Mother’s Love Part 2

## Story

Talia moves hex to this new monstrosity and hit it with two shots. Seline's Toll the Dead has no effect but it doesn't stop for Iron Maiden from chomping on Victoria's half-orc. Victoria commands Richard to kill Seline and Talia because her daughter is trying to sleep. When Seline tells her Elise is with the Undertaker, Victoria replies not anymore. Richard lifts his gun arm which immediately starts to spin up coughing out three shots, one of which hits Talia. Talia hits back with two shots from Death's Whisper and Punishment. Seline uses one of her prayer beads to heal herself while the Iron Maiden slam shut on Richard. He reaches for a cylinder on his chest turning the handle, electricity begins to arc all around it. He roars as his Gatling gun spins up faster and he sprays bullets hitting Talia and Seline. Talia put two more slugs in him. Seline's Guiding Bolt streaks across turning into pink and gold butterflies that pierce through Richard burning glowing holes through him killing him. Running low on healing Magic and out a healing potions Seline and Talia exchange I love you's. Talia knowing this time if Seline falls... she doesn't have a healing potion to bring her back. They go to the second floor to what they know is Elise's room. It is a twin to the room in Victoria's estate. This time Victoria herself kneels beside the bed. Talia calls out to Victoria who rises to face them. She is the twin of Elisabeth with same severe features, same nose although her eyes are piercing ice blue.

> **Victoria Greshan**I have labored longer and harder then any mother trying to bring a child into this world.**Talia Grey**If you think that matters to me after everything you've done then you are sorely mistaken.**Seline Argent**And what of the other people? What of the other women the other people who have brought children into this world whom you have killed? What of their labor? What of their pain? What gives you the right to decide that your pain and your struggle is more important than theirs? You have no dominion over life... or death.**Victoria Greshan**On the contrary, what separates my needs from theirs? I look at you, and I see the intellect of ants!**Seline Argent**And I see you and I see the wisdom of dust. Talia shoots her in the shoulder. Her blood sprays the curtains behind her as she unconsciously whirls to the floor. Her knife clatters away uselessly.**DM Molly**Then slowly in the bed behind her you see the shadow of a small form sits up.**Talia Grey**F\*\*\*!**Elise Greshan**Mommy?**DM Molly**You hear a little girl's voice but it's terrible. It's like strangely modulated and all of a sudden slowly silently you see these long forms raise up from behind the child. These 6 long spindly limbs just slowly come up from her back and the form just sort of lifts up from the bed. A small hand reaches up and pushes the curtain to the side. And you see Elise, her small emaciated body has been sitting in embalming fluid for the last 5 years. You see the veins on her body pronounced and running brown red with the unnatural fluid that her mother created. You see delicate metallic joints running down her arms and legs. You see the metallic spine, you here the whir and quiet growl of an engine and the hum of electricity as lightning flashes through her dead eyes and the six long metallic spider like legs affixed to her back that carry her through the air and she just kind of like looks out at you...**Elise Greshan**Are you here to play?[Talia growls, Seline is seething with Fury.]

Elise shrieks as Seline's Spirit Guardians burn her as they pass through her. Her spider legs race her up the wall before she swipes with two of them at Talia and misses. Two metallic limbs sink into the floor as Talia deftly dances out of harm's way. Elise giggles while she shoots Seline is lightning from her fingertips. Seline calls up her spiritual weapon (a coffin this time) but it misses Elise. Seline's sacred Flame takes the form of silk moths which flutter around Elise before shooting through her. Talia cast hexblade's curse  first and moves hex to Elise. Elise is also hit by Spirit Guardians. She giggles again as Lightning Sparks between their teeth her hair starts to drift above her as the room grows electric and suddenly four of the six arms streak down towards Talia. Talia's shield is reactivated by the ambient lightning and absorbs some of the damage from two of Elise's striking arms that hit. Elise whines aww no fair! Talia growls as Seline responds life isn't fair but death is. Elise laughs and giggles as Seline tries to turn her to no avail. Elise screams as Talia’s two shots cause blood oil to stain her pink nightgown. Elise hops down from her perch on the wall and closes the distance between them before she crouches down. All six of her spindly metallic legs go rigid before turning into a whirlwind of blades hitting both our adventurers. Seline coffin misses Elise before she raises her hand and declares, I will lead you down the path to the Grave. Suddenly the room goes dark. The already lowlights from the dull oil lanterns flickers out and shadows grow longer and the chill enters the room which seems to cling about Seline but more specifically around Elise. Seline proclaims I have opened the Path to the Grave and the Reaper will lead you there. Death's Whisper blows a chunk out of Elisa's side and two of her metallic limbs fall limp. The Spirit Guardians continue to tear at her before she misses two strikes on Talia and returns to a perch on the wall. Seline's Guiding Bolt spreads as wings from her back that turn black as they streak from Seline to strike Elise. The energy of the Strike clings to her making her glow silver. Remembering Victoria and wanting to bring her in alive Seline casts Spare the Dying to stabilize Victoria. Death's Whisper hits her shoulder causing two more of the legs to fall limp and Elise to drop from her perch to the floor. Elise's seems are starting to loosen. Elise tries to smile impishly but only succeeds and showing parts that had been pieced back together and revealing damage done by time that had been repaired. The skin around her mouth tears and she tries to smile wider and wider. She lunges forward stabbing Talia with her remaining two legs while being ripped at by the Spirit Guardians. With her metallic legs, she jumps over Talia to deal Seline the killing strike. Seline begins to crumble to the ground, but with an audible ghostly inhalation she's returned to her feet as Death Ward activates. Elise has to dodge Seline's floating coffin and  Talia’s two shots as Seline heals herself with cure wounds. Of Elisa's 4 retaliatory strikes at our adventurers only one hit Talia. The white wings of Seline's Guiding Bolt Sprout from her back and quickly transitions to black as they slam into Elise leaving her bathed and silvery energy. Elise pants heavily: this isn't fun anymore. The floating coffin deals a glancing blow and the Silvery energy winks out. Elisa's mechanical limbs struggle to hold her up her to continue the combat. Death's Whisper and Retribution are raised, poised to fire. Talia's eyes glow so intensely, the flaring, burning yellow swallows the black of her pupils as she sights down the barrels. Snarling at this patchwork horror,  Talia squeezes the triggers. Elise's head rocks back with the force of the shots, a fine mist of the blood oil coating the pink wall behind her. The metal limbs twitch, writhe and twist of their own accord,  as Elise's body falls to her back then fall still. They check Victoria's condition and shackle her. Seline sends Lenore with a message threat has been neutralized send constables. Seline's final cure wounds rouses Victoria.

> **Victoria Greshan** *(Crying out, Panicing)*Elise? Elise!**Seline Argent**She is with the Undertaker where she belongs.**Victoria Greshan** *(Crying out in anguish)*Elise!**Seline Argent**She is gone.**Victoria Greshan**No!**Seline Argent**So the intellect of ants, is it? Let me tell you something about ants. They work together and they create things they should not be able to. A single ant can lift its body weight many times. If you see me as an ant oh, then I thank you. Because it is more then you will ever be!**Victoria Greshan** *(Angrily to a still shifted Talia)*Animal! Monster!**Seline Argent**Rolls eyes, better to be an animal or monster then whatever you are.**Talia Grey**All those people...**Seline Argent**For one life, what gives you the right?**Talia Grey**It wasn't even a life!**Victoria Greshan**It was my Elise.**Talia Grey** *(still seething with fury)*No, it wasn't and any memory of her is soiled because what you've done! How dare you do that to a child?**Seline Argent**I pray that whatever that monster was that we just put an end to, I pray that Elise was never a part of it.

Talia drags a shackled Victoria down the stairs and Victoria complains vehemently. While they wait for the constables, Lenore returns from the constables with Chief Constable Thatcher shortly behind it. Victoria's taken into custody but not before she attempts to get Seline and Talia charged with the murder of her daughter. She's genuinely confused when the constables receive her and devolves into disparaging them angrily. Seline offers to help with the burial of the Dead in the house particularly for Elise whose presence here is particularly unfortunate. Thatcher says she sending a cart back for the bodies if they'll wait for it. Talia releases the horses and Cortez from their estate before Talia and Seline conduct a thorough search of the house. They see that the library and greenhouse has been cleared out in favor of the laboratory machinery shop along with an advanced surgical table. They find more schematics another phonograph and three more records

> **Victoria Greshan**Journal entry I forgot the date with all that has happened time has seemed to stop mattering. I have made my way to my favorite of the estate's here in Bluepeak. It was here that Elise was born. It seems fitting that here is where she will be born again. I saw the wanted posters on my way from Jaldin. Given what I saw my latest experiment began there, I can only imagine it will draw attention. So I have little time. I must finish this. I am so close.**Victoria Greshan**Experiment 711. The subject remembers everything. It is a breakthrough I have only dreamed of for quite some time. However, in remembering she does not wish to continue in this state. I had for so long sought to eliminate that cold intelligence that the last of my latest creations perhaps at least a portion of it is desirable**Victoria Greshan**Final experiment attempt number three. My theories are sound. My experiments, everything has led to this moment. With the flip of this switch I shall be a mother again. A clack and electricity buzzes. Elise? darling? Wake up.**Elise Greshan**Mama?

Tears streaming down her face Seline chucks the box of tools through glass wall before she screams that falls to her knees sobbing in frustration and rage. Talia kneels down beside her holding her. Seline stays in what was the greenhouse while Talia continues to search. Talia takes all the phonographs and schematics. While on one of the upper floors, she spots somebody (human height in plain clothes) walking down the path from the house but it's too soon for it to be constables. Then Talia smells smoke. She activates her boots and runs for the stairs. Finding Seline in the greenhouse, Talia alerts her to the fire. When they try to escape through the front door they find it the front of the house engulfed. They returned to the greenhouse and leave through the whole Seline created in the wall. Talia tells Seline, she saw someone leaving and runs off down the path in pursuit. Talia manages to run the man down. Talia attempts to interrogate the man while asking him about the Venassi and shooting him in his limbs. He repeats I will preserve the natural order like a calming mantra until Talia mentions she knows who Leroy Brown is.  With a final act of defiance he says "I will die to preserve the natural order!" The phrase activates an amulet with a V on it under his clothes engulfing him in flames, killing him. Talia returns him to the house that's burning to the ground and tell Seline about him. On one of the smoldering supports of the front porch is sword and stake crossed in a V for the Venassi.

## Characters

### Players

* Seline Argent
* Talia Grey