Together We Ride ;; Group IV - M-Bark [IC]

[Morph Bark]

OOC thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=189619).


Dawn was coming. The first rays of the sun already illuminated the skies to the east, as if heralding the domain of Pelor making its entry into the world. At least here they could reach, would shine upon the land and brighten it. It sure could use that in these days where the dark threat of Gulkat loomed ever closer, ever more ominous.

You have been hired by a man in yellow and red robes who goes by the name of Mehha. He has requested that you go to an old acquaintance of his at a temple in northwestern Thilis and collect a package to return to him in Saladene. You carry with you a letter in an evelope that is sealed, bearing a seal Mehha has told you his acquaintance will recognize. "Ask for a man by the name of Shinnen at the temple of Farlaghn," he's told you.

Your journey so far has been without too much hardship, but to get to the temple, you will need to come dangerously close with the border with Gulkat...

[Qwertystop]

Farlaghn? No matter how many times I hear that, I never get any better at pronouncing it. I hope I can keep my magic under control while we're passing Gulkat so as not to provoke any spies. <mutters in Ignan, sounds angry, but then again most Ignan sounds angry> What do you guys think? We going close enough that we need to be extra careful? How much is this guy paying us anyway?

[ToySoldierCPlus]

Imre woke in the pre-dawn light, rose from his bedroll, and sat down to meditate, pulling wisps and strands of incarnum out of the air around him, and infusing them with a bit from his own body, then shaping the masses into his soulmelds for the day. Let's see, my wormtail belt, he thought to himself, shaping some of the incarnum into a belt reminiscent of the scales of a purple worm around his waist. His skin took on a purple hue, and seemed to thicken. And I'll want my Sphinx Claws and Girallon Arms, too. He shaped more of the incarnum over his arms, hands, and upper torso, where it coalesced into a set of claws like those of a noble sphinx over his hands, and into a coat of fine blue fur over his arms and upper torso, with a second set of ghostly claws extending from his finger tips. I'll need to bind both of those as well, he thought, focusing his energy and attaching the soulmelds to his chakras. As he did so, two additional arms sprouted from his sides, the new hands tipped with razor sharp claws, while the claws already on his hands became fully real and sharp. The sphinx claws fused onto his hands as well. Finally, I suppose my blink shirt would be most useful for right now. He shaped the last of the incarnum he had gathered into a shirt of coarse brown fur, like that of a blink dog. Finished with his meditation, Imre rose, rolled up his bedroll, and prepared for another day of travel.

Overhearing Ulafi's questions, Imre said to him, I don't know. I wouldn't worry too much, one way or another. Even if your magic doesn't set anybody off, I probably will. The question is, will I prompt them to attack, or to run screaming?

[Qwertystop]

Yes, I suppose so. Don't you find it odd that your power, entirely voluntary, seems to scare people much more than my magic seizures? <under his breath, mutters a phrase which has become well known to everyone, even in the Terran he uses>
I wanted to be a warrior.

[ToySoldierCPlus]

I draw soulstuff from the souls of monsters and mix it with my own to modify my body; I don't find people's reactions surprising in the least. People are used to mages. I doubt they'll ever get used to me.

[Gadora]

Altan pulls the hood of his cloak down a bit further, listening quietly to the conversation. Ugh. Looks like another sunny day. Why can't we get a nice overcast day for once? He raises an eyebrow when he notices that one of his companions seems to have more arms than normal.

Skill checks

Knowledge checks to identify the seal:
Nobility and Royalty:[roll0]
Arcana:[roll1]

To confirm authenticity of the seal:
Forgery:[roll2]

[Morph Bark]

Gadora
You recognize the seal as being very similar to the seal used by the Knights of Saladene, although it misses the lower horizontal bar and instead has two dots there. It makes it look like a somewhat failed attempt at forgery.

[NineThePuma]

"Less chitchat, more marching." Morde said, glaring at the others in the group. The magical construct's business focused personality and almost brutal efficiency has been established since the group's formation; while THIS journey has been all fine and dandy, bandits had struck previously, where he revealed an incredibly aggressive and destructive physical warrior. At the same time, however, he was something of a guardian, protecting his allies by drawing as much attention to himself as possible.

[Qwertystop]

Ulafi stands up, flexes his whip-dagger to busy his hands, and speaks:
Yes, let's go. Everyone's ready, right?

[Gadora]

"Well, if we're all ready, shall we continue on?" Altan stands and readies himself for travel.

[ToySoldierCPlus]

Imre stretched his arms, all four of them behind him, arching his back as he did so, before cracking his neck. Then he shouldered his pack, saying, I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Let's get a move on.

[Morph Bark]

As the group travels along the road, they see in the distance a large shape in the middle of the road. Upon coming a little closer, it appears to be some sort of spiky creature.

[Qwertystop]

How far away is it? Is it spiky like a hard-shelled thing, or spiky like a hedgehog (soft-skin, with needles)? Any other details?

Spot check: [roll0]
or 21 if I can take twenty.

[Gadora]

Skill Checks

Spot: [roll0]
Knowledge(arcana): [roll1]*

*Probably not the right skill to identify the creature, but it's more likely that than nobility and royalty.

[ToySoldierCPlus]

Also spot check: [roll0] As well as knowledges to identify:
Arcana: [roll1] Nature: [roll2] The Planes: [roll3]

[Qwertystop]

Oh, I'll check it with a few other things too.

Knowledge: The Planes [roll0]
Spellcraft [roll1]

[NineThePuma]

Morde, not being the knowledgeable type, instead places himself between his allies and the creature, the long weight-tipped chain in his left forearm extending as the warrior takes a defensive stance.

In Martial Spirit Stance and drawing my weapon. I don't intend to roll initiative until you say so; this means that my maneuvers are still technically unknown.

[Morph Bark]

Ulafi, Altan and Imre see that the shape is that of a creature that appears to be a horse, but patches of its skin are hardened, thick and black like volcanic rock.

Imre manages to identify the long, spear-like spikes that portrude from the creature as the spines of a beast called a shadow eater, a behemoth of a creature that is yet light on its feet and can shoot its spines from afar to pin down its prey. The horse - still 80 feet in the distance, clearly has fallen prey to it.

[ToySoldierCPlus]

Imre drops into a wary stance, claws raised and at the ready, spines bristling. "We need to be careful. Those spines belong to a shadow eater, and it can fire them from its body to attack at range. We seem to have a bit of time, bought for us by that horse. What do we wanna do?"

[Qwertystop]

Ulafi starts fidgeting, trying to keep his magic under control until needed. His eyes hint at a surpressed flicker."Would the shadow eater also be able to produce the skin condition on that horse? If not, we may have more foes than that. We should be careful around the horse until we can be sure that it is, in fact, a horse. I would not be surprised to see an earth elemental shaping itself like that, which could explain the skin.
If something threatens us, I will conjure a Persistent Blade to attack it. If we see the shadow eater, I will conjure a Wall of Gloom to obscure its aim long enough for us to get nearer, so it will not have the advantage of distance to rain needles upon us.

(Readied action to cast Persistent Blade as soon as something threatening occurs within 35 feet. Threatening here means something which appears to be hostile, is moving in a way which implies hostility, or is a Shadow Eater. Moving in a way which implies hostility includes something that appears to be drawing a weapon, charging, or gesturing/speaking incomprehensibly. My allies do not count as threatening for the purpose of this readied action. The spell will be targeted at the threat.

If I can ready two actions (not very good at readied action rules), my second is to cast Wall of Gloom as near to the Shadow Eater as possible, between myself and it, if I see it or am otherwise informed of its location. I will concentrate on this until I post otherwise.)

[Gadora]

Altan fingers the hilt of one of his swords. "Is there any reason we can't simply give it a wide berth? I'd rather not risk dirtying my blades if it can be easily avoided."

Ready an action to UMD the wand of shield in the sword Altan is toying with. Triggers if the shadow eater moves threateningly towards us.

[NineThePuma]

Morde, Master of Metal
HP 86/86, DR 4/-, Speed 30ft
AC 18, Touch 10, Flat-footed 18,
Fort +16, Ref +0, Will +8,

"Figure out what our plan is quickly. I doubt that beast will be willing to wait for you to eat before coming right at us." The construct shifted forward slightly, careful to keep between the beast.

[Qwertystop]

I am not saying that we should rush in, only that we should be prepared if it does attack. I agree that we should stay at a distance.

(Can we move and still keep actions readied?)

[Qwertystop]

Checks to see if I can figure out what's up with the odd skin of the "horse".
Spellcraft: [roll0]
Knowledge: The Planes: [roll1]
Knowledge: Arcana: [roll2]
Spot: [roll3]
Listen (Don't know why, the skin might sizzle or something else that would help the Spellcraft and Knowledge checks, as a further bit of evidence): [roll4]

[Morph Bark]

Your shadow eats you!
Except not really. The shadow eater does not show itself, nor does anything else threatening show up. Since you're trying to investigate the horse, I'm presuming you moved closer to take a look at it. At 30 feet distance, you still don't notice anything more peculiar than before and no sizzling or similar noises can be heard, only the rustle of leaves on the wind. You do manage to identify that the black patches are not a normal feature of the horse and that the horse is, in fact, dead.

[ToySoldierCPlus]

"I think you're focusing on the wrong thing here, Ulafi. Those spines belong to a shadow eater, they're not attached to it. This means that the shadow eater is either lying in wait somewhere nearby, using the horse as bait for better prey, or has been driven off by whatever left those burns on the horse, which is now likely lying in wait using the horse as bait for better prey." Imre looks around warily. Spot: [roll0] I'm with Altan. We should just move on, and quickly. I don't want to be around here when either thing comes back."

[Qwertystop]

Agreed, just wanted to be sure. Thought the black patches might be something eating the horse, didn't know what the shadow eater looked like. Let's go around.

No longer readying actions.

[Gadora]

"Onward then, but," Altan draws his bow and nocks an arrow, "be prepared in case of an ambush."


Readied action is null.
Spot check: [roll0]
Listen check: [roll1]

[Morph Bark]

As you pass by the crusty horse's dead body, Altan notices that there is a man stuck underneath the corpse, unmoving as well. He appears to be wearing priestly robes.

[Gadora]

"Huh. Looks like the thing killed a priest." Altan keeps walking. "Anyone want to check his faith and see if we can do right by him?"

Staying alert:

Spot check: [roll0]
Listen check: [roll1]

[NineThePuma]

"As much as it pains me to say, don't we already have a mission? Lets not go looking for quests." Morde didn't pause in his stride, continuing to walk. "If you can see a journal in plain site, grab it and lets go."

[Gadora]

Altan shrugs. "I was thinking that someone might want to give the man his burial rites or some such thing."

[ToySoldierCPlus]

"Don't look at me. I've never had any use for the gods, so I know no burial rites fitting for a priest." Imre continues walking and glancing around him. "Besides, I'd prefer that we be gone before whatever killed him comes back."

Spot: [roll0]
Listen:[roll1]

[Qwertystop]

No idea of the proper rites.
Spot Check: [roll0]
Listen Check: [roll1]

[Morph Bark]

The rest of the journey that day continues on without trouble and late in the afternoon the foursome sees the temple of Farlaghn in the distance atop a hill, the front doors wide open, whilst strangely enough (though perhaps not for this new age) a fortified wall has been erected around it halfway up the hill. The wall appears to have no gates.

[Gadora]

"What a lovely sight after all that walking. Might I ask that I be the one to present the letter when we arrive?"

[ToySoldierCPlus]

"That's just fine with me. We should probably mention the priest we found earlier, just in case the folks there don't know about it yet."

[Qwertystop]

"Under the assumption that shadow eaters and the unknown horse-burner aren't exactly common around here, otherwise the priest would have been better protected, we should probably mention them too."

[NineThePuma]

Morde is silent, walking past them to inspect the wall.

"I think they know. Stay here." Morde then proceeds to run a quick circuit around the entire fortress, looking for a gate. In either situation he returns to the group.


If he fails to find one.
"Who knows how to climb with any proficiency?" he asks, looking at the group.

If he finds one...
"Come along meat bags." he says, continuing to loop around to the gate.

[Morph Bark]

He fails to find one.
"Who knows how to climb with any proficiency?" he asks, looking at the group.

Short and easy response to keep it rollin' before I disappear for hours. :smalltongue:

[ToySoldierCPlus]

"How is there no gate?" Imre sighs, and looks at the walls. "Hang on, I'll be back." Imre steps toward the walls and disappears, reappearing atop the wall. He then steps toward the inside of the wall, and disappears again, reappearing on the ground inside the wall.

Blink Shirt teleportation ability. Moving essentia if necessary to get the distance I need.

Once inside, Imre goes in search of anyone.

[Gadora]

As nonchalantly as he can manage, Altan speaks up. "Before we go any further, I should probably mention the possibility that the seal on the letter is forged. I had a plan to turn this to my advantage, but, now that it is time to put it into play, it no longer seems a particularly wise plan."

[NineThePuma]

Morde just sighs, glances at Altan, and then back at the others. "I feel now is the best time to tell you that you're all experiments set forth by a race of ancient aberrations intended to provide a food source for them until the end of existence and the final coming of the dark gods of death."

He said it with a perfectly straight face, with no tone or hint that he's messing with anyone.

[roll0] - bluff check to be convincing

[Gadora]

"So you do have a sense of humor." Altan pauses for a moment. "You're right. I was being rather asinine. The seal probably just looks remarkably similar to that of the Knights of Saladene."

Sense motive on Morde: [roll0]

[Qwertystop]

Away from home computer for a while, not sure what my Sense Motive modifier is. Can the next poster check my character sheet and make my check for me? Mythweavers is blocked on these computers :smallsigh:

[Morph Bark]

While Altan spends his time seeing through the Warforged's attempt at sarcastic humour, Imre continues onwards, walking onto the temple grounds within the bounds of the gateless wall.

What is his precise direction/course of action?

[ToySoldierCPlus]

Imre heads for the temple itself, calling out to see if anyone is around. "Hello! Anyone here?"

[Morph Bark]

The shuffling sound of footsteps and cloth dragging along the stone tile floor comes ahead of Imre as he enters the temple and calls out. A bald man with grey sideburns - some red still left in-between, his robes heavy and yet plain, appears. "Ah!" He lets out as he looks over Imre's spiny-human form, "You're not one of them, are you?"

[ToySoldierCPlus]

Imre follows the man's gaze to his spines, then looks back at the man and shakes his head. "By them, I assume you mean the shadow eaters? I assure you I'm not. I have some companions waiting outside your wall. We have a delivery for you, as well as a bit of news. The news concerns one of your priests, who seems to have been attacked by a shadow eater. The delivery is still with my companions. I don't suppose you would be willing to open your gate and admit them in?"

[Morph Bark]

The man looks warily at Imre for a short while, before relaxing and coming with him. "Very well, you seem trustworthy and if you have a delivery for us then we will gladly take it, though we weren't expecting any."

Once outside the man walks to the wall and waves his hand. A spark of red flashes around his fingers and leaps to the wall, disappearing there, before the wall slowly vanishes from view there and a gate appears. After doing this, he moves for the gate and unlocks it with a large key from one of his pockets.

[ToySoldierCPlus]

"That explains why Mort couldn't find the gate. One moment, if you would. I'll go and grab my companions." Imre jogs through the gate and back to where he had left the others. I found a priest inside. He seems to be very concerned about shadow eaters or some...thing in the area. The gate was hidden magically, which is why Mort couldn't find it. C'mon, let's finish this up." Imre turns and leads his companions back to the priest and gate.

[Qwertystop]

Semi-up for continuation, see my answer in the OOC thread. If the answer to my proposal there is no, I will probably still play, but I'd prefer if it was yes.

[Gadora]

I thought I made this post yesterday...

I'm up for continuation. I'm not sure quite what I want to see in the future, but I'm really here to practice roleplaying so, though it isn't by any means my strongest point, I would much appreciate opportunities for roleplaying.

[NineThePuma]

Morde needs to get more play time, or Puma will be sad.:smallfrown: