[IC]If thoughts could Kill...

[Hyperion]

Our Adventurers had come to the town of Dalonur. This town offered works for mercenaries and adventurers alike. It had become quite a prosperous town with the kind of gold that the adventurers brought and magical treasures. The population on the streets is varied, ranging from elves, dwarves, halflings, gnomes, humans and the occasional odd ones standing out.

They enjoyed the few joys that the city had to offer ranging from the rare spices to the various merchants trying to sell some magical items. Like many people advised them, some of those merchants were selling temporary item or wands with barely any charges left. One had to be careful.

One middle man with a large gray beard and belly almost hitting the floor insisted that his potion of regeneration could make limbs regrow. As he approached the group of adventurers insisting to sell his product.

"Believe me sir, you take one drink of this potion and you will regrow every single limbs. It is made of a special troll blood concoctions from my grandfather Ferdinand the third!"

[Keld Denar]

Angif

Angif frowns skeptically at the man while leaning on Journey. Oh? Tell us more.

[Hyperion]

"Oh sure thing, this potion property saved many adventurers in perilous situations. Ever wished you had something to heal you from that deadly trap? no worries and no need to put your colleagues in danger. One sip of this potion and you will be ready for action again!"

The man was really trying to sell his product to say the least.

[Keld Denar]

Angif

Still not convinced, Angif wanders away slowly, looking around for a vendor who might sell tea.

[Terumitsu]

Jackal, however, was curious as to the man's stock. It was entirely possible that he was a snake-oil salesman but inquisitive action never hurt anyone... Well, that was false. Especially when she may have accidentally set off a pit trap several years ago by toying with a strange lever without telling anyone what she was up to... Gladly, nobody had been seriously hurt but she was now quite adamant at informing her allies as to her actions, just in case.

Inquisitive intent was probably the better term.

"You expose the properties of your concoction most exuberantly.. *Ahem.* Stop talking down to people, Ira. It's a nasty habit the tiefling mentally chastised herself. "Sorry. Ah, you mean to say that this stuff has regenerative attributes? Would you feel terribly hurt if I asked for a demonstration, perhaps? Like.. Giving some to a lizard that has lost it's tail or something like that?" Jackal asked. It was a perfectly legitimate question and, if anything, such demonstrations would probably give the man much more business than his current method.

[Hyperion]

"Oh sure thing miss, let me demonstrate to you how that works. I will need to get one specimen..."

As the man began talking and looking around for a little creature to show off the properties of his miraculous elixir. Jackall ended up having a blank stare in the horizon and fell on the ground unconscious.

"Miss? Miss..." as the voice of the merchant faded away...

For Terimutsu:

A cerulean sea of crystal stretches away in every direction. Above, thunderheads charge across the night sky,flashing and rumbling. The sea remains calm for another heartbeat, then glows dimly.Gradually it brightens until all the sea, from horizon to horizon, blazes. But brighter still is a point of burning intensity rising from the deep. Brighter and brighter it shines as it comes closer and closer to the surface. It is too brilliant to make out its shape against the light. As the object threatens to break the surface of the now-roiling crystal sea, a voice of heartbreaking clarity speaks:
“I awaken. Find me. You are One Who Will Choose.”
The vision dissolves as something breaks the surface….

Jackall came back to her senses right after the vision, which took a couple of minutes.

[Keld Denar]

Angif

Angif bends down, examining the woman he'd been adventuring with who had suddenly fainted for no reason. He looks up at the merchant with a flash of anger in his eyes, then back at his fallen comrad. Are you ok?

[Grendus]

Jeremy eyed the trader with interest, but wasn't really convinced. Trollsblood was more likely toxic than regenerative, and few if any potions worked in doses as low as a sip, but if it worked it would be worth a flask. On the flipside, if it was the fumes from the flask that had caused his comrade to faint...

Speaking of which, he reminded himself, he should probably check on her. "You ok?" he asks, leaning over her making sure she was alright. "If the heat's getting to you, I know a trick for that."

[Terumitsu]

"I'm.. unharmed and generally coherent aside from a mild cranial contusion." Jackal said, rubbing at where her head had met the ground. Bumps and bruises can be expected when one simply goes slack and collapses on the spot. It was fortunate that she had not been aloft when she had been struck with the vision. That could have been outright dangerous.

"I would like a place to sit down for a while, though." she said, dialing down her syllable count again. It was probably for the better if she didn't speak about a sudden onset of visual and auditory hallucinations in front of the stallkeeper either. "Though, if someone could stay behind and vouch for the elixer's effects, I'd be grateful." she said.

No reason to leave behind a good investment opportunity because of bad circumstance. That said, a nearby bench or perhaps an inn would be a preferable place to light for the time being.

[Keld Denar]

Angif

Learning on Journey with one hand, Angif lends a strong arm to the woman. He leads her to a bench off to the side, turns and walks quickly over to the tea vendor he spotted earlier. Dropping a whole gold coin on the counter, he returns to Jackall with a cup of steaming water and a pouch. Sprinkling 2 large pinches of the contents of the pouch into the water, he hands it to her.

Don't drink this yet, just inhale the vapors. It'll help clear your mind. The tea has a strong bitter odor of annis on top of the black tea scent.

[Daftendirekt]

Hartha
Hartha (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=287170)
Male LN Half-Giant Ranger 1/PsyWar 4/Slayer 4, Level 9, Init +0, HP 84/84, DR 3/-, Speed 20
AC 23, Touch 13, Flat-footed 23, Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +10, Base Attack Bonus +8/+3 /31
Deep Crystal, Power Storing +1 Glaive +14/+9 (2d8+8, x3)
Spiked Gauntlet +13/+8 (1d6+5, x2)
+2 Adamantine Full Plate (+10 Armor, +3 Deflect)
Abilities Str 20, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 8
Condition None

Hartha's massive form towered over Jackal as he stood next to the bench, the haft of his polearm resting easily on his broad shoulder. The tiny bells on the ends of his braids tinkled ever so slightly as his head turned this way and that, keeping a silent vigil on the street. He proved an imposing figure, and a clear space formed about 10 feet around the bench.

He'd watched the previous minutes' events without comment, although his glaive had come to bear when the girl had fainted, his cloudy gray eyes scanning the crowd ceaselessly until she awoke. At last, he spoke, his slow, low voice rumbling from deep within his barrel-like chest.

"What happened back there? Feeling all right?"

OOC:
We should all try to stay in the same tense. Past tense is the usual medium yes?

[Terumitsu]

"Thank you.." Jackal mumbled as she watched the water darken. Although... the scent was highly reminiscent of something more like an ointment than something to drink. Then again, it was medicinal rather than tea. She wrinkled her nose at it but let it permeate her nostrils anyway. "I'm in possession of all of my senses but again, thank you." she said.

Taking a few moments to muse over the vision, disguising it as getting comfortable on the bench, Jackal soon began to expound on her thoughts. "I.. believe that I have just been contacted. I am unsure as to what magnitude of potency it would require to co-opt any entity's audio, visual, and tactile senses so completely with ease such is... Troubling. Given that I am not suffering from some sort of delirium, I feel as if I may have just been imposed with a behest."

[Daftendirekt]

Staring at the girl as she prattled on, Hartha's serious face took on a bemused expression. He scratched at the thick beard covering his cheek, musing for a moment before speaking.

"Not entirely sure what you said, young one, but I did catch 'contacted'. My question is... why?"

[Terumitsu]

"That is a good question. I do not know why I would be selected in particular but I was told to find it." Jackal said. "Though, a better question would be where this entity is. It's rather hard to find something without a map or compass or waypoints. And it isn't as if we can simply go around asking about mysterious crystalline entities who routinely contact people to send them enigmatic messages." she said, a wry smirk flickering across her face.

"But, if anything, I suppose some research in to the matter would help. Has anyone heard of a sea of crystal as blue and as vast as the ocean? Or perhaps a grand leviathan that dwells beneath it?" she asked her traveling companions. And while lore was not exactly her greatest strength, she too decided to rack her brain for some scrap of information that might prove useful.

Knowledge Psionics:
[roll0]

[Keld Denar]

Angif

That doesn't sound familiar to me...

[roll0]

[Hyperion]

As you are trying to find out a logical explanation behind the vision, it become quite clear that the colorless lodge might be the only ones with an answer. The colorless lodge are a group of psionics users who shares a mind network. They are located farther in the north, more precisely in Carsis. It would take a decent journey to get there or just a teleport would do.

[Grendus]

"We could visit the Colorless Lodge in Carsis," Jeremy said, thinking hard. "It's one hell of a journey though, unless someone has teleportation."

He thought for a second, then added "I could get us within 500 miles, worst case, by plane shifting twice - once to, say, the astral plane and back to Carsis. It would get us within 500 miles, though I'm not sure if that's any closer than here."

[Daftendirekt]

Planting the haft of his glaive in the grit of the road, Hartha tilts his head down to look straight at the young human in front of him.

"My own two feet have served me well enough for years. Even if I do utilize this strange power that we all seem to share, I'd rather not trust such a long trip to it. My vote is that we walk the distance."

Eyes the color of slate turning away from Jeremy, he glances down at his own armor and the raiment of his companions, covered quite liberally in dust and dirt from their travels to this point.

"I would not be averse to staying a day or two in this town to rest, clean up and maybe stock up if anybody is short on anything."

[Grendus]

Jeremy shrugs. Truth be told, after growing up in the desert, traveling in this climate was downright restful, he would rather just get going.

"I would rather shorten the distance myself," he says, shifting his pack restlessly. "But if you'd rather walk the whole distance, that's fine with me."

[Terumitsu]

"Ambulation would be preferable to instantaneous transmission given that we deny ourselves the simple joy of experiencing the journey." Jackal said, voicing her two copper. "However, I agree that a day's rest would have positive effects on morale. As much as I find sleeping by the roadside to be peaceful, I do find that a well stuffed mattress has it's appeals."

[Keld Denar]

Angif

I would prefer we continue on with all haste. If Jackall recieved a protent, that generally indicates that you should pay attention. I remember a technique I learned long ago, where one psionically endowed person can meld with the mind of another, sharing their powers. Since I'm the only one who can manifest long range teleporation powers, one of you could use my knowledge of the ability to replicate the feat. Who of you think you can manage?

[Grendus]

"Not exactly my forte, teleportation. It's a tricky business. I'm better at matter agitation... like conjuring arcs of magma or bolts of fire," Jeremy says.

[Daftendirekt]

"I'm not the learned type, especially not with this power we have. So far, I've just killed enemies with it, and kept myself alive. Anyway, I'm going to actually go inside this tavern and relax. Let me know what you children decide."

And at that, Hartha lifts up his glaive back onto his shoulder and heads up the steps into the inn, plate-clad feet clanging on the stone steps. However, he stops and turns back, looking back down the street, a puzzled look on his face...

[Hyperion]

http://img862.imageshack.us/img862/9232/town002.jpg



Before they make haste toward the inn. Four figures step forth from a rainbow flash of light that sweeps quickly away from the point of their appearance.One is a dwarf with obviously arcane runes inscribed on his axe. Another is a shaven headed human female in gray robes holding a wooden wand. The third is a male gnome, dressed in a bright red cloak and black leathers. The last is strangest of all: A humanoid figure wrapped in black straps that cover it completely, trapping its arms at its sides and forcing its legs together. Even its head is entirely wrapped in the leather-straps except for its eyes. They burned like points of silver fire just as the figures appeared, but now return to a bloated, featureless white. The leather-wrapped creature seems to levitate under its own power.

[Daftendirekt]

Hartha
Hartha (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=287170)
Male LN Half-Giant Ranger 1/PsyWar 4/Slayer 4, Level 9, Init +0, HP 84/84, DR 3/-, Speed 20
AC 23, Touch 13, Flat-footed 23, Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +10, Base Attack Bonus +8/+3
Deep Crystal, Power Storing +1 Glaive +14/+9 (2d8+8, x3)
Spiked Gauntlet +13/+8 (1d6+5, x2)
+2 Adamantine Full Plate (+10 Armor, +3 Deflect)
Abilities Str 20, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 8
Condition None
Power Points = 31/31

I've got a very bad feeling about this...

OOC
Initiative:
[roll0]

[Eiko]

As the group wandered through the market Markus had his head in the clouds. New smells new sounds, the hammering of metal, the clinking of silver, that hot tang of fresh baked sweet breads. This was what he traveled for and every down was oh so slightly different. A different town had different trade routes, different rivers, different resources. As the others made a relatively straight path towards the inn chatting, Markus meandered around the stalls never quite parting with his gold; always staying just in sight of the group.

When Jackal fell over he hadn't immediately noticed until the others rushed over to help her up. He looked back to see Angif lending a muscular arm to pulling her to her feet and walked back over briskly. His mumbled inquiries to her well being were swiftly cut off by her explanation of her vision. It certainly didn't sound like anything he'd heard of before.

"Walking isn't too much of a problem, I mean we were mainly just wandering anyway at the moment and do we have any reason to decide to hurry?" His contribution to the discussion thereafter was limited in the quick exchange that followed. "I could probably attempt to teleport us if we really needed to but I couldn't guarantee it would work. Safer to travel the way nature intended surely? I mean its not like it would be the first journey that far we've made" Any further suggestions were cut short by the sudden appearance of the four figures in front of him put him on edge, his hand slowly reaching for the large sword on his back.

"Hello, umm... Who are you then?"

[Grendus]

Jeremy feels himself reach for the familiar powers, gripping them in his mind like warrior might his sword. They were all there - powers for channeling fire and conjuring walls of raw force, powers for ripping at a person's sense of self or crushing their pitiful mind like a bug, even one that could make a person's head explode. Powers that most people would find overwhelming. Powers that didn't make him feel any safer.

Mentally, he picks out his first target in the event of a fight. The female. Looks like an arcane blessed. Either larval flayers or ego whip should lock her down quickly. Flayers, I think... even if she's a sorceress, illithid spawn will throw her off balance.

[Terumitsu]

Given that the sudden arrivals had done nothing yet, Jackal remained sitting and finally took a small sip of the odd smelling substance she had been given. The result was a silent expression that might as well have said something along the lines of 'Bleck!' as the taste was really no better than the scent. Obviously, that meant that it was medicine as just about everything nonmagical that had curative properties tasted horrible.

However, this wasn't to say she wasn't on her guard as the fact that the group had their weapons unsheathed said quite a lot. Just to be wary, she kept at least one eye on the arriving party and mentally prepared for a possible confrontation. Hopefully, she was just being paranoid.

Initiative:
[roll0]

If possible to perform a readied action:

Dimension Hop (4PP) 30 feet directly up. Trigger: Any attack directed toward Jackal.

Yay for Fly (Perfect)!

[Hyperion]

The dwarf grins as he observes the group of adventurers and braces himself apparently waiting for his comrades. The human lady pulls out a scroll and reads it out aloud casting a fireball at the group of adventurers. The gnome on the side, also casts a spell at Hathra. The strange creature in the back eyes glow as Angif can feel something trying to attack his mind.

The dwarf after his friends fired off their spells, moving within melee range of Angif, apparently quite confident in his ability to take him down.

OOC:

Sure for the ready action.

Let see going to need some psicraft/spellcraft if you want to know the spells being cast.

Anyway I need the following:
Fireball
[roll0]
Reflex saves for half from everybody for the fireball (it's reasonable to assume every adventurers know what a fireball is by level 10.)

Hathra needs to make a willsave as well.

Angif needs to make a will save as well and also takes an attack of opportunity against the Dwarf.

[Grendus]

Scry and die? Really now? Reflex save [roll0]

Jeremy uses Chaotic Surge to manifest an augmented Paraelemental Energy Current at the woman, arcing to the gnome. He has to expend Psionic Focus to do so (since you can carry psionic focus indefinitely, I think it's reasonable to assume that any character with a positive concentration modifier gains focus by taking 20 between battles). Reflex save 22 for half. Total damage before chaotic surge: [roll1]. Total damage after chaotic surge: 90 to the woman, 45 to the gnome. Both get a reflex save for half, and I can maintain it for up to 11 rounds.

Psychic Enervation roll (Enervated on a 5 or less): [roll2]

Chaotic Surge roll (normal 1-25, half 26-50, empowered 51-75, maximized 76-100): [roll3] - results in empowered.

Jeremy will then mainfest Solicit Psicrystal as a swift action, passing the job of concentrating on the Fire Arc to his psicrystal. He will try to do so without giving a sign.

Concentration check (DC 18): [roll4]
Total points spent: 16 (ouch!)
PP remaining: 102

"You don't do that to my friends," Jeremy growls, feeling the anger well inside him. Fire burned at the edges of his vision, as chaotic potential built inside of him, the power to ignore reality at a whim. The womans fire was nothing, nothing, compared to the fires of true chaos, the anarchic power of raw emotion. "Do you hear me?! YOU. DON'T. DO. THAT!"

A quivering arc of fire lances from his head, lashing against the woman and rebounding to hit the gnome as well. Inside his cloak, his psicrystal twitched as it merged it's thoughts with Jeremy's mind, taking control of the fire and calming some of his anger.

[Daftendirekt]

Hartha
Hartha (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=287170)
Male LN Half-Giant Ranger 1/PsyWar 4/Slayer 4, Level 9, Init +0, HP 46/84, DR 3/-, Speed 20
AC 23, Touch 13, Flat-footed 23, Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +10, Base Attack Bonus +8/+3
Deep Crystal, Power Storing +1 Glaive +14/+9 (2d8+8, x3)
Spiked Gauntlet +13/+8 (1d6+5, x2)
+2 Adamantine Full Plate (+10 Armor, +3 Deflect)
Abilities Str 20, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 8
Condition None
Power Points = 31/31

Hartha feels a hostile presence attempting to penetrate his mind, but shakes it off both mentally and physically, rattling his twin braids and making the tiny bells on their ends tinkle. Gripping the black wooden shaft of his polearm, he aims its blue crystal point at the gnome that targeted him. Planting his massive feet, he bursts forward with a yell of rage. As he runs, the crystal of his glaive starts glowing brightly.


OOC
Spending 2 PP to charge my glaive, giving my first strike +2d6 damage.

Swift action to manifest Psionic Lion's Charge, 3 PP.

Power Attacking for 5, giving me +10 extra damage. Using the Heedless Charge portion of Shock Trooper (CWar112) I move the penalty to AC instead of Attack Bonus. This brings my AC to 18.

Attack Rolls
[roll0]
[roll1]

Damage
[roll2]
[roll3]

and the 2d6 if either hits. [roll4]

26/31 PP left.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, as I've got a reach weapon, I charge to the closest square I can reach with a charge that's 1 square away from the gnome. As I'm wearing spiked gauntlets, he (or anybody else) provokes if they move adjacent to me since they're moving through my threatened area.

[Keld Denar]

Angif

I'll get the others! Angif disappears in a flash of aether, appearing on the other side of the dwarf. He moves quickly toward the gnome and the woman. Bringing Journey overhead in a downward slash, he strikes at the woman fiercely.


[roll0]
[roll1]
I don't actually get the AoO, since technically I was flat-footed when he moved through my threatened area.

Dimension Hop for 2 PP, teleporting 15' to behind the dwarf, them moving over to near where the dwarf was so I can threaten both the woman and the dwarf. Them initiating Ruby Nightmare Strike on the woman.
PA for 2
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4] (double if the Concentation check hits her AC)
Damage is Magic, Slashing, and Adamantine. If the attack hits, she can not benefit from Invisibility this round (per Lesser Revelation Crystal).


Sheet
Angif Tonen (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=245677)
M NG Human Warblade/Ardent/EphBlade, Level 2/3/5, Init +3, HP 80/99, DR 3/-, Speed 40
AC 17, Touch 11, Flat-footed 16, Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +11, Base Attack Bonus 9, Power Points 60/68
Adamantine (+2 from power) Journey - Glaive +17/+17/+12 (1d10+10, x3)
PA for 2 +15/+15/+10 (1d10+15, x3)
PA for full +8/+8/+3 (1d10+29, x3)
+1 Breastplate (+6 Armor, +1 Dex)
Abilities Str 20, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 8
Condition None

[Terumitsu]

Jackal quickly took to the air, the fire singing her some but not nearly as much as it could have if she hadn't moved out of the way when she did. With the speed of a warm zephyr, she quickly homed in on the gnome, making a quick stab with a glimmering rapier coupled with some extra dimensional mayhem. Whether or not it hits, she would ascend once more to be just out of reach from any melee attackers.


If possible, movement is roughly ten feet over the enemy party so as not to provoke unnecessary AoO. Attack will be made on the far side of the gnome (Making a 5 foot dip in altitude to come into range) and then the remaining move distance will be spent ascending or to reach 20 feet up, whichever comes first. Spring Attack for the win!

If the gnome falls due to previous attacks, then attack the woman instead.

Free action: Imbue Deep Crystal (2pp)
Swift Action: Offensive Precognition (7PP) [+3 Attack/ 9 minutes]

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] (Deep crystal + Opportunistic Strike for the bonus die)

AC: 23
HP: 34/48
PP: 76/85

[Hyperion]

Jeremy retorted to the woman assault violently but he quickly noticed that her position isn't where she is supposed to be as the flames go through her. The gnome on the other hand is not so lucky, as the flames hit him and before he could take a breath, Hartha glaive slashes him almost in two. The gnome falls on the ground. The woman just now understand that they took more than they could chew as Angif appears right next to her in a flash and slashes down at her. He isn't duped by her tricks by landing his attack on her. A glowing aura make her clearly visible. As Jackall comes right down from the sky and take advantage of her being revealed to stab her in the chest. The woman falls down inert on the ground as well.

The dwarf and the strange creature are the only ones standing.

[Eiko]

First of all heres the reflex save: [roll0]

Move action to draw weapon, Swift action to activate Hustle to regain said move action. Assuming clear path to the dwarf and that they have already been damaged this turn (thats what I'm understanding by reading at least.)

Activate my boots of the battle charger, flying charge the dwarf as a standard action.

Move action to fly back 40 ft when done.

To hit: [roll1]

Damage: [roll2]weapon damage, [roll3] lightning, [roll4] frost, [roll5] opportunistic strike (assuming he's already been damaged)

-Edit + 2 more for charging which would also be multiplied by the crit totaling 56 damage

The battle launched far faster than he'd thought possible, in the blink of an eye fire had washed over the group and they'd made their counterattacks. Markus paused for a moment as he chose his target, drawing his sword.

Time slowed down for him at that moment, his full psionic conditioning coming to the fore; his sword was drawn even as his mind rejected the pull of gravity and he launched himself at the dwarf, one of the few enemies still standing. His movement a blur he drove the blade round in a sweeping arc at his aggressor. Before his eyes could catch up to his mind he had already used his own momentum to turn around and re-establish distance between the fight and himself.

Only then did he pause for a moment to check the results of his handywork.

[Hyperion]

The dwarf is hurt badly but this doesn't quite drop him yet. The strange creature in the back eyes glow for a moment, as it teleports out of the battlefield. The dwarf is the only one standing after the assault. He spits on the ground and charges at the only he can reach jeremy in that case, the dwarf while outmatched, like many of his kind, he doesn't want to give up without a fight.
"FEELS MY AXE PSIONIC MONSTER!"


[roll0]
[roll1]
And your guys turn now.

[Keld Denar]

Angif

Angif dashes back towards the dwarf, whirling Journey overhead in a tight spin as he goes. Hopping slightly, he brings the blackened glaive spinning behind his back as he lands near the dwarf. The momentum of the hop carries the whole way through the shaft of the weapon, bringing it down heavily on the dwarf. The head moves so fast, its nearly impercieveable.


Move to 10' away from the dwarf.

Emerald Razor (touch attack) on the dwarf, full Power Attack
[roll0]
[roll1]


Sheet
Angif Tonen (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=245677)
M NG Human Warblade/Ardent/EphBlade, Level 2/3/5, Init +3, HP 80/99, DR 3/-, Speed 40
AC 17, Touch 11, Flat-footed 16, Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +11, Base Attack Bonus 9, Power Points 58/68
Adamantine (+2 from power) Journey - Glaive +17/+17/+12 (1d10+10, x3)
PA for 2 +15/+15/+10 (1d10+15, x3)
PA for full +8/+8/+3 (1d10+29, x3)
+1 Breastplate (+6 Armor, +1 Dex)
Abilities Str 20, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 8
Condition None
Maneuvers Insightful Strike, Wall of Blades

[Grendus]

Jeremy will take a five foot step back and his fire current will automatically retarget the dwarf, and for safety sake he'll defensively manifest Vigor augmented to two points for 10 extra hp.

Damage: [roll0]x1.5 = 87

Jeremy recoils as the dwarf's wild swing glances off his second skin, his own arc of fire sweeping back across the ground towards the last remaining target. He stumbles backwards, manifesting a buffer between him and the dwarf, on the off chance that the smell of sizzling beard didn't mean he was leaving behind a midget corpse.

[Daftendirekt]

Hartha yanks his glaive out of the gnome's body with a sharp tug, blood running in rivulets down the now-dormant blue crystal of its blade. Now that the initial surge of anger and adrenaline had died down, he was feeling his wounds. Looking up from the gnome's body, he surveys the battlefield a second and saw that it was all pretty much done. He'd forgotten how efficient his companions could be. Feeling that things were well in hand, he tends his wounds.

OOC
Manifesting an Overchanneled Body Adjustment, spending 9 PP total to heal 4d12. I expend my focus to avoid the damage.

[roll0]

17/31 PP left.

Hartha
Hartha (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=287170)
Male LN Half-Giant Ranger 1/PsyWar 4/Slayer 4, Level 9, Init +0, HP 77/84, DR 3/-, Speed 20
AC 23, Touch 13, Flat-footed 23, Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +10, Base Attack Bonus +8/+3
Deep Crystal, Power Storing +1 Glaive +14/+9 (2d8+8, x3)
Spiked Gauntlet +13/+8 (1d6+5, x2)
+2 Adamantine Full Plate (+10 Armor, +3 Deflect)
Abilities Str 20, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 8
Condition None
PP = 17/31

[Eiko]

As fire washes over what remained of his target Markus relaxed, dropping out of his battle ready stance. Only now did he stop to register the pain from the ball of fire earlier. He panted, his sword held resting against his shoulder with one hand whilst the other clutched at his torso. "What in the nine hells was that all about?!" He barked out, anger evident in his expression.

"What the hells did we do to get a bunch of crazies trying to kill us in the street?" His sword clatters to the ground next to him, what little blood was on it has long since sizzled away under the electrical currents now fading away again.

Casting a look around to check for further threats he added in a somewhat calmer voice, "Are we done, was that all of them?"

[Hyperion]

As the dwarf falls dead on the ground, the fight ended as suddenly as it started. The corpses of their assailants are on the ground.

[Daftendirekt]

Still breathing heavily, feeling soothed as the majority of his burnt skin smooths and lightens back to a healthy colour, Hartha looks around at his charges.

"Everybody okay?" he rumbles, planting the butt of his glaive's haft in the road to support himself. He closes his eyes for a second, regaining his composure.*

Seeing that none of them seemed to be in any immediate danger, the half-giant heads over to the gnome's body to examine it. Why choose my mind to invade? What was their goal here?"

*
Take 10 on Concentration check to regain psionic focus = 25. Focus regained.

[Hyperion]

On the gnome hartha finds the following items of note:

-6 scrolls
-2 potions
-Bracers
-A Ring
-A wand

[Daftendirekt]

Unshouldering his haversack, Hartha slips the items into it for later. More time for that later. Need to make sure the children are okay. He has no idea what any of the things is capable of, but perhaps one of his companions does.

[Eiko]

"Any sign on him as to why we were attacked?" Markus inquires, walking over to another of the bodies, of the woman who had fallen almost immediately, to begin searching her pockets and possessions.

"A note, a letter, some form of identification?" He looked down sadly at the woman beneath him, she'd almost been pretty before she'd been broken by the battle. He checks her for the same things he'd asked Hartha about.

[Hyperion]

On the woman, Markus finds:

-3 scrolls
-A wrapped letter
-An amulet
-A cloak
-A ring
-two wands

[Hyperion]

The content of the letter




“Bayla,
“Our time is now. Too long have we arcane spellcasters
tolerated the upstart arts of mental empowerment.
Psionics is a vile corruption of the mind, and it must be
eliminated in all its forms. So, too,must we destroy all
creatures who call upon psionic powers.

“Something important has happened. The Waking Event.
You don’t need to know the particulars, but know this:
We have an opportunity to cripple all the arts of psionic manifestation, everywhere.

“Seeker will lead you and identify the targets I’ve selected.
Despite the creature’s heritage,it serves us well.
Sometimes you must fight evil with evil, though it burns the
hand.

“There are Six targets. These are the Six Who Choose.
Kill them all.Kill your targets, and we have a chance to
destabilize psionic powers forever!

Once you have eliminated these Chosen,we will turn our sights to the Colorless Lodge,our most potent and evil enemy.
If we take out the Lodge, the lich will be easy.
I will provide other Raver reinforcements as necessary for your efforts, or elect a new team leader altogether if you fail.Do not fail."

"E.W."

[Eiko]

All possessions bar the letter are absently dropped into his backpack as Markus reads the letter, his face falling further with each line. After reading he stands, silent and unmoving for some time before speaking again. "You all need to read this" he says simply, holding the letter up; his face is taut with worry and tension.

As soon as another party member takes the letter from him he will announce he's headed for the inn and head inside for a stiff drink, assuming of course no-one stops him en route.

[Daftendirekt]

Hartha takes the letter from Markus' grasp, face already serious. His frown deepens as he reads, furrowing his craggy forehead with yet more lines. Sighing heavily, he drops the letter and follows the elan into the inn, muttering, "I never asked for this."

[Keld Denar]

Angif

Wiping the blood from his glaive on the robes of the woman, Angif looks around to make sure no innocents were harmed in the attack. He looks around for anyone who might be associated with the guard, and if none are present, sends someone running to fetch them. We can not just leave these signs of violence where they fall. It would be...irresponsible.

He searches any of the fallen who haven't already been searched, taking anything that looks valuable that hasn't already been taken to be redistributed later.

[Grendus]

Jeremy takes a few deep calming breaths, regaining his composure*. "Wizards," he grumbles, reading the letter. "Scry and die tactics. Bloody cowards. Well... bloody dead cowards." He looks at his companions again, surveying the charred and eviscerated corpses of their enemies and cursing himself for not thinking to try and take one alive.

"Does anyone still want to walk? With all due respect Angif, while it might deplete you psionically, the colorless lodge is probably the safest place for us right now."

*Take 10 to regain focus. In future posts, unless you object, I'll just use a * to denote when I regain psionic focus out of combat.

[Hyperion]

Angif finds on the dwarf:
-A battleaxe with runes.
-A Handaxe with runes as well.
-A chain shirt.

[Terumitsu]

Jackal nervously nibbled on a fingernail as she read the note. "Considering the circumstances, I acquiesce to the need of expeditious passage." she murmured, her eyes glancing over the words 'Six Will Choose' a few times more than necessary. "That fourth being they had with them seemed to be another psionic. It looked as if they were bound, or something similar, though.. But that aside, we should act soon. If they are going to use remote viewing tactics like we assume, it is possible that there could be more gathering to make another strike." the tiefling remarked.

"Angif, you said you knew of a way to temporarily bequeath a technique to another party? I volunteer for an attempt to cut down on the number of trips we will need to make in that case."

[Grendus]

Manifest Clairvoyant Sense, projecting my senses to the Colorless Lodge.

PP spent: 3
PP remaining: 97

Jeremy concentrates for a second, projecting his mind across the distance to the familiar buildings of the Colorless Lodge. It occured to him that, since the leather bound creature had escaped, the wizards might know they had survived and could already be planning another attack, or even a full scale preemptive assault on the lodge. It wouldn't do to rush into an ambush unprepared.

[Hyperion]

Jeremy clairvoyant sense:

As the eyes travel toward the Colorless lodge, you see two large constructs guarding the entrance of the lodge. They stand still. Your sight doesn't seem to go beyond the entrance, as everything else appears to be pitch black. Most likely protected from scrying and similar effects.

[Keld Denar]

Angif

Its simple really. I'll open my mind to you temporarily, and assuming you are skilled enough, you will be able to read the powers I know like a catalogue. Do not delay though, as knowledge of the power will only remain for a short period of time, possibly only long enough to manifest the power once.

Angif cuts off Markus at the door. There will be places to get a drink when we get to Carsis. We should be off within the next couple minutes. We do not know if anyone is still watching us. I'd prefer to get some cover here shortly such that the Colorless Lodge can provide.

Angif turns to Jackel, holding up his hands. Whenever you are ready. If your teleport ends up in error, we will wait for you at the Colorless Lodge for 2 days, if possible. If you do not make it by then, we will leave notice with the Lodge on how you can catch up with us.

[Terumitsu]

"Should fortune be favorable, I will arrive before you even leave." Jackal said, a slight grin tugging at the corners of her mouth as she made hand contact.

It was a little thrilling to make such a long jaunt, though. Especially as before now, all of her 'leaps' were quite short range. With some luck, she would be in Carsis soon.


Psicraft Rolls if deemed necessary:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

Teleportation Error % roll:

[roll3]

[Hyperion]

In a flash, the city of Carsis stands before them. They appear right next to a fountain. The city possesses all the popular attractions such as inns, taverns and even a few guilds. Some people seems surprised by the sudden appearance of our heroes but resume their activities. Carsis is mostly known as the psionic city because many psionics adventurers have established guilds and even stores dedicated to psionic powers.

[Grendus]

Jeremy shakes his head, a little disoriented from the trip. "Well, we're here. Still can't assume we're safe, let's get to the lodge. The wizards seemed to think we're 'the ones who will choose', maybe someone there will know what that means."

[Keld Denar]

Angif

Angif takes the hands of the remaining party members, focusing on the city he's familiar with.

[roll0]

[Hyperion]

Angif teleport is successful. he and others join the rest of the party in the middle of Carsis. Reaching the lodge won't be a problem, now the question is: what do they want to do?

[Keld Denar]

Angif

Dusting off bits of astral dust from his tunic, Angif looks around the square they just appeared in, quickly focusing in on the Colorless Lodge's building. Leading the others, he nods briefly to each of the sentry golems before going for the door.

[Hyperion]

The golems don't move and appear to just be silent observers. As Angif opens the door, he can see two large creatures stand on either end of this 30 foot long and 10 foot wide space tiled white marble. The creatures each 9 feet tall and flanking another set of obsidian doors seem pale to the point of partial translucency. They have the aspect of shapes carved from some particularly yielding substance. Both sport unicorn horns as well as a sense of reserved powers.

One of them pronounces itself.

"Halt. What is the reason of your visit?"

[Keld Denar]

Angif

We bring dire warnings to the Colorless Lodge. I fear there is a plot afoot. We wish an audience with the elders of the Lodge, or at least to convey a message of great warning to them.

[Hyperion]

The constructs open the door for you and your companions.

"Walk into the crystal."

This domed chamber is utterly quiet and peaceful. Polished marble tiles the floor and the curved dome, its smoothness broken by six equally spaced pillars around the periphery,multicolored skylights above, and a massive natural crystal in the center of the floor. The skylights are apparently constructed so that available outside light always falls onto the central crystal.

[Keld Denar]

Angif

Angif approaches the crystal slowly, pressing first his hand, then his body into the surface presented.

[Daftendirekt]

Hartha stands in the back of the group, polearm propped up on his shoulder, watching silently. This whole order of events seems extremely strange to him. This Colorless Lodge? Who's to say they are any safer than the group that just attacked them?

He tenses up as Angif approaches the crystal, completely unsure of what could happen.

[Hyperion]

Angif moves into the crystal and find himself in another similar to the one he just came from. The sound of a bell can be heard, as if announcing his arrival. A middle-aged man with a white hair and grizzled beard comes into the room with a white robe.


"Be Welcome visitors. You stand in the Lodge of the Colorless. Come forward and tell me the reason of your visit."

[Grendus]

"We have reason to believe there is a conspiracy, against both us and psions in general," Jeremy says, prompting whoever was carrying the letter to produce it. "One of our party collapsed and had a vision, and almost immediately thereafter we were attacked by a group of arcanists, not five minutes ago and with no provocation. This letter which we found on one of the attackers suggests we were singled out as 'the ones who will choose', whatever that means. We immediately teleported here, both for protection and to find out what that actually means."

[Keld Denar]

Angif

Angif hands over the papers, waiting silently for the elders to review them.

[Hyperion]

The old man takes a look at the letter after listening carefully to what Jeremy have to say.

"Follow me please."

As he guides the group of adventurers to another room.

Tiny pinpricks of radiance float lazily throughout this chamber, casting varicolored light over it. The floor is covered with luxuriant fur. Six large seats, thronelike in their elegance, are arranged near the far wall. Each is carved slightly differently, depicting psionic symbols and traceries.
he window on the wall behind the thrones reveals a landscape of wide plains of scarlet grass under a greenish sky.

The old man stop for a moment, as he is communicating with people mentally. People appears in in instant in the thrones, the obvious leaders and elders of the colorless lodge.

A woman come into the room and take a look at Jackal, compared to most of the others here she is wearing a breastplate and a greatsword in her back.

"You are one of the six who choose as well interesting. I'm Zelestine one of the six who choose and this is the colorless lodge. We are a guild of psionic individuals who believe that the psionic unity of many provides more opportunities and greater powers for all who partake. To this end, we teach our members many unique powers and feats; those who’ve completed our prestigious training regimen take the title ‘colorless adept.’ The Colorless Lodge opens its membership to psionic individuals and remains friendly to nonpsionicists who are friendly to it.Our name refers to certain psionic powers unique to members of our order. So what do you know of the waking event?”

[Daftendirekt]

Hartha, silent since their arrival in the city, simply taking in the strange sights of this 'city of psychics', finally speaks up.

"Can't say as I've ever felt any 'unity', he rumbles. "Just weird looks whenever I do something with this strange power. I find it rather unsettling, actually, that there's a whole city devoted to it. I certainly don't feel comfortable 'going to school' for it."

[Terumitsu]

"Well.. Very little, I suppose. At best, all I can say is that I saw what seemed to be a radiant leviathan rising from under a turbulent sea of crystal. It was too bright for me to distinctly make out any kind of shape but a small corner of my mind has taken to the idea that it was a monolithic crystalline structure. But that is just conjecture as I cannot honestly say for or against. It named me as you yourself have and said to find it. The vision ended when it broke the surface." Jackal said, her voice taking on a very light waver. It was an effect of past experiences but figures that seemed to carry authority apparently brought out a somewhat meek side to her.

[Keld Denar]

Angif

What does this place have to do with us? Why were we being targeted? Do you have any idea what we should do next? I'd rather not sit around and wait for the next assassination squad to show up...

[Hyperion]

Zelestine first talks a bit about the waking event.

“The Crystal Consciousness awakes and sends visions
to the Six Who Choose. According to our records, the
Crystal Consciousness is a physical concentration of the
collective unconscious of all psionic entities everywhere.
Supposedly, the Crystal sleeps away the epochs, but
awakens occasionally. Each time it awakens, a new
psionic discipline is born. All the current disciplines
were created in this fashion. And, according to legend,
each current psionic discipline exists only at the expense
of an earlier abandoned and forgotten one.”

Zelestine then goes back to Angif questions.

"You were targeted for only one reason. The ravers are a group of spellcasters bigots who want to kill most of the six who will choose and destroy the crysal consciousness hoping to destroy all psionic disciplines and psionic as we know it. We would recommend you to keep the psionic discipline intacts and prevent the ravers to execute their plans. With your friend arrival, we know five out of the Six."

[Keld Denar]

Angif

Is there any way we can track down the 6th, possibly before the Ravers do?

[Hyperion]

“With your arrival, we now know Five out of Six. I’m One,
plus you, and the Third is a psionic lich named Tulmercy.
Sadly, we’ve confirmed that Tulmercy has permanently
killed Two of the other Six. So, that still leaves unaccount-
ed for One of the Six, whose identity we cannot discover.”

Zelestine appears concerned but they haven't been to find anything about the mysterious sixth one.

[Keld Denar]

Angif

It sounds like this psionic lich is a danger to our cause. Why does he wish to destroy the others? Is there anything we can do to "persuade" him not to hinder the Lodge? Is it possible that he knows where the final one is?

[Grendus]

"Lich... that's the undead thing, right? Why's he hunting the other 'ones who will choose'."

[Hyperion]

“Tulmercy, the lich, seeks to kill all the other Six, leaving only himself to find the Crystal Consciousness.He does not seek consensus—he wants to be the only one in the position to choose a new discipline and destroy a current one. As he is undead, we fear the worst and devote ourselves to stopping him.We are having difficulty pinning Tulmercy down to a specific location, but we hope to track him down soon. We haven't been able to locate the last one and Tulmercy already killed two of the six who will choose.”

[Grendus]

"What would happen if all six were to die?"

[Hyperion]

"If all six dies, the crystal consciousness will just return to his eternal sleep and no psionic disciplines will be altered. We would prefer that the psionic disciplines stay the same but there is a possibility that the ravers might have captured the sixth who will choose. We don't know for sure but destroying the crystal means they need somebody who can get them to use it. Ellyn of the wand their loremaster must at least know that."

[Keld Denar]

Angif

Is there anything we can do to keep this lich from being a concern? Obviously we don't want to leave him free to run amuck, killing the other 4.

[Hyperion]

“We didn't find his lair yet but yes there is one thing left for you to do. Among you is One of the Six Who Choose. You have the power to change the future. Join us in our efforts to find and safeguard the last of the Six. Join us as we seek to stamp out Tulmercy, and yes, even the Ravers, lest their actions spawn horror—or worse, result in the destruction of the Crystal consciousness.What say you?”

[Keld Denar]

Angif

I will take part in this. Psionics, like any art, should not be censored. What do we need to do?

[Grendus]

"I'm in," Jeremy says. "The Ravers tried to take me out. You're never safe until all who've declared themselves your enemy are dead."

[Terumitsu]

"I too wish to be included.. Although, given the situation, I do not think I have much choice in the matter." Jackal said, musing slightly at her fate. It was rather clear now why there were so many stories with reluctant heroes as, being in a similar position, it was easy to see why one would staunchly refuse to act when a task was thrust upon them. That is to say, there was a great difference between understanding through theory and experience.