The Temple of Myrkul (ruins)

[Fenric]

This once dread temple fell into neglect long ago when the erstwhile god of the dead was slain by more powerful deities. More recently, during the ravages of Des, the temple was mostly destroyed.
What remains is merely the inner sanctum. A dark room in the shape of a human skull, it can be reached by any number of hazardous twisting passages through the rubble.

But these ruins are no longer vacant. Signs of activity show to one who looks carefully...

[DarkHunter]

*A small piece of rubble is dislodged near the top of the pile and tumbles to the ground. Sharp ears can catch a hissed conversation*

[CapnAlex]

*A small black weasel scurries in, and appears to be looking around.*

[Renrik]

Renrik enters, in his hybrid ratman form. He looks like a lean, grey, bipedal rat with sunken eyes. He wears a mask over his lower face to hide his features and help filter his breathing, and is shrouded in his black traveler's cloak.

His multiple daggers hang on his belt, each one coated in juniper paste. Numerous small magical items are hidden among his belt, offering protections and tricks.

His crossbow is strapped across his back.

Right. The traitor ought to be here. Time to do what I do best.

[DarkHunter]

*An owl hoots from overhead, and is answered from deep within*

[Renrik]

Renrik looks about quickly, then takes out his crossbow, fits it with a juniper-coated bolt, and takes cover behind a pile of rubble.

[DarkHunter]

*A black masked man jumps off of the rubble and lands to the right of Renrik, throwing a dagger as he lands.*

Rat!

*he hisses as he draws a katana*

[Renrik]

Renrik rolls to the side, onto the rubble, and dodges the dagger. He fires his bolt at the assailant before drawing out a pair of fighting dirks.

[DarkHunter]

*The bolt hits the man in the shoulder, but doesn't seem to have any toxic effect (human). Rather than advancing, he whistles an odd code and circles defensively.*

[Renrik]

Scheize.

Renrik looks about quickly and then goes into a defensive position.

[CapnAlex]

*the weasel scurries down, and begins to watch the fight with interest.*

[DarkHunter]

*The guard seems unnerved by the silence that follows his whistling. Finally, he seems to come to a decision and charges Renrik, swinging his katana*

[Renrik]

Renrik ducks low and throws up dust at the guard's eyes. The then lunges forward with one of his daggers.

[DarkHunter]

*The guard stumbles on a rock with dust in his eyes, and takes the dagger in the heart. He twitches and falls heavily*

(( need an intermission for fetching child from daycare and eating dinner ))

[Renrik]

((very well.))

Renrik takes the dagger out of the man's heart.

I swear, I love doing that. Still, that wasn't the mark. She's still in here somewhere.

He sheaths his dagger and picks up his crossbow, going into a ruined alcolve and scanning the room.

[DarkHunter]

*A pebble rolling preceeds the silhouette of a known Town freelancer stepping into the rubble-choked trail. His long dirk shines silvery in the dark.*

[Renrik]

Silver. Damn it all, this is a trap, Renrik thinks to himself.

He remains hidden away in the alcolve, casts a spell ((sniper's eye. grants darkvision, improves sneak attack range to 60 feet, and allows ranged death attack.)) and readies his crossbow for a fatal shot.

[DarkHunter]

(( the meddling interference of real life has allowed these two "atmosphere enhancing dagger fodder" characters to live a lot longer than they were supposed to ))

*The freelance assassin sneaks less-than-stealthily down the rubble-choked path. He bobs his head and peers around with the air of someone hunting an actual rat, rather than a dangerous enemy.

A scream of pain and horror echoes from deep within the ruins.*

[Renrik]

His ears picking up on the scream, Renrik pushes it out of his mind and fires his crossbow at the man, focusing on his Death Attack(assuming that the scream wasn;t meant to be me killing him))

He then exits the alcolve and begins to climb up the rubble, looking for a high vantage point.

[DarkHunter]

(( no, it wasn't you killing him ))

The twisting path through the ruins leaves many opportunities for ambush, making for what would have been a harrowing journey. A few traps of no great moment, some even vaguely familiar, hint at the hiring of local talent.

Where the path finally opens out, it is onto a dim, red-lit scene. A pointy eared shape is hunched over a body on some sort of altar. Two half-goblin/half-orc soldiers, still in their livery from the Liza Jane ,are standing to either side. Cold evil fills the place.

(( I am assuming that you sneak in, so they don't see you right away ))*

[Renrik]

Renrik thinks to himself: the guards should die easily, but that at the altar ought to be the traitor.

The assassin drops his crossbow and reaches into his cloak. he pulls out an Iron Band of Binding bursts from the shadows, throwing it at the nearest guard as he unsheaths his dagger.

[DarkHunter]

*One guard gets bound. The second reacts swiftly, drawing his cutlass and advancing on Renrik. Kirana looks up, muzzle bloody from the victim she was eating, and jumps back with a snarl, drawing her sai.*

{Kirana} So, those fools couldn't handle you.

*She begins to walk around the altar, toward the bound guard*

[Renrik]

From the looks of it, neither can the fools present.

He dodges towards the advancing guard, drawing a second dagger to parry his blade and stepping in close to stab him.

[DarkHunter]

*The guard attempts to dodge the stab, and takes a bad flesh wound. He punches out with his empty fist toward Renrik's nose.

Kirana tries to break the bands, and fails (miserably, rolled a 1).*

{ Kirana } He will be the final sacrifice: kill him quickly.

[Renrik]

Renrik takes punch, falling backwards with it. As he falls, he straghtens his back, and kicks out with one leg to trip the guard, then pouncing, aiming his attack at the sailor's throat.

[DarkHunter]

The guard rolls even as he falls, and Renrik's slash cuts the back of his neck deeply but not fatally. He rolls back, trying to trap Renrik's arm with his shoulder while swinging his sabre around for a cut wherever he can hit.

Kirana gives up on the trapped guard pulls out a flask of silvery oil, anointing her sai with it.

[Renrik]

Renrik's arm is trapped by the guard, and he pulls out a dagger, blocking the attack. He steps forward putting his leg between the guard's legs and behind his foot to close the space between them, then stabs with his second dagger.

[DarkHunter]

*As the guard is brutally stabbed in the chest and gurgles blood, three silvered shuriken come flying toward Renrik.

After hurling the three stars, Kirana flips toward Renrik. ((Insert cheesy Charlie's Angels music here))*

(( V What? No link? ))

[Kyrian]

((Cheesy Charlie's Angels Music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHLoxFL51SY)))

((Sorry Fen, you asked for it to be inserted here, and I couldn't help it))

((Fen: here's the best I can find right now))

[Renrik]

Renrik turns to block them, still grappling the guard. Two hit the assassin and one hits his human sheild. As Kirana flips, he ungrapples and pushes the guard out of the way, rolling desperately to the side, barely avoiding the attack. He comes up in a forward lunge at the traitorous preistess.

[DarkHunter]

Kirana's face is fixed in a snarl, her ears fully raised, her whiskers out. She is the picture of vulpine concentration. She spins and blocks with one silvered sai while feinting and jabbing with the other. A long, narrow white pendant swings as she whirls.

(( A werefox and a wererat: battle of the super-high DEX here... ))

[Renrik]

Renrik's black, sunken eyes catch sight of the white pendant and make note of it. The feint scores a minor scratch against his snout. He snarls maliciously.

The assassin throws his dagger, and spins his cloak oout before him, striking forward with his dagger from behind the swirling black fabric.

[DarkHunter]

*Kirana takes the dagger in the shoulder as she spins away from the thrust. She shudders for a moment, and the bottom third of the pendant turns black. She snarls and plucks the dagger out, hurling it across the room as she completes her spin.*

[Renrik]

Well, that's interesting.

Renrik flips backwards, propelling himself off of the ruined wall towards Kirana, his dagger aimed for her heart, but his hand grabbing for her pendant.

[DarkHunter]

Kirana smacks Renrik's dagger hand hard with her sai, deflecting it. But the distraction is sufficient, and he grasps her unicorn horn pendant. In desparation, she bites at his wrist

[Renrik]

The bite sinks deep, but his grasp holds. He wrenches his hand, the pendant still clutched in it, away from her neck, losing a good bit of flesh and fur in the process. He takes the pendant and flings it against the ground to break it.

[DarkHunter]

*Kirana gasps as the delicate horn shatters into pieces. She backs away from Renrik, toward the altar. Her eyes wide, fully on the defensive now.*

[Renrik]

Renrik grins and casts Invisibility

[DarkHunter]

*Kirana snarls and sweeps a lightningbolt across the room from left to right from her right-hand sai, while sweeping a bolt of fire from right to left from her left-hand sai*

[Renrik]

Aaagh!

The noise comes from the right oof the room. Renrik dodges out of the way of the lightning bolt, but was hit by the fire.

He snarls maliciously, then has an idea. He casts Dimension Door, and appears directly behind Kirana

Hello, corpse.

He stabs viscously with both daggers, their blades dripping with Juniper paste.

[DarkHunter]

Kirana screams: A long, drawn out wail of pain, horror, and despair. She drops to the ground, writhing in agony. A moment later, she is still.

[Renrik]

Renrik drops down, pins her hands down, and checks for a pulse.

[DarkHunter]

*A cold voice speaks in the darkness, from everywhere and nowhere*

The sacrifice is accepted.

*Shadows begin to gather around the altar*

(( You can stay if you want, but I'd not recommend it... ))

[Renrik]

((might be interesting, but I've got a bounty to collect.))

A sacrifice, Hm? Perhaps. But I've no intention on receiving your bounties just yet.

Renrik takes Kirana's scythes, and pockets them. He runs over to the shattered unicorn horn and scoops it up. He eyes the bound orc, and momentarily considers rescuing him, but decides to leave it.

There's another one for you, dark one.

He turns and runs out of the temple, breathing in labored breaths and exhausted by his fight.

[DarkHunter]

*A statue appears behind the altar, of a tall, muscular, bearded god, holding a blazing fire in one hand, and a lightningbolt in the other. The voice echoes again, this time from the statue*

Be released from your agony, priestess. Raise again as my first spirit in this world.

*A mist flows from Kirana's body, and raises up into a form. This form solidifies and fades at the same time, into a shadowy reflection of the former priestess.

She turns her glowing red eyes on the captive goblin, who promptly screams in terror. His screams continue as she places her shadow hand on his heart and drains his strength away. Soon he goes silent and limp, having fed the newly born shadow it's very first meal. Her eyes blaze red, and dark flames burn around her.*

What is your bidding, my master?

((... to be continued. ))

[Renrik]

((this... is not good. Still, maybe it will result in more work.))

[Fenric]

*Fenric and good-Kirana pick their way among the fallen rubble. The hold their breaths as they pass the decaying bodies in the passageway, but the stench of death grows greater, not less, as they enter the former sanctuary.

There, the shadowy form of Kirana is overing over the altar, brooding over the failure of her most recent attempt on Fenric's life.

Good Kirana speaks softly*

Kirana

[DarkHunter]

*Shadow-Kirana turns in surprise, and sees herself standing next to Fenric*

What nonsense is this? Fenric, you dare to come here with an illusion of me as some other priest? Haven't you done enough to me already?

*She reaches out her hand and advances on Fenric*

At least I will have the satisfaction of draining your life and sending you to the dark goddess myself.

[Fenric]

*Good-Kirana is crying slightly, and she turns to address Fenric*

I loved you with all my heart, Fenric. Since they days when we played as kittens until you came to that abominable town, I was steadfast and true to you. My heart was destroyed when you turned to the dark goddess... So this last gift I can give you: that this version of yourself remain good.

*Fenric looks puzzled as Good-Kirana turns away. His puzzlement turns to horror when she runs and embraces Shadow-Kirana *

NO! Kirana! DON'T!!

[DarkHunter]

*Shadow-Kirana chuckles as Good-Kirana runs toward her. Her amusement turns to horror at the embrace*

No! This can't be! Get off! NO! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

*There is an explosion of light, and both Kiranas vanish*

[Fenric]

*Fenric falls to his knees in shock, utterly stunned by what he heard and what just happened. He remains there quite some time, motionless, before crawling to the exit*

[DarkHunter]

*A thunderclap and burst of flames precede the arrival of a hellhound. She looks around the ruined sanctuary with a scowl, then sees a bound and gagged elf woman struggling on the altar.

With a snarl of glee, mMyobi kills and devours the unfortunate victim. As she does so, shadows surround and fill her*

Now, you are mine.

Yes, master. What is your bidding?

Take these shadow minions to Fenric...

*Five red-eyed shadows appear around her*

[Fenric]

*The shadowy form of mMyobi returns to her master*

They killed us

As they were meant to. They will now congratulate themselves at driving you off. You will remain 'dead' for the time being, so they may not detect you. We will now bide our time until I have collected your brother.

[Fen3]

*Fendran drifts into the temple, surrounded by shadows and mist. As he comes to the chamber that was once the sanctuary, he pauses and looks around warily.*

This smells like a trap

[InaVegt]

Trap's I can overcome by the very power I've gathered.

A snake made of darkness says, 15 feet high and 60 feet long.

[Fenric]

*mKrystal and mlKyrian come up behind Fendran and Gezina*

So... the Hand of Darkness wasn't kidding about there being others to meet up with.

[InaVegt]

The snake hisses at mKrystal

You remind me of that damn murderer, Krystal. I hate her!

[Fenric]

*mKrystal snarls*

Don't glare at me! I hate that miserable vixen as much as it is possible to hate anyone.

[InaVegt]

Good, let us kill her together then, after we have done whatever they want us to do with Fenric.

[Exachix]

A portal has appeared...

Through the portal an elvish man dressed in an ice blue armour with a blue cloak on his back enters. He has a sword on his belt, sheathed and his long dark hair reaches past his shoulders. He wears two black gloves, and looks around the assembled with a lack of emotion.

[Fen3]

*Fendran walks up to the ugly statue near the altar and examines it while the children argue. Suddenly, the room is filled with evil power.*

I m Karai Tenjin - The God of Fire and Thunder. The Dark Powers have appointed me to lead the assault against Inari. We have been summoned here to take advantage of a unique opportunity.

The defenders of the temple are scattered and heedless. Kyrian has fallen to darkness, and Ares is busy with his lover. The temple of our mutual foe is completely undefended!

[Deadly]

mIlias comes through the portal a little later, completely drenched in blood, leaving a long trail on the ground. He looks around at the assembled group with an insane grin while swinging his holy and exceptionally bloody blade idly.

[InaVegt]

Let us storm it and destroy the pathetic temple, let us do that, In the name of darkness!!!

The snake says, growing to a height of 17 feet and a length of 70 feet.

[Exachix]

mExachix nods, but stays silent.

[Deadly]

mIlias just grins to himself while looking at everyone there.

[Fen3]

*Fendran steps back hurrdely from the altar, but an invisible force catches him, mKrystal, and mlKyrian and holds them fast*

I will not endure foxes in my army

*Dark fire engulphs the three, and they scream in agony. When the fire passes, the three are upright hellhounds rather than foxes*

Much better.

A tiny bit more patience, Gezina: There is one more to collect before you attack. Fenric's son, Kazuki, will be here soon. Then you will attack in a swarm of shadows, fire, and vengance!

[Exachix]

mExachix pipes up.

"Before we do this, apart from the Annihilation of a temple, what else would we get from this?"

[InaVegt]

The dark snake smiles

[Fenric]

*A familiar voice in an unfamiliar body answers from the back of the sanctuary*

You have been offered one completely unrestricted wish by the Dark Powers of Ravenloft.

*A young werefox with brightly glowing red eyes strides in, with the chaotic aura of Loki dancing madly around him. He changes swiftly and smoothly into an elf and grins at the assembled army*

I offer you the same! Two wishes, without the usual encumberances of mortal wizards! It is time for my vengance on this town to begin.

[Deadly]

mIlias raises an eyebrow, still swinging his sword.

[Exachix]

mExachix tilts his head.

"That is fine."

He stands. Both hands behind his back, listening to the conversation around him.

[InaVegt]

Ah, loki isn't it? It would be an honour to work together with you.

The snake sprouts arms which wield bastard swords made of pure darkness, flaming with pure darkness.

Let doom fall to this town quickly!

[Fen3]

It is time

*The statue comes to life. A warrior in samuri armor with a flaming moustache and lightning edged katanas walks around. At his gesture, a score of shadow warriors step from all sides wielding weapons of darkness*

Forward, my army! Death to the fox worshippers! Death to the rice-eaters! Death and destruction and ruin!

*Fendran, mKrystal, mlKyrian, and Loki all cheer madly and march out to the streets*

[InaVegt]

The snake slithers towards the temple of Inari with surprising speed.

[Deadly]

mIlias grins How overly dramatic. and follows behind all the others as they leave.

[Exachix]

mExachix draws his own longsword. it glows slightly and he holds it in his left hand, following silently.

[AmberVael]

mElya enters, her red eyes looking around carefully. After a moment she finds an area that she likes the look of.
It will serve.
She casts the BBEG spell 'Create Base' and a small portal opens in the shadows. You would only see it if you are attuned to shadow magic or stumbled into it.
She goes inside.

[AmberVael]

Much, much later, mElya emerges from her base and stalks out of the temple, quiet and quick.

[AmberVael]

Deep in the shadows of the portal'd base, mElya smirks in satisfaction, seeing that her latest experiment was a success.
Soon... soon even the people here will have reason to fear me.
You play a dangerous game...
Yes, but the risk is one I am willing to take.
And it should be. Without those magics, you could not win.
A demon watches mElya from the shadows. She looks over to him.
Are you proud of your contribution? I still don't understand how you stand to gain from this... it makes me suspicious.
You can't trust me, Elya, and I can't trust you. We know what to expect. Betrayal, knives up our sleeves and shields at our back.
mElya shakes her head and looks back to her scrying, then it vanishes.
Shadow and memory... we'll see how far it gets us.
The demon chuckles, and the player revealed plot segement fades away.

[AmberVael]

There is a sudden odd flickering, and a female werefox appears, holding two sais in her hands.
Kirana opens her eyes for the first time in four months, wondering how she was still alive, wondering where Renrik was, and just what was going on...
The were-fox slips away from the ruins, deciding to investigate.

[AmberVael]

mElya stirs and thinks.
We need to draw this to a conclusion. Quickly.
You have been making unnecessary delays...
It is not my fault! We need to be cautious. Always. You never know how someone might betray you...
Indeed, Elya, indeed.
mElya watches him carefully.
Your oath still binds you.
For now.
Then summon them.
As you will, my lady. As you will...

[AmberVael]

Earin and Elya come into the Temple Ruins and look around warily.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna enters behind them

[Deadly]

Ilias, Achim and Deadly follows, looking around

[AmberVael]

The ruins are still and lifeless. Unnatural shadow hangs over them, almost tangible and choking to breath. Elya shivers, while Earin's eyes narrow.
"What is this?"
His voice is oddly muted.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna tightens her grip on the machete. She coughs slightly, feeling a little uneasy.

[Deadly]

Ilias follows warily. Deadly floats behind, seemingly not bothered. Achim reactivates his aura, figuring that someone hiding here likely prefers ambushes.

[AmberVael]

Earin begins to look around warily, Elya close beside him.
The supernatural shadow begins to slowly try and work its way into people's minds unnoticed, feeding on and enlarging their fear, distrust, and tendency to betray others.

[Deadly]

Deadly frowns, his grin disappears and his eyes turns darker as he floats behind the group. Ilias shivers and looks around, growing more worried.

((Would Mind Blank block this out?))

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna's uneasy feeling grows larger. She starts chewing her lower lip, and further tightens her grip on the machete. She keeps looking around her with increasingly more obvious nervousness.

[AmberVael]

((Probably))
Earin stops for a moment and shakes his head, while Elya looks at him with extreme worry.
The shadows around them seem to take a more definite form, almost like crawling tentacles that wrap about them.

[Deadly]

Achim frowns at the tentacles Something's wrong here! his aura glows brighter as the web of tiny runes covering his skin begins to glow.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna shivers, and glances suspiciously in random directions. Getting an irrisistable urge to draw the machete, she does so.

[AmberVael]

Earin notices Anna draw her sword and he fingers the dagger in his sleeve, not trusting her motives. He prepares to fight back if she starts anything.
Elya clutches to Earin, almost whimpering with fear.

The shadows remain as they are, then wrap more thickly around Achim, trying to deaden his voice.
((Silence around his area, basically))

[Deadly]

Achim casts True Seeing and looks around.

Ilias looks between everyone. Deadly remains silent in the background.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna freezes completely, staring exclusively at Deadly with an ugly scowl on her face. Faint whisps of ghostly green energy begin wreathing themselves around her body.

[AmberVael]

The trueseeing reveals the same strange, shadowy mist, but if he has keen sight he might notice a normally hidden door amidst the center and source of the shadow.

Earin slips his dagger into his hand.
"What are you doing, Anna?"
Elya backs away from Earin, her eyes going wide.

[Deadly]

Deadly doesn't seem to react. His eyes are black and his normal grin gone. Ilias watches everyone warily.

Achim tries to dispell the effect

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna jumps as Earin speaks, and spins to face him, her eyes wild, the machete raised in a defencive manner, still scowling. The whisps of energy grow larger. She doesn't speak.

[AmberVael]

The effect recoils slightly at the dispelling, but does not vanish. However, its effects do recede from minds it was attempting to confuse and distort.
Earin suddenly slips his dagger into his sleeve and focuses himself. A slight aura of blue energy forms about his brow. Elya whispers a spell to protect her own mind.

[Deadly]

Achim quickly takes the opertunity to cast Mind Blank on Ilias. Deadly blinks and manifests a Mind Blank on himself as well as Anna.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna lowers the machete, and shakes her head slightly. She shoots Earin an apologetic look, but remains silent, chewing her lip again. The energy surrounding her continues to increase. It now looks as though she has tiny green flames dancing around her.

[AmberVael]

"Well, that was close."
Elya holds up her arm, charging it with brilliant light that combats but does not entirely get rid of the darkness.
Where should we look first?

[Deadly]

Achim sighs and looks around We should probably try to find and eliminate the source of all this.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna shrugs slightly, now looking out for any traces of anything that could possibly be hostile. the 'flames' around her increase in intensity.

[AmberVael]

Elya nods and begins to search, making sure to keep close enough to the group so that her light shines around them.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna closes her eyes and sits down for a couple of minutes as the energy rises off of her, taking the form of a ghostly fox, which lowers itself back down again, disapearing inside her body, whch slowly transforms until it resembles a hybrid-form werefox.

She rises again, and starts to look around as well.

[Deadly]

Ilias turns incorporeal and follows up front, searching for anything of interrest. Achim follows a bit behind, as does Deadly.

[AmberVael]

Eventually, Elya's light simply will not illuminate an area. She frowns at it, and casts a light spell at it.
Nothing happens.
Earin narrows his eyes.

[Deadly]

Odd. Some form of magical darkness?

Achim frowns and tries to figure out what it is.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna stares into the unilluminable area, hoping that the fox-like attributes this form gives her may be able to help her see better.

[AmberVael]

Achim might notice that it almost seems to pull at the light rather than simply push it away with magic.
Anna still sees black.

[Deadly]

Achim considers this So, what should we do about this? Try to find a way around it, or try to get rid of it?

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna stops staring, and stands back, unable to find a solution to this.

[AmberVael]

Elya frowns and moves closer. Her light suddenly reaches an area on either of the jet black spot, showing it to be about 5ft wide and 10ft tall.

[Deadly]

Deadly grins Well, no problem then? We just walk through it. he says and does so

Achim frowns I'm not sure we should... but sighs when he sees he's too late.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna takes this object in, an eyebrow raised slightly, though she keeps a firm hand on the machete.

[AmberVael]

The others see Deadly just vanish into the inky blackness. Earin watches closely while Elya puts a hand on his arm.

Deadly finds himself in a small, stone room with a door at one end.

[Deadly]

Deadly tilts his head before going over to check the door.

Achim sighs and tries a disjunction on the darkness.

[AmberVael]

((Oh no, not this again... Achim really likes dispelling stuff, huh? :smallyuk:))

The pure black portal is disjoined and fades away.

[Deadly]

((:smallfrown: Sorry... I guess I should start putting dispelling last in the list of things to try))

[AmberVael]

((It makes it really amusing for me... you run through dispelling everything that could help you. :smalltongue:))

[Deadly]

((:smallsigh: Oh well))

[AmberVael]

((Now we wait for Seftsirag to get back from lunch...))

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna blinks. Um. What happened to the raccoon guy?

[AmberVael]

Earin frowns and uses his badge.
Deadly?

[Deadly]

Deadly, if he can, replies Yes?

[AmberVael]

((He can))
Where are you? What happened when you stepped through?

[Deadly]

Uh, I'm in a room. There's a door. he looks around to see if there's anything else there

[AmberVael]

The room is quite dark, but Deadly can probably make out rough stone walls and can tell that the floor is a bit smoother, but of the same material. Otherwise, the room is empty.

[Deadly]

Well, it's a bit boring. Nothing's in here.

[AmberVael]

Hm. Do you think we should explore it, or should you come back?

[Deadly]

Deadly grins Explore, of course. I'll just take a quick look around.

Ilias sighs, still looking around

[AmberVael]

Earin looks to the others.
"We're not quite sure where he is. He is in a building of some kind, unharmed and untouched, actually. No traps or anything."

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna resumes looking around, not aware of the telepthic conversation taking place.

Anna nods. so, we keep looking, then?

[Deadly]

Are you sure it's another building? Not some room here in these ruins?

Deadly tries to open the door.

[AmberVael]

"I never said he wasn't in the ruins. I said he was in a building. There could be intact parts of this place, but I would not know."

The door opens easily and quietly. There is a hallway outside the door that leads to the left and right.

[Deadly]

Ilias nods Well, we might as well continue our search. No sense wasting time standing around here.

Deadly looks down the hallway, trying to decide which way will be the most exciting.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna nods in agreement with Ilias.

[AmberVael]

Earin nods, and Elya begins to search around, holding her glowing arm high.

The left side of the hallway goes down a far ways and then turns at a corner. Light flickers fitfully from around the corner.
The right side of the hallway leads to another door, one made of blackened wood and with an odd symbol on it. The symbol is rather hard to make out.

[Deadly]

Ilias and Achim follows, looking out for danger

Deadly grins a bit and turns right to investigate the door with the symbol.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna also follows.

[AmberVael]

The ruins are cold and lifeless. Very little is left of the temple.

The door is finely crafted out of an almost inky black wood, and the symbol on it is made of a slightly reddish silver material. In fact... it might be silver, except with blood on it. The symbol, once studied, appears to be a stylized hand holding a concealed dagger.

[Deadly]

Deadly chuckles a bit, turns ethereal and tries to pass through the door.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna looks around her as she wanders, trying to spot anything of even mild interest.

[AmberVael]

Deadly finds himself in a large, circular room with a summoning circle in the middle.

The ruins continue to be boring.

[Deadly]

Deadly looks around while drifting towards to circle to investigate

Ilias sighs and keeps going.

[AmberVael]

"Perhaps we should go to Deadly, if we can."

The magical circle seems to have been written and scribed in an infernal language, and the air about the room suggests that it has seen more than one summoning of such creatures.

[Deadly]

Both Ilias and Achim nods Sounds like it's worth trying.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna nods, but continues to look around for the moment, just in case something shows up.

[AmberVael]

Elya takes Earin's hand, then hold out a hand to Anna. I'll teleport us, if I can.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna takes Elya's hand.

[Deadly]

Ilias and Achim walks up to join the teleport

[AmberVael]

Elya concentrates on the connection between the guild badges and teleports the group to Deadly. When they appear, Elya staggers a little, looking a bit drained.

[Deadly]

Deadly looks up at the group and grins Hey there.

Ilias and Achim look around warily.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna blinks. that was different. She looks around at her new surroundings, then with concern at Elya. you okay there?

[AmberVael]

I don't know... a teleport shouldn't have been that hard.
Earin puts an arm around Elya.
The room is muffled and still, as quiet as a tomb, but with less echoes.

[Deadly]

Ilias frowns That's not a good sign. Achim studies the summoning circle, and Deadly looks around the perimeter of the room.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna continues to look around, at nothing in particular.

[AmberVael]

The room itself is created of the same rough stone material as the rest of the building. Achim certainly notices that there are many symbols in the summoning circle that a normal arcanist probably don't use... or know, for that matter. They are not infernal, but they are hardly normal.
Elya nods and holds to Earin.

[Deadly]

Achim tries to decipher the runes. Deadly summons a muffin and eats it while studying the room in general. Ilias sighs Any ideas for what to do now?

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna stops looking around, and stands still, waiting.

[AmberVael]

"Not really. Have you found anything, Deadly?"
Depending on just how much magic Achim has studied, he might recognize the symbols as not arcane, but shadow magic.

[Deadly]

Deadly shakes his head and summons another muffin Nope. Nothing interresting here as far as I can tell.

Achim sighs There's something unusual about these runes. They seem slightly familiar... I think they are some form of shadow magic, but that's really all I can tell.

((I'm sure he would have studied it briefly, but certainly not extensively.))

[AmberVael]

Elya gives a small shudder at Achim's words.
"Should we press on then?"

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna nods, not troubled by the idea of shadow magic, as she has no real idea what it is.

[Deadly]

Achim nods and gets up, ready to follow the others. Ilias sighs and makes sure to stay close. Deadly floats around a bit behind

[AmberVael]

((Even if she did, she likely would not be troubled by it. Its not an evil magic, its just a different type))
Earin goes back out into the hallway and looks around, then checks the room Deadly was in (not knowing that he had been in there). Seeing nothing of interest, he stalks down the hall towards the corner, growing more and more indistinct as he goes. Elya follows a ways behind him, waiting for cues.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna follows Elya. ((guess I was reading too much into that sudder, then.))

[Deadly]

Ilias and Achim follow close behind while Deadly floats leisurely behind

[AmberVael]

((Well, Elya has reason to be disturbed by it, but no one else does, really))
Earin peers around the corner cautiously, then slips around it as he goes completely invisible.

[Deadly]

Ilias follows Earins example and turns incorporeal (and invisible). Achim rolls his eyes, and continues on since he can't cast illusion spells anyway. He does bring up his aura again, though, just to do something.

[AmberVael]

Elya stops at the corner and Ilias and Earin go around it, waiting for them to scout it out.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna waits with Elya.

[Deadly]

Achim and Deadly waits patiently. Deadly summons yet another muffin.

Ilias follows Earin silently and looks around warily

[AmberVael]

Earin and Ilias find a dimly illuminated hallway (there is a silver-flamed torch on one side) with four doors in it.

[Deadly]

Should we start from an end with these doors?

[AmberVael]

Earin nods.
One at a time, or should we each take a side?

[Deadly]

One at a time might be safer.

[AmberVael]

Right side first then.
Earin ghosts over to the door and slips it open.

[Deadly]

Ilias nods and follows

[AmberVael]

The room appears to be a simple bathing chamber. Earin rolls his eyes and closes the door softly.
Great. We're invading someone's wierd living quarters.
He stalks over to the left door.

[Deadly]

Ilias shakes his nonexistant head and follows

[AmberVael]

Earin slowly cracks open the door to find what almost appears to be a cave. Raising an eyebrow, he pushes it open a little more.

[Deadly]

Ilias moves a little closer to get a better look That's a bit odd...

[AmberVael]

No kidding.
Earin slips into the cave and looks around.
Its too dark.
Which it is, actually. The same, lingering shadow above in the ruins exists in the cave.

[Deadly]

Ilias slips in behind him and narrows his eyes, trying to see something Yeah... and I doubt lighting a torch or something would be a good idea.

[AmberVael]

Wouldn't be good at all... I think there is something in here, but this shadow even confuses my telepathic sight.
Earin focuses himself, trying to see through the shadow.

[Deadly]

Ilias casts True Seeing ((Silently, since it's a spell-like ability))

[AmberVael]

The spell slightly pierces through the shadow, and Ilias can see a black shrouded shape amidst it all.

[Deadly]

Ilias frowns There's definatly someone... or something in there, but I can't see what it is, the shadows are too strong here.

[AmberVael]

Earin frowns.
Perhaps we should leave this room alone...

[Deadly]

That's probably a good idea...

Ilias begins to back out again

[AmberVael]

Earin makes it to the door and shuts it after Ilias goes through.

[Deadly]

Let's hope the next door is better. I'm not sure I want to know what that was in there

[AmberVael]

Earin nods and goes to the next door.

[Deadly]

Ilias follows warily.

Deadly sighs, getting a bit restless. He sits down and leans against the wall, summoning a muffin and a glass of wine.

[AmberVael]

It appears to be a normal, if sparse, bedroom.

[Deadly]

Ilias sighs Next one, then. and moves over to the last door.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna waits patiently, she raises an eyebrow at deadly.

[AmberVael]

Earin opens the last door and it is shown to be a sort of study. On one side of the room it seems to be sparring chamber, and a place to practice magic. On the other is a library and a desk.
mElya is practicing with her glaive on one side.

[Deadly]

Why is it always the last place you look, no matter what you're looking for? Anyway, let's get back to the others and figure out what to do.

[AmberVael]

Earin nods and slips out quietly. mElya frowns and looks towards where they were.

[Deadly]

Ilias follows him and moves back to the others.

[AmberVael]

They get back to the group.
"Well, we found mirror Elya."

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna nods. what's the plan, then?

[Deadly]

Ilias thinks Taking her by surprise would be best, if possible.

Deadly sips the last of his wine and the glass disappears. He stands up and thinks. Achim considers the situation as well.

[AmberVael]

Earin nods.
"We need a way to try and negate her magic before she summons up the Faded."

[Deadly]

Achim frowns An antimagic field, perhaps.

[ged424]

Ged walks in, with a kitten in his arms, and looks at the others with interest.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna begins thinking about this, but already knows this isn't her area of expertise.

[AmberVael]

Ged, unfortunately, (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) has absolutely no way to get into the section of ruins that the rest of the group is in, since there is no longer an entrance. Seeing as how Achim dispelled it and all.
Not that I am pointing any fingers at people. Nope. :smallwink:

Earin frowns, then nods.
"At the very least we can negate what magic the Faded have, if we can't suppress their existance."

[Deadly]

Let's just hope we don't negate our own magic too. I'm of little use in an antimagic field.

[Veg Sorbet]

As far as I know, I'll still be alright. i'm not sure my powers are magic-based.

[AmberVael]

Earin frowns.
"Is there any way to confine the antimagic to one target?"
Elya nods.
There is, but I don't know the spell to do it.

[Deadly]

Achim sighs I don't have any such spell ready either, but there are many ways to disable spellcasters. I can certainly try to make life hard for her.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna has nothing to add on this subject, so remains silent.

[AmberVael]

"Ok then. Ilias and I will sneak in first and get ready. Then, Achim, I want you to try and do everything you can to disable her casting. Elya, support Achim's disabling of your mirror and heal us if needed. Anna you will come in with the Achim and Elya, protecting them at first but then moving in on mElya as she has to focus more on us."
Earin looks between them.
"That sound good?"

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna nods.

[Deadly]

Ilias and Achim nods. Deadly looks up What about me?

[AmberVael]

"Oh, right. Hmm... distract her and attack her from a distance as much as you can while Achim and Elya try and disable her."

[Deadly]

Okay, sounds like fun. he grins.

[AmberVael]

Earin nods.
"Right then, lets go."
He sneaks off down the hall, Elya behind him.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna follows.

[Deadly]

Ilias turns incorporeal and follows. Achim follows a bit behind, followed by Deadly.

[AmberVael]

Earin barely opens the door and slips through, waving for Ilias to follow him before he turns invisible.

[Deadly]

Ilias follows, slipping through the door.

The aura around Achim grows as he prepares for the fight.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna waits.

[AmberVael]

mElya does not appear to be in the room.
Earin frowns and then mElya's invisibilty fades away as she appears behind them and she strikes Earin in the back with her glaive. Her teeth are bared and her eyes glow with a fierce light.

Outside of the room, Elya suddenly looks shocked and slams open the door and goes through.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna follows, machete gripped tightly in one hand. she forms a ball of ghostly green fire in the other.

[Deadly]

Ilias spins around and throws five blades at her.

Achim and Deadly runs in behind Elya.

[AmberVael]

Earin leaps back only to find himself slamming into a wall of force she has put up. A field of force slows and deflects two of the mind blades while two others deflect off of her blackened armor. The fifth slices across her cheek and leaves a gash, but she only focuses on Earin as she spins her glaive towards him again, channeling magic into it.
Earin gets hit by the glaive and fire bursts across his skin, and he takes a heavy blow from the magicall enhanced blade. He slips out his dagger and rapier instantly and prepares to defend himself.
Elya comes in and hurls the charged glowing light around her arm at her double.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna stays back out of range of the glaive, and throws the ghostly fireball thing* at mElya at a suitable point

((*just like the lightball, only slightly more fiery))

[Deadly]

Ilias sends a blast of lightning at her and prepares another batch of blades

Achim casts Crushing Hand (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/crushingHand.htm) on mElya and directs it to try and grapple her

Deadly manifests False Sensory Input (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/falseSensoryInput.htm) to try and make it appear like Earin is displaced.

[AmberVael]

mElya snarls as the fiery blast strikes into her, and while some of it is simply drained away into her armor, the rest burns her severely. She counters Elya's blast of light with a whirling cone of deadly shadow which overlaps and strikes at the hand as well, probably slowing and damaging it. The psionic attack deflects off of her while the lightning similarly harms her but gets slightly absorbed by her armor. She slams her glaive towards Earin again, moving to place him between her and the others.
Earin barely dodges and deflects the glaive out of the way with a dagger, then leaps over mElya and tries to stab her in the back.
Elya throws another brilliant jet of light at mElya.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna throws another ball. This one divides into two in mid-air.

[Deadly]

Ilias blinks away to get in a better position before throwing his two empowered blades.

Achim casts Spell Worm (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/spells/spellWorm.htm)

Deadly manifests a sonic blast at her

[AmberVael]

mElya's armor deflects Earin's stab and she throws up a wall of force around them, deflecting the attacks of the others. Achim's spell fails to affect her, glancing off her warded mind. Earin takes advantage of her focus on creating the wall and lunges in with a few hard strikes.
Elya frowns and tries to dispel the wall.

[Deadly]

Achim casts Timestop, followed by a Disintegrate on the wall and a Disjunction on mElya.

Deadly manifest a Shatter Mind Blank

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna frowns. She creates another ball, but does nothing with it yet.

[AmberVael]

mElya's armor does its job in protecting her from Earin's attacks, but two dagger strikes slip past her guard and jab her in the stomach and arm. Elya fails to dispel the wall, the magic slipping off of it as if it were not there. The disentegrate shatters it, while the disjunction rages around mElya and Earin, but really fails to do anything against either of them. Her mind blank shatters as she spins and flings a spell out at them all, tendrils of shadow racing out towards everyone and draining at their life force. She mutters a guttaral word under her breath.
((In DnD terms, it either kills you right out or deals damage if you make the save))

Earin gasps as the spell drains at him, and Elya gives a small cry of pain while she flings another blast of light.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna gives a strangled cry as the tendrils hit. She reverts to 'human' form, and the flaming ball in her hand becomes a regular lightball. She throws the ball in mElya's direction.

[Deadly]

Ilias winces and staggers at the spell before throwing the five empowered blades he's been preparing.

Deadly doesn't seem to be bothered by the pain, his eyes burning with black fire as he manifests Psychic Crush.

Achim trembles at the spell and summons an Elder Earth Elemental that he directs to attack mElya.

[AmberVael]

mElya is smashed and falls bleeding to the ground from the mass of attacks. However, the Faded flicker in around her, their eyes burning.
I'm afraid we can't allow this.
Vael mentally directs them, and Xemnas draws his sword and advances on Anna, while the Shadow floats towards Elya. Kirana readies the dreaded sais that Myobi now carries and runs towards Earin. Alchemy summons another of the greenish golems to intercept Achim's monolith and Ayral floats towards Deadly. Lastly mArslan prepares an assault on Ilias's mind.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna grips the machete tightly in both hands, taking a defensive stance, sizing Xemnas up and bracing herself.

[Deadly]

Deadly grins maniacally, which is surprisingly scary to behold. He manifests a pair of black claws and leaps at Ayral screaming furiously Death by Raccoon!

Ilias stops his attack at mArslans influence before shaking it off and blinking a bit.

Achim frowns and casts Polar Ray at mArslan Not good!

The elemental attacks the green golem

[AmberVael]

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i267/Kyrian_Aramir/Oots%20Stuff/male17.gif
((Xemnas))
Xemnas comes closer to Anna, ready to attack with his sword, then flings a glowing red spike at her.
((Think magic missile, but with an attack roll and harder hitting))

Ayral's inertial armor and incorporeal block most of Deadly's attacks, while Ayral reaches out and tries to drain Deadly of his psionic power.

mArslan narrows and focuses his influence, trying to dominate Ilias with all his might.
Vael intercepts Achim's polar ray with a counterspell from his staff, then turns the spell back on him.
The golem crunches a little, then slams two fists back at the elemental.

Elya flings a bolt of light at the Shadow, only to get slashed across the arm. She winces and begins to call on her divine magic to empower her.

Earin gets struck by a blast of lightning and then suddenly crimson armor bursts over his skin and his hair goes white, and he lunges at Kirana, drawing out his bastard sword from nowhere.

Alchemy uses a repair spell on his golem.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna moves to defend herself against the sword attack, then notices the spike, and attempts to blast it with a lightball.

[Deadly]

Ilias falls to his knees, managing only to throw a single blade at mArslan.

The reflected ray is reflected back at Vael (heh :smallbiggrin:) Achim smirks and casts Animus Blast (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/spells/animusBlast.htm)

Ayral might be a bit surprised to find Deadly completely lacking of any psionic power. The raccoon before him falls over dead and an incorporeal Deadly forms behind him, manifesting Assimilate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/assimilate.htm)

The elemental continues it's attack

[AmberVael]

The spike passes through the ball of light, but the ball of light strikes Xemnas before he can dodge. He slams a fast and hard sword attack at Anna.

mArslan is distracted for a moment as he dodges the blade, and his mental attack fades for a moment.

Vael smirks.
Try this.
He captures the polar ray in his staff and reforms it into psionic energy, which he then flings back as a blast of psionic acid and force at Achim.

Deadly finds the bodiless Spectral Savant somewhat resistant to being absorbed, and Ayral spins and flings three small jets of ice at him.

The golem continues to hammer at the elemental.

Elya sends another jet of light through the Shadow, how recoils only to be struck repeatedly by a darkened blast of stygian energy. It shrieks and whirls clawed hands at her.

Will/Earin slams his sword at Kirana only to find her dodging under him and out of the way. He uses an instant of stolen time and incarnum energy to spin himself around and hit her along the back and land on his feet. She yips and shoots a blast of fire at him.

Alchemy counterspells the Animus Blast.