The creature was huge, twenty feet tall, no telling how much it weighed. Gavril fired his bow at the creature and then readied to flank the monster as it moved up toward the party.
Paullus moved forward and fired his crossbow, hitting the creature. The attack actually seemed to do damage, which the party appreciated given their last fight against the incorporeal spirit.
Armania was ready as she moved into view and webbed the huge creature.
The webbed Merrow easily moved through the web, but no quite out of it as it could only move slowly. But another Merrow came up a adjacent street and moved in to attack Gavril.
Beset from the side Gavril retreated to the rear saying, "Let's back up and take them on one at a time."
Wasting little time Armania moved to the rear, Paullus fired at the second Merrow again hitting with his crossbow. The rest of the party aligned themselves to hopefully attack just one creature, but the were foiled as the two monsters had enough room to attack. Erevel took damage from one but smacked it back harder. Ciprian inspired first Erevel and then Paullus allowing them to press their attacks more fiercely. Ursina moved forward using her mace while Paullus kept up attacking with bolts.
More attacks came from the two monsters damaging various party members. Armania cast Flame Strike on one of the Merrow, which successfully burned the thing. Gavril then moved right through the creatures attempting to gain flanking, but just then the monster grabbed Erevel.
Just as the party seemed to have the battle well in hand, Armania was hit with electrical damage and a faintly glowing ball of light appeared, bobbing gently in the air. There appeared to be a nebulous image of what might be a skull visible somewhere in its depths.
The creature was right in the middle of Armania, Paullus and Ursina. Ursina moved to allow Gavril flanking while Armania cast a magic missile at the glowing ball of light. Erevel and the creature each smacked each other but the creature held on to Erevel squeezing the life out of her.
By some chance Ciprian actually landed the fatal blow on one of the Merrow. Erevel and the other continued their battle with Gavril landing the second fatal blow.
Now the ball of light attacked and faded to nothingness. Armania had the flame strike bounce up and down where the creature had been, while Ciprian bounced a mage hand on top of the creature. Attacks followed, magic missiles included, and then the creature attacked again and became visible. Ciprian stepped forward and with a critical blow took out the creature, which disappeared from site leaving no body behind.
The follow up search for magic found nothing. The Merrow did each have a javelin but no other weapons than their claws. Healing was also passed around as members of the party were low again. After determining that the bodies were too large to carry or move the party cut off a head of one of the Merrow. Then they followed the wet tracks to the bay just south of the street they were on which was next to the Fish Market.
Ciprian, bragging about his prowess in killing two of the monsters, was ready to continue the nights rounds. Armania on the other hand, having used most of her spells was ready for a rest. Disagreement between the group was long and heated and eventually the group headed to the chapel where Winter provided channeling. Only Ciprian and Erevel decided to further investigate the city.
The pair headed to Iris Hill, finding it with no change from the last time they were there. Ciprian heard voices speaking an unknown language from inside the gatehouse. No lights were visible anywhere but the gatehouse. Circumnavigating the estate found no change, no hidden or obvious breaks in the hedge, no way to enter other than over the hedge or through the gatehouse. Large thorns on the hedge deterred entering that way.
With no new information the pair headed to the Fort, again circling the establishment. The walls were all stone, twenty or so feet high. Five towers rose to forty feet total as did a donjon. The only openings were arrow loops and the main gate. It seemed as though the top might be flat as they saw a humanoid apparently patrolling the roof.
On their way back to the chapel the duo saw the incorporeal spirit moving away from them down another street. Ciprian, while bragging about his two fatal kills, discouraged Erevel from charging the apparition as they still weren't sure how to damage it.
Back at the chapel Ciprian and Erevel finally retired for the evening. Erevel did not have a Night Terrors, so she awoke fully refreshed. After everyone recovered their spells and had eaten the group again went to talk with Cesadia. She really had no more information other than the fright had by some early morning fisherfolk and some townsfolk when they saw the huge Merrow bodies. Two detectives had overseen the dismemberment and disposal of the bodies.
The High Market was their next stop, Ursina was in search of a new wand of cure light wounds, which she luckily found for sale. The market was full of upscale items for sale. A bookseller was out of business, the second they had seen. The other vendors indicated that the owner, Prewyn Noddar, had disappeared and Count Lowls had bought the remaining stock at auction for a cheap price. Asking for the address of Prewyn, the group was directed to the east end of the main port island.
A search of Prewyn's home looked like he had not packed to leave, all the clothes, furniture, dinnerware was present. His office desk was intact but no receipts of sales were found anywhere. Curious but not a clue to anything particular. The group then headed out again for their night rounds.
DM's Notes: The party earned 1200 XP for the night and now have 14,597. They will reach 5th level soon.
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