opulent palace too disappeared and the party was left standing in the sand-blown ruins of the palace.
Undeterred by the rapidly shifting landscape, Riven pulls the whip from Sitre's belt and tosses it to Kegho. As she methodically searches the woman her torso shrivels into an air-mummified state. Riven also finds a bronze dagger.
Her illusions stripped from her, Khat Nofer is visibly agitated. Theo calls upon the Hammer of Ator to guide him in smiting such a wicked beast, but she is wily and slithers out of the way of its strike, but only barely. Asbjørn fires an arrow at her and it sinks into her breast, but she looks merely curiously at it before tearing it out. Her sundered flesh knit itself before she had even tossed it aside. Khat Nofer's voice rings with an uncanny tone as she begs Asbjørn to drive away his friends. Asbjørn stands dumbfounded for a moment and sets himself against his companions.
Elissa charged at Asbjørn no weapon in hand to hold him down lest he attack his companions, but his strength was unrestrained by care and she wished him no serious harm. She caught him off guard but he was able to throw her to the side. When she realized she would not be able to hold him, she retreated to Alex and prepared to defend him from a charge.
Lunja leans over Alex and whispered "give me a blade, I will explain later." Something about her demeanor led Alex to hand here the enchanted sickle of Brother Urbicus. With it in hand she ran directly toward Khat Nofer.
Tele infused Riven's arrows with energy and she attempted to loose one, but her bowstring snapped and she fumbled it. Alex tested a silver bullet, but in the chaos of the scene missed.
As Lunja drew close to Khat Nofer, she uncorked a small vial of thin black liquid and poured it on the blade of the sickle. She sliced at the belly of the creature who at first thought the wound would knit, but the magic of the blade prevented it. The flesh around the wound darkened for a brief moment, but the poison on the blade did not take. Khat Nofer wrapped her lower body around the woman who had just cut her and squeezed tightly. The sound of bones fracturing and grinding could be heard across the field of battle. She gasped as blood filled her eyes and ran out of her nose.
Theo commanded the hammer to continue harrying Khat Nofer. Tele dispelled the charm by which Khat Nofer held Asbjørn. He came to his senses as he saw Lunja's body fall to the ground, distorted and seeping blood. He was still winded from his earlier rage and decided to try the potion of strength he'd purchased in Anekhsemeru. Filled with unbelievable strength he ran to the top of the embankment and shoved Khat Nofer, who was taken aback by his sudden strength. She falls down the back of the embankment and had difficulty righting herself in the scree below.
Riven finished restringing her bow and loosed an arrow infused with Ar and sinks the shot. Kegho swings his mighty ax at Khat Nofer's beautiful neck. Lunja, between ragged breaths whispered to Asbjørn "Liberius" and expired. Tele fired a bolt of Ar directly at the creature still struggling to right herself. As she reeled from the blow, Asbjørn charged down the hill and sank Lullaby into her chest. She fell dead, but Asbjørn continued stabbing and rending flesh until the potion wore off and he was exhausted.
Alex went to retrieve the sickle from Lunja and while the party was distracted with whether to try to calm Asbjørn or let him work out some emotion, Alex searched her body and found a slip of paper indicating a contract between Liberus Kerularios and the House of Shadow for the lives of the party. He closes her eyes and sprinkles dust on her forehead in the manner Amma and Elissa had tought the party in the Shrine of Naeia Aeriscae and whispered "game recognizes game, friend." and said a prayer for the dead while wondering whether Ha'ab Nudjat had known about the contract when they'd spoken.
They gathered themselves and returned to the oasis without incident and found the tent Asbjørn had been greatly diminished and swallowed food faster than he could chew it. Alex gathered up Yahi to assist him in cooking as close to a Oameni feast as he could muster. Asbjørn wolfed down twice as much as normal and passed out cold.
Elissa asked to be left alone to prepare the body of her coreligionist in peace and rebuffed any offers of assistance.
