Of those Darker things in the shadow (IC)

[BelGareth]

The Road less Traveled
It was the end of the 3rd week and things had started to get a little old.

The beer was starting to taste sour, the revelry off key and the days started to drag on and on.

Those of you who were inside keeping to yourself, sparring to hone your martial skills or to study that last tome in hopes of gleaning some more powerful words of a spell felt it also, the moves where getting tiresome, or perhaps the monotonous actions. The lamplight no longer hurt your eyes, which meant only one thing. You had spent to much time in the dark library of solitude.

It was all getting a little to old.

http://digital-art-gallery.com/oid/29/640x382_6641_Sigil_2d_fan_art_planescape_sigil_fan tasy_city_picture_image_digital_art.jpg

Fighting Charalax in the desert was hard, no doubt. The wounds still itched a little, but the cleric had said that was normal. You still found sand in places reminding you of the intense heat and scorching heat of the place. But you had survived and helped the Sheikh of the Cho'Danath people, no small task.

At least that was what the bards in the taverns had told you.

But you had at least enjoyed the danger, thrilled at the possibility of it all, the chance to do something and feel the pulse in your veins. The unknown of what would happen was not there anymore to keep your attention. It was time to move on. And as luck would have it a stranger had come into town that very day upon your epiphany. He was a strange looking man, with pointy ears and slender as a rod. Queer if you had asked the Halflings, they told you even if you hadn't asked. He had stopped only to affix a note to the job board and then he was off again, in a trail of dust leaving no other sign of his passage.

Upon reading the note you all look at each other and realize the hand of fate wasn't quite as subtle sometimes. This was it, your chance to get going on another adventure, a chance to get back into the saddle of danger and intrigue.


The Elven city of Juri'Erendith sends it's greetings to you!

We are searching far and wide for those bold and brave enough to come to the southern continent, for we are in need of a few good men and women who can rid our fair city of some pesky animals.

Those interested will be paid 20,000gp after the animals have been slain. Meet Captain Deran in the Port city of Greanlaele on the tenth day of Ouptole. He will have room and board for any who come.

Juri'Erendith High Council


You know that the local calender has no Ouptole in it, a knowledge (History) would help with this issue.

A Knowledge (Geography) would help to understand how far away Greanlaele is from your current location.

[Mellhurst]

Cognette was gaping at the poster. To her the Cho'Danath people had been a secondary concern probably not worth risking their lives over (though the treasure had certainly helped).
She'd been listening to the little, furry people talk about this thing and had suddenly got up to reading it instead. As she finished one of her new compatriots approached...

"Did you see him pass by? I think he was en elf... wouldn't even stop to talk to anyone. He is probably either a scout or was worried he would get lynched." Cognette turned to look at her new friends, openly curious about the new job. "What would you bet this is a trap?" ~We could show up icognito and scope it out first...~*

"It might not be too late to flag him down if we scry and 'port on top of him... or, or ride out and knock him over."


*private thoughts with ~~ in italic, non-private telepathic communication (if we took telepathic bond) in regular ~~

[Mystral]

Gillivane shakes her head while looking over the parchment. How interesting, extermination of a few woodland pests for twentythousand gold pieces? That sounded like a lot of gold for such a simple task. "I doubt that this is a trap. Anyone who is bound to answer this is going to be a dangerous opponent. I wonder why they pay so much... And I won't be able to scry this elf. Without any sort of description, the chances are far to slim. We will need to just move to this place and see what we can see. Does anyone of you know how far away this place is? I'm certain that if that elf travvels by foot, we will be there long before he is." Gillivane sits back on her tavern bench and starts to leave trough a small, bound book. Although it doesn't look like much, this tome had information to nearly everything in the world, if you knew how to search for it. Luckily, she did.

[Knowledge History: 21 (what is a 10th of Outpole?)]

[Mellhurst]

"Oh, I'm sorry for being presumptive Miss Silverstaff. Let me go upstairs and tell the guys and I'll have a think about it..."

Leaving the senior mage the young brunette hurried up the stairs to knock. Usually she wore a bulky blue coat over a grey-black jacket and split skirt, but inside it was rented slippers and a long, fine grey surcoat over a long tunic.

Geography: [roll0] rerolled (OOC thread): 16
History: [roll1]
~... can't really think of anything.
should've brought those heavy books with me from the office...
didn't need the space. oh at least I had a glance at the map

Reaching the first room she started banging on it.
"Hey! Fighters! You in there?"
(conditional on reply) "Did you see the job posting?"

[Hazzardevil]

T'win N'fen (everyone calls him Twin) looks up groggily having drunk too much alcohol the night before.

What job request? I haven't made any job requests! I've been sleeping, a lot, perhaps too much.

He then yawns heavily.

[Mellhurst]

"There's a job notice down at the bulletin board... a suspicious rider left it there. It doesn't specify what we have to kill, but it pays four hundred pounds of gold per taker.
We can finally leave this dustbowl for a cleaner environment... and it's more target rich too!" she said, suspecting he probably felt similar about a few things.

[Hazzardevil]

400 pounds of gold?
Thats...
N'fen quickly attempts to do the maths in his head
A lot of gold.
Let me fetch my axe, I have a reason to stop drinking and start doing something productive!

[Mystral]

'Well, that'll be a first', Gillivane thinks as she steps up to Cognette and coughs a bit into her hand before raising her voice. "There is no need to hurry. After all, I didn't exactly prepare spells for travelling, so we will not get that far, anyway. But tomorrow, we will be well on our way.. that is, if you really decide to take the job request after reading it."

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

A young man sits on the windowsill on the second floor of the tavern, his gray eyes trained on each passerby. He looks at each one and observes them, their physical looks, each one's peculiarities. He does so for a while, as if trying to find something out of all he is seeing, like find a pattern among all the randomness.

But it has been days since he has done this, and by now he has seen some sort of pattern indeed. For instance, he always noticed a couple pass by at a particular time of the day every day. He always sees a halfling roam that particular part of town, bumping into anybody and apologizing afterwards, which as days passed he noticed to be bumping particularly wealthy-looking people, and upon observing closely, he noticed to be picking their pockets. And he always observed a little young human woman setting up a small stall opposite the tavern, selling flowers, and always counting her sales after each one she sells. With the threat thwarted and the town startling to settle back to its routine, he begins to memorize almost every single one that passes by that particular street, such that he can pick out those who are new to town.

This particular day, there have been a few travelers that passed by the tavern. Most looked like wandering merchants, travelling in groups and laid with packs of goods. One particular visitor of the tavern catches his attention. An elf. He had not seen an elf in the few days that he had spent here. And the particular elf left as soon as he had come.

"Hey! Fighters! You in there? Did you see the job posting?" A familiar voice is heard.

The young man cuts off his observation and goes off the windowsill, then makes his way downstairs. He listens on the conversation of his comrades about a certain job posting posted by an elf. So that was him. He goes on to read the details and a quizzical look appears on his face. Tenth day of Ouptole? Juri'Erendith? Pesky Animals? 20,000 gold pieces? He listens in as his comrades makes up their mind on taking the job.

He considers the matter for a bit. Indeed they have been waiting for nothing in this town for days, and this promised a trip somewhere far, which is a good thing for him. He did not like to stay too long in one place. Else...Anyway, the pay looks good. Probably a difficult job than it seems. But a job nonetheless.

"I am up for leaving any time you all decide to," he finally chimes in.

[BelGareth]

Gillivane -
You leaf through your book with ease and remember a section regarding the intricacies of the internal realms in the Halfling kingdoms. Finding the section in the book you skim through each section looking for anything regarding a calender or 'Ouptole'.

Huzzah! A few moments later you find exactly what you where looking for, a Town called Greanlaele in the sub halfling kingdom of Alleeshus uses it for it's local calender. A quick cross reference and you figure out the date is in 5 days.

Cognette -
Thinking back you fail to remember anything about the town of Greanlaele, but with a sudden rush of recollection you trigger a thought pattern and the town's name causes a train of thoughts until you are thinking of the location. In your memory you see the ocean, the southern ocean if you recall correctly and a small burrow village common to the backlandish halflings. You know it's far away, but alas, you cannot put your finger on the exact distance.

[Mellhurst]

"... so anyway, I think it's a set of burrows somewhere along the southern ocean. Lots of halflings there so we can expect a gentle but hilly landscape and good service I think and..."

"Oh, hi Jessiah. You want to leave too?"
"So... Miss Silverstaff says we're not 'porting, or journeying out before tomorrow. If you've no other plans do you think you could help me go shopping?"

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

He looks at Cognette, then to Gillivane browsing through her book. "...If we are not leaving soon then..." his sentence is left unfinished, but after being with him for a while, Cognette knows he is going with her.

[Mystral]

Gillivane closes the tome with a soft thump before pushing it back into her magical backpack, before she raises her eyes to the others. "No, we won't, at least I suggest we don't. We still need a map to the place we are going to, find out if any difficulties could be on that road, get provisions and settle our debts with the innkeeper. There are also some short visits I have to pay to the local mages, pleasentries to exchange, all that, very tedious...

Nevermind. The day we are requested to be there is in five days. Tomorrow, I will teleport us to the nearest feasible place, then, we will travel by magical steeds. Their speed far outpaces any living horse, so we might very well reach our destination the same day. At least, that is my suggestion to how we arrange our travels." At least, they would get away from the halflings for some time.

[Mellhurst]

Cognette nods, looking at the others to see if they feel the same.

(conditional) Afterwards she heads to her room to change and equip her armour, gear and various possessions to go shopping in town.

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

Jessiah nods at Gillivane's proposal. It seemed sound enough. He makes his way outside the tavern and leans on the wall, waiting for Cognette. He stares blankly on his feet, and his mind wanders on the prospect of visiting the last elven city. Well, the last that he knows of. He also considers the possible task they have to do. With so vague a description and a large sum of gold as reward, it smells nothing short of danger.

Danger. Huh. Since when did I care about danger? There is no greater danger than going back to that place.

[Mellhurst]

"Hey." Fifteen minutes later Cog had finally reappeared with a slightly strained wave, heavy coat over full combat gear.

"Do you know any good places to go?" she asked Jessiah.
"I can't think of that many places... but basically I was hoping to buy some items to better deal with close quarters combat, and maybe aquire some items for general adventuring in the south."
Plus I dunno, maybe something to drink to forget when we're in a burrow..." Vilac added with a mild grin.

Search (for cqb weapons & sundry items and adventuring gear) [roll0]
Gather Information (on bargains!) [roll1]

[Mystral]

Gillivane sighs a bit, then nods to herself. "I shall leave the organising of food and other equipment to you and visit some scolars which might provide us with a definite goal. I will be back before nightfall." Then, she leaves the others to their devices and takes a stroll trough the halfling city. She liked civilisation, and she especially liked that this empire was built to a scale comfortable to her, but she would not gain much more insight at this place. It was evident, she was at least one of the most powerfull mages of this country, and people of her power seldomly shared it. The only way she would glean new knowledge and insight was by, as they say, adventuring, delving into forgotten ruins and tombs, all that. There was little she could learn from the mages she prepared to visit, but you never knew when they might be usefull, didn't you? In her mind, she goes trough a list of spells she should prepare. Magical Steeds were a given, of course, and two teleportations. She would need some magical protections and fighting spells, too, you never knew what you would encounter. And if a mountain range was between their entrance point and the goal, she would have to prepare spell enhancers too, so that the magical steeds could fly... Oh, how she loved this planning.

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

The hulking warforged sat in a corner of his room during all the clamor, busily crafting toys for the local youths. Most of these toys were unfunctional: simply nails, rivets, and other pieces of metal contorted into impossible shapes. However, Peacekeeper had once heard that children were quite imaginative, so there was no doubt in the construct that they would find a way to have fun with them. Peacekeeper had grown partial to all softies since its vision, but to children in particular.

The gigantic machine stows away its toys and joins the group, remaining largely silent while they discuss shopping and the best way to travel. It needed to acquire some gear, but the question of travel seemed odd. "Why must magic always be used, little softies?" the machine grumbles. "Teleportation leaves Peacekeeper disoriented."

[BelGareth]

Jessiah -
You recall quite easily an honest merchant, or what passes as one in a halfling city. Jorges Consortium is not far from your inn and you have heard of him through listening to clients of the bar downstairs.

Finding a good halflling merchant will still require you haggle, a halfling is a halfling.

Gillivane -
Fortunately for you, mages are more common in the halfling empire and you easily find the cities mage, from what you have seen she is the only person who would be able to help you with the information you seek.

Upon entering the Mage's build you see a small desk facing the entrance and a pretty female hin sitting behind it. Approaching the desk, the young hin looks up and smiles at you.

"Can I help you dear?" she says.

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

He turns his head as Cognette comes out and asks her question. He thinks for a bit and looks down the street. "...here. Follow me..." and proceeds to walk without looking back at her. He arranges his cloak as he does so, completely concealing his entire body, and walks in silence, his footsteps swift but calculated. His eyes are trained towards his destination, but darts left and right from time to time, a habit he has developed over the years in his practice.

After a few minutes, he stops at a rather modest establishment. It is wooden, with a huge circular glass window in front, and doors on both side of it. A rickety signboard above the window says "Jorges Consortium" painted in dull red and is already flaky and chipped in some parts. Inside the window, an array of miscellaneous items can be seen, from ordinary ones, to shiny, curious-looking ones. Jessiah opens the door to the left and enters.

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

Peacekeeper follows Jessiah and Cognette, his gigantic metal feet creating echoes as he stomps through the streets.

[Hazzardevil]

Twin stands up and starts wandering around the town attempting to find out if there are any beers worth trying in Juri'Erendith. Or anything else that might be going on.

[Mystral]

Gillivane:

Gillivane takes a long look at the halfling woman while straightening her back. A simple clerk calling her 'dear'? What did these mages teach their servants in these parts? She decides that this shall not stand, not in the least. Turning her arrogance up to eleven, she raises herself a bit to look down on the hin, thumping her staff onto the ground, once.

"I am Magistrix Gillivane Silverstaff, Carrier of the Robe of Calling, woven by Ivengard of the Fey, Mistress of Angels and Infernals alike, traveller trough the fabric of space, loremistress of things both arcane and planar, Confounder of the Urk Army of Warchief Thundertusk and Slayer of the Dragon Charalax. For short, Magistrix Silverstaff will surfice. Dear... will not.

Now, I require of you to tell the head of the school of conjuration that I ask for a bit of his time in the later afternoon, if it is feasible, for exchange of knowledge arcane, and I require the usage of your library mundanus, to be more specific, the geographic knowledge you have collected."

[BelGareth]

Gillivane -

The young pretty halfling almost drops her chin to the floor as you retort back with a barrage of titles and insults. Her eyes mist up and you can tell she is willing herself not to cry in front of you.

"I...I..I'm sorry Miss, I meant no offense." she stammered out, standing quickly she pushed her chair back, which ended up tipping over and landing with a clank on the floor. As she did an elderly female halfling came walking around the corner of the building, spectacles in hand held up to her eyes and a book in the other. she stops short and without moving the book or her spectacles looks at you sternly much like a mother would to her young.

"You are looking for me? There is no need to frighten my assistant here, she is plain enough, a cousin actually, from my sisters side. Come with me" she turns back the way she came and closes her book with a quick slam and shuffles the large book under her arm. "What is it that you need?"

Others -

Upon entering the building you seem to be transported to another place, not literally as you see the windows are showing the same items as from outside and you can even look out the windows, but the inside is something far from the outside of the shop.

A desk floats in a cavernous like room before you, you too are floating, not out of control, you easily and quickly realize you can manipulate the direction of travel and the speed with little to no thought. Much like the ethereal plane if you had ever traveled there.

The desk is several feet before you with a halfling sitting behind wearing black rimmed glasses reading a newspaper as if the floating was as normal as the green grass out in the fields.

Further down the interior of the shop you can see similarly floating shelves and chests lined against the wall, but floating in irregular patterns, never straying to far from their designated spot. You see the room defies logic as it spreads out much farther than is actually possible, and if they are all full of items you realize you have come to the right spot.


You see several signs inside.

-Break it you buy it-
-Need help? Call Freddy!-
-NO RETURNS-

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

The sudden effect of floating surprises Jesse a little, and he becomes more apprehensive of his surroundings. A few moments, he relaxes as he comes to understand the workings of magic that is affecting the whole interior of the establishment. It does not take him long to work his way with moving using his own mind; he is not a user of magic, but he had enough experience with it.

Pretty fancy for a mere shop. He floats toward a few curious-looking items and looks at them carefully.

[Mystral]

Gillivane:

A cousin? Nevermind that, these Halflings all seemed to be related. Following her, she gives a curt nod to the halfling girl, polite, but without apology. A bit of fear didn't hurt, did it. The stern look of the halfling woman doesn't elict from her much of a response, either. It was not like she had thrown her trough the room with telekinesis, right?

"I hope that my words will change her demeanour, or she might anger someone who doesn't retort only with words.

Greetings, Maga. I am sure you overheard my introduction, though I am not sure how I should address you. But if you did not, Magistrix Gillivane Silverstaff. I am asking for your knowledge, or a quick look into one of your volumes, to obtain the location of a city. Additionally, I have obtained a few books from that dragon, mostly about enchantment, not my forte. I could lend you to them, for safe keeping, although you are free to peruse them at your leisure. If wish, you could see this as a payment for your knowledge, although I like to think that wizards tend to cooperate in most things."

[Mellhurst]

"Magic must be used because otherwise we'd live short, unfulfilling lives walking from one place to another, Peacekeeper! What did you make this evening?" she'd looked at his handful of toys for anything that caught her interest.

(relative present) Saying nothing, but looking pleased with the floating effects. It wasn't something she'd appreciate on a regular basis, but as something out of the usual it was a good experience, and it probably helped a load with their filing too.
"Are you Freddy?"
"Because if you are we need a wrench, four safety goggles, folding table, thermostat and pressure meter, bug deflector, tea pot, tea leaves, picnic gear, mega-tent and mini-hammer, fifty nails, a flotation device, two hundred feet of silk rope, ten pounds of caltrops, ten candles, crowbar, flint and steel, a torch, two grappling hooks, five bottles of ink, two locks, two masterwork manacles, ten pints of oil, a spyglass, five acid flasks, five alchemist's fire flasks, an anti-toxin vial, an everburning torch, ten holy water flasks, five smokesticks, two sunrods, a tanglefoot bag, a thunderstone, two tindertwigs, an alchemist's lab, a masterwork artisan's tools, a climber's kit, a disguise kit, a healer's kit, a bit of holly and mistletoe, a wooden symbol of St Cuthbert, a silver symbol of St Cuthbert, two hourglasses, a water clock, a magnifying glass, five small masterwork musical instruments, a merchant's scale, two spell component pouches, a small sled, masterwork thieves' tools, an unholy symbol, summer and winter clothing for four, four bottles of dwarven wine, four loaves of bread, four apples, a mango, a small sled and four hunks of cheese, please.

And I'd like to have a look at your close quarter combat weapons to select one."

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

The large construct seems to smile at Cognette, if such a feat was possible. In the least, the outside plates of its facemask slid slightly upwards. "Toys," the machine boomed, its curt response the same every day. It could not tell you what made the twisted metal creations count as "toys" or how a normal child was supposed to view them as fun in any way, but it seemed to give the creature a way to pass the time while the others slept.

"Walking is quite fulfilling," Peacekeeper intones on the way to the shop. "Right now, it is fulfilling the purpose of transport to Jorges Consortium, for example. There is no need to use..." As they set foot in the shop, Peacekeeper looks visibly dismayed as it is gently lifted off its feet. It moves in small, uncertain motions, making sure not to knock into any of the shelves. Defeated, the warforged sighs "...magic."

[Mellhurst]

"I think they need it for their filing system." Cognette glides around a bit before looking embaressed. "It... it'd be annoying in the long run though!" she edges closer.
"Say, would you trade me one of your toys for the water clock? Just as a souvenir, I can't promise I'd play with it, so it'd probably be lonely."

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

The construct raises an eyebrow--or at least does its best, as it has no eyebrows to speak of. "Toys are for the little softies, Cognette, not adults. Toys--much like warforged--cannot get lonely since they lack souls. And what use does Peacekeeper have for a water clock? It is simple to extrapolate the time of day by protacting the sun's angle."

[Mellhurst]

"Don't you feel good knowing the time? Plus it's like a toy for adults."

Vilac looks disturbed for a moment and more serious. "... wait, what, you don't have a soul?"

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

The warforged shakes its head and responds matter-of-factly, "Of course not. The warforged were created by humans, not gods."

[BelGareth]

Gillivane -

The halfling stops and looks at you over the rim of her glasses, "Address me? Oh, yes, of coures. My name is Peuncia Blackroot, family name, not one I'm terribly fond of..." she stops and realizes you are of no mood to hear her talk about her family. "Yes, well. I do believe you did not come here for a chit chat, what exactly are you looking for, if I know then it will make it easier for me to give your the appropriate resources."

Cognette -
As you speak a parchment and inkpen suddenly appear next to you and start writing everything down, the halfling at the table looks up after you finish and smiles. "I am indeed!" he beams.

Not long after that several invisible forces appear with a cart load of all the items you requested. He then takes you to the weapon section where a veritable armory of mundane and exotic weapons can be found.

OOC

Go ahead and finish up anything you need for your purchases.

[Mellhurst]

OOC: flat rate before haggle/skip haggle?

Vilac purveys the selection, not quite sure what longsword to select. "You are certainly very fair, Sir... I respect you for that."
"Might I also tell everyone how generous you are? My word as an adventurer travels farther and wider with every day. If the Red Mage Cognette Vilac's sword is emblazoned by your runes you may see such a gift returned manifold, and with my gratitude."

"Well... I would also appreciate a flare scroll or some other form of trinket." she smirks.
Diplomacy (haggle/whine for gift) [roll0]

...
"So were you ever an adventurer?" she asks, once they're done haggling.

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

Jesse floats around and absentmindedly goes through the trinkets and other baubles, going from one curious object to another as he is waiting for Cognette. He also glances at the warforged. What he said earlier is running through his mind.

A soul. What does having a soul mean? Am I better of than the warforged, having one? I do not think so.

[Hazzardevil]

With the calm and smugness he can have with everything else, Twin lifts off the floor with grace. That's because he had been flying a millimeter off the ground before, but no-one had noticed.


That's a lot of gold being spent there Cognette, I've met a fellow wjo carried similar objects, I believe his name was Shax, curious man and carried so much stuff if you emptied the bag on top of something they would likely be killed.

[Mystral]

Gillivanes rather blase experssion does not change, while sets down her magical backpack and opens it up. "You are right, I rather seldom chat, Magae Blackroot. The Location of the city I am looking for is called Greanlaele. If it really interests you, this morning, an elf came to this city and posted a.. I guess you could job notice, and me and my travelling companions are going to take him up on that, if feasible."

[Mellhurst]

With the calm and smugness he can have with everything else, Twin lifts off the floor with grace. That's because he had been flying a millimeter off the ground before, but no-one had noticed.


That's a lot of gold being spent there Cognette, I've met a fellow wjo carried similar objects, I believe his name was Shax, curious man and carried so much stuff if you emptied the bag on top of something they would likely be killed.


"Haha, really? I'll make sure to try that out soon. Thanks!"
...
"Fine." she agrees with Fred on the price, stuffing her new aquisitions down the bag there was just about enough space.
"Okay. Where to next? Should we go bother Gillivane or something?" she asks the others.

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

The tiefling looks up from his pondering at his companions. When he notices they are done with their purchases, he puts down the small item he is holding, a hairpin wrought of gold and embedded with small precious stones, and makes his way towards the door.

Outside he stands in waiting. His attention is taken by two halfling children playing on the other side of the street, laughing, shouting. He continues to observe them while waiting, and again his mind drifts off on its own.

[Mellhurst]

"And I'll have this fine piece of jewlery too, please." ~Good taste on that boy~ (price?)
Cognette returns outside.

"Thanks for showing me around Jessiah. Would you accept a small token of my appreciation for our continued work together?" she hands him the small, lacquered box the halfling set it in for her.
"I'm sure whoever you were thinking of will be really happy to have this." she says as he opens it.

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

Jessiah snaps out of his thoughts and and looks at Cognette, then at the lacquered box she is handing out to him. He stares at it for a few seconds, then decides to take it. He opens it and sees the same trinket that he had been looking at inside. He picks it out from the box and examines it again.

"I'm sure whoever you were thinking of will be really happy to have this."

And it would have, if she were still alive. The gemstones would have really matched her eyes.

"Thank you," he says in a low voice, but the gratitude in those two words is clear. He places it back inside the box and places it with care inside his haversack.

[BelGareth]

Gillivane -
The halfling mage stops and listens to you "Greanlaele, you say?" she smiles and continues to talk "I happen to know the place quite well, have family there you know..." she stops her self short and smiles "It's about 6000 miles from here, give or take. I could whip up an image of it if you like?"

Others -
Actions?

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

The warforged sighs with relief as its feet touch back onto solid ground. It lumbers over to the two halfling children playing nearby and draws two oddly misshapen metallic items from its pack. "Hello, little softies," Peacekeeper says, "Peacekeeper made these toys for you. Remember not to be evil, okay?" The warforged crouches down to give his gifts, but his enormous frame is little but a menacing, spiked silhouette to the young halflings.

[Mystral]

Gillivane raises an eyebrow as she looks at the halfling mage. [b]"Six thousand miles? Those elfs have to be insane to expect someone to meet their demands. We are supposed to be there in 5 days. A travel of this length would take the better part of a year, even on horseback, and with no diversions... I'll have to convene with my party members. But yes, I'd be glad if you would draw a map. Although, on such a scale, I'm not sure if it is of great use, even if it is very acurate.. How do you keep in touch with your family over such a large distance?"

[BelGareth]

She looks back at you slightly startled, as if what you said surprised her "Oh dear, I do apologize, we usually travel to an aunt of ours, she is a member of the council and a mighty wizard..." she stops and puts her hand to her chin thinking "You know...if you were to travel to her, maybe I could put a word in and she could 'help' you out, so to speak" finishing with a smile. "Her tower is only a days ride from here"

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

Jesse follows the warforged with his eyes and observes as he gives the little ones the toys he had been tinkering on earlier. What he says next strikes into him.

"Remember not to be evil, okay?"

Evil. What is evil? For a hollow tin man, a living construct without a soul to have such ideas. What do I know of good and evil? Until recently, all I was taught was to take life. It was my truth, my life, my creed. But I did not know evil. All I knew then was it was the right thing to do, what I was supposed to do. But then I met them, and everything changed. What is good, and what is evil? What does it mean to strive for one or the other? Not even knowing that makes me worse than a soulless mechanical being, I guess.

"...We should probably settle the bills with the tavern and ready our gear..."

[BelGareth]

The little halfling children giggle softly to each other and one tepidly walks forward and grabs a toy out of your hand. The others laugh hysterically and then all rush of to see the new item of play.

[Mellhurst]

Too bad I couldn't afford that spyglass even though it'd have been mostly useless or find space for the clothes, the fire and acid flasks, the sunrods, and there was some stuff here and there...
At least I got the sled and the water clock.

"I guess Gillivane might find us back at the bar sooner than we can find her..." Cognette starts making her way back while admiring her new purchases one at a time, but keeping half an eye out for pickpockets.

(Skill Mastery Spot: 10+12 = 22)

[Mystral]

"That would be very appreciated, I assure you. Is there something you request for the favor you are offering. I don't want to dimish my gratitude, but as a summoner, I am of the opinion that it is important that one asks for the price before accepting. A spell that bridges such a distance is very powerfull."

And far beyond my scope, Gillivane adds silently . Here she was, deeming herself as one of the most powerfull mages in existance, and this maga had an aunt that outpaced her by at least two grades of magic. There was some irony to be found in there, but she wasn't sure where to look. Instead, she tried to dredge up if she knew which aunt that woman was talking about. Surely, such a wizard would not have gone unnoticed.

[BelGareth]

Gillivane -
The mage looks to you and smiles "Ah yes, no need for payment my dear, You'll be doing my Aunt a favor an that'll be favor enough for me!"

She stops and puts the giant book down onto the floor, wiggling her fingers in the arcane gestures that you know so well and casts a simple spell, a silent image appears before you. At first just a glob of nothingness appears but then it transforms as the halfling concentrates, and then suddenly a tower of alabaster white forms, clouds skirting the tops of the golden roof, a small hamlet at the base of the tower. The detail is remarkable and once she is done making the final adjustments she walks with it, hovering above her hand, to a small desk where she pulls out an orb which she places below the image. Taking her hand away the image stays.

"You may study it as long as you need my dear, is there anything else I can help you with?"

Cognette -
You manage to see several pick pockets while moving through the crowds on your way back to the inn, but upon entering the establishment you feel as if your purse is a few coins lighter. It seems you were not able to see all the pick pockets this time. you lost 1 silver and copper piece.

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

The tiefling makes his way back to the tavern after Cognette. He goes back the same way he went earlier, silent and vigilant.

I'm gonna do a Spot check. Maybe he saw who got Cognette's coins.

[roll0]

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

Satisfied by the delight of the children, Peacekeeper plods recklessly back to the tavern. It sits at a table, causing the wooden chair to creak and warp beneath it. "Barmaid!" the machine calls, "One mug of grog, please!"

[Mellhurst]

Jessiah

The tiefling makes his way back to the tavern after Cognette. He goes back the same way he went earlier, silent and vigilant.

I'm gonna do a Spot check. Maybe he saw who got Cognette's coins.

[roll0]

'Nette taps Jessiah on the back. "Know what?" she blurts out anxiously. "Someone actually managed to pickpocket me."
She looks back at the tavern, lowering her voice. "... nothing important tho... Want to, ah, stay and watch the machine interact with the alcohol?"

She pulls out one of the bottles of dwarven wine she bought from the shopkeeper and passes it from one hand to the other "Catch" she yells to the machine as she lobs it in his direction.

(forgot to roll dice for the throwing, also she wouldn't mind if it was in a tightly packed area)

[roll0]

conditional (if the robot catches it): "It is on me." Cogneette gives him a thumbs-up.

(later at a table if Jeremiah stays and hasn't said anything interesting to take Cognette's attention) "So..." she whispers after a while of slow casual conversation with Jeremiah over the snacks she ordered for them both. "What's your position on killing prisoners of war while behind the lines, raising the corpses of the dead, foe and neutral...?

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

Without looking, the warforged lifts a spiked fist to snatch the wine bottle out of midair. His mighty fingers grasp the glass so tightly, spiderweb fractures appear in the sides of the bottle and liquid begins to spill out. Peacekeeper smashes the top of the bottle against the table, causing the cork and the neck of the bottle to fall to the ground. The construct hoists the bottle above its eyeline and tilts it downward, wine splashing over its faceplate and dripping to the floor.

Peacekeeper couldn't drink. It was one of the many things it sought to do: drink, eat, sleep, dream, love. It was equal parts silly and sad to see something non-human desperately trying to replicate a variety of human pursuits. "Great grog!" Peacekeeper beams as the last of the drink spills from the bottle. It releases its iron grip and the bottle sails to the floor, shattering into little pieces. It wipes off its faceplate with the sleeve of its cloak and nods at Cognette. "Thank you," it intones.

[BelGareth]

Jessiah -
You fail to see any of the would be thieves that took the coins from Miss Cognettes purse.

Peacekeeper -
As the bottle smashes into the floor, the barkeep comes storming over with two thuggish looking men behind him, each holding a crackling baton, seemingly designed to subjugate any of those who would come afoul of the owner and of his property.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING?" The barkeep asks, his mustache curls bouncing off his nose as he yells at you, you could see he looked like a man that was used to getting his own way and was not afraid of using the two men who stood like silent sentinels. "You can't just go around pouring booze all over the place and then smash glass on the floor! Not here, not in my establishment!" he continued. His voice lowering to a more calmly manner than before, his anger having risen but controlled.

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

Peacekeeper frowns as it realizes that it has upset the owner of the bar. "Peacekeeper thinks it is enjoying grog like the softies do." The construct raises a hand to scratch its head; usually, when the softies swilled their drink, there was laughter and revelry. They also sometimes spoke of a buzzing sensation, but all of this was absent from Peacekeeper's experience. Perhaps the warforged was doing something wrong.

"Peacekeeper is sorry," the machine voices, "and will clean up if there is a mop nearby." Turning to Jessiah and Cognette, they see a familiar sight--Peacekeeper's eyes enlarged as if about to cry, but with no liquid to spill forth from its tear ducts. "Was Peacekeeper's action evil?" it asks them with genuine concern.

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

"...sorry. I did not seem to notice either..." he replies to the lady. He tries to remember their way here, and could not seem to recall seeing the pickpocket. "...must be a good sneak..." he mutters to himself, and he is disconcerted by the fact that someone escaped his vigilance.

He nods at Cognette's question on staying there and sits down opposite the warforged, and he sits there quietly, looking around mindlessly at each people inside the tavern. When Cognette whispers about killing prisoners of war and raising them from the dead, he looks at her blankly. He pauses to think about it matter-of-factly, without a hint of irk or disdain on the topic at hand. He is about to answer when...

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING?"

His hands instinctively dart to his holsters and his eyes follow the direction of the voice. He relaxes a bit when he sees it is just the bartender going at the warforged with his dirtying the place. He goes back to face Cognette and whispers back, "...If it is logical and tactically sound..."

He then looks at Peacekeeper and the sudden question of good and evil again goes back to him. He looks at the construct without a word, but in his mind he is assessing the question and comparing it with the previous one put forth by Cognette, and finds no answer.

[Mellhurst]

"Glad to hear it Jessiah.."
...
"Relax Peacekeeper. We both like you." Cognette answers with a smile, having already begun on the second bottle after producing it with a loaf and bit of a cheese, and offering Jessiah a glass.
"You're definitely a good person if a soulless construct can be good or-"

"Oh Proprietor... don't upset the warforged. How much to gently rough up your establishment for one night?"

"Or..." she looks cheekily at him. "... is this not that sort of establishment?"

As the barkeep considered her proposal Cognette glanced over at the Peacekeeper. How difficult might it be for the party, or just her, to manipulate it towards good or evil... and would such a course of action be delightfully horrid, or just wrong?



(later) "So, so... Peacekeeper? How long has it been since you were created... uh crafted?" Cognette giggled. "If ya tell us your life's story I'll try to find out how you can get drunk."
~hee... I think I know how...~

[Mystral]

"I shall do a sketch of this map, if you allow me. A very handy tool, that orb, by the way. Does it only hold the concentration for this spell, or is it able to sustain other ones, as well?" And so, Gillivane takes out her drawing kit, consisting of a set of high quality, fine tipped pens, inks and good papers. She raises it to her breast and starts copying the map, with quick speed, but some love for detail, none the less. While copying it, she converses a bit with the mage, talking more about the intrinsics of illusion magic, although the conversation touches other things, too. It is nothing you could call small talk by any stretch of the imagination, but Gillivane enjoys it enough that she even continues the talk after the drawing, an artfull representation of the illusion with good eye to perspective and detail, has been finished. After a while though, she excuses herself. "It has been a pleasure to meet you and I thank you for your help, but I have to meet with my friends, who will most likely be getting into trouble right now. I am sure we will find another day to continue this conversation."

[BelGareth]

Gillivane -
"This?" she asks, "oh no, this is just a little trinket, only capable of taking a minor image like this one."

The halfling Mage seems to enjoy your conversation about the intrinsic value of specific magical nuances that many apprentices would guffaw at, she seemed genuinely impressed by your vast knowledge.

You excuse your self and manage to find your way to the inn where the others of your group are handling a small issue with the barkeep.

Others -
The barman almost guffaws at the question but then looks you all up and down and realizes just who he is interacting with.

"Ah, apologys all aroun milady" he says bowing low to cognette. "I hadn known who the Warforged acquaintance's were, by all means," he finished by backing off and yelling at one of the guards, scuffing the man on the top of his head. "Yur darn idjit, almost cost me ma best customers!"

The barkeep is walking back with his stoogies just as Gillivane enters the establishment.

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

The tiefling stares at the glass offered by Cognette as his ears focus on the conversation around him. Truly it does not surprise him how money can change the attitudes of people so quickly. He sits there quietly, and takes the glass, pulling it closer to him. He looks at it and plays with its content for a while, before deciding to drink it. But as he brings up the glass to his mouth, he notices Gillivane entering the tavern door, and he puts the glass back down.

[Mystral]

Gillivane

Gillivane confidently strides into the room and towards her comrades. Good, all seemed to be here. As she reaches their table, she adresses them with a rather low, but audible voice. "Good News, everyone. Although that elf city is many, many leagues away, I have found a possible way to reach it in time. It will include doing a powefull mage a favor, and.. Why is there a puddle at your feet, Peacekeeper?"

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper


"So, so... Peacekeeper? How long has it been since you were created... uh crafted?" Cognette giggled. "If ya tell us your life's story I'll try to find out how you can get drunk."

Without hesitating, the warforged replies "Peacekeeper was forged four years, six months, thirteen days, nine hours, and twenty-two minutes ago. Since that time, the unit has been tasked with the eradication of evil. The end." Peacekeeper smiles, having told a proper story over a round of drinks, complete with the bards' signature ending.


"Good News, everyone. Although that elf city is many, many leagues away, I have found a possible way to reach it in time. It will include doing a powefull mage a favor, and.. Why is there a puddle at your feet, Peacekeeper?"

Peacekeeper turns to address the mage matter-of-factly. "Liquid spilled at Peacekeeper's feet which has yet to evaporate or be absorbed. This is the cause of the puddle in question."

[Mystral]

Gillivane sighs and thinks for a moment. Why were they adventuring with this thing again? Oh, right, it hit like a battering ram, and could take one to the face. "I presume there is a reason why the Liquid, which smells like beer, has been spilt in the first place. Please elaborate on the process at whiches end the liquid reach it's current location.

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

The warforged tweaks its faceplate even further--perhaps this was one of the "drinking stories" the softies often shared? "Ah yes," it chimed. "Cognette tossed Peacekeeper a lovely bottle of grog, which Peacekeeper proceeded to open and consume."

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

Jesse perks up at the notion of leaving soon, however that small that shows on his face. He cannot wait to move; every day he spends on one place spells increasing chance of disaster. For him, and especially for the village.

"So who is this powerful mage? And when do we leave?" he cuts in in a rather quick manner.

[Mystral]

Gillivane nods at Peacekeepers attempts of humanity and gives a short smile. "The next time you consume a drink, I would advise that you put a bucket under your chin, so not to spill to much of it.

The powerfull mage is one Jureln Blackwood, a generalist halfling woman and the aunt of a mage I met a while ago. She is one of the thirteen rulers of this empire, so I assume that whatever she requests of us will be something important in itself. As such, I would suggest that we begin our travel as soon as possible, although I will be able to greatly speed our progress come tomorrow morning."

[Mellhurst]

"I like that story Peacekeeper, it was consiss... concise and effective."
Listening attentively to Silverstaff Cognette nodded, ignoring the slight against the barley wine.
"Um, ca-can't you take us there yourself, Ma'am? It's best to avoid debts, like people like this? End of the sea is far but easy. Too many jumps?" Vilac looked at her a bit apologetically.

[Mystral]

"I am afraid that while I could certainly summon up the neccessary magic to travel such a distance, I am not familiar enough with the waypoints, or the target itself. Not even a good description of the place would be enough to bring us there. I don't think we will be indepted, though. Most likely, we will have something to accomplish before we are sent on our way, so to speak. If the terms are not to our liking, we can look for a different way of transportation, or we can look for a different occupation entirely."

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

Upon hearing the details, Jessiah stands up and makes his way for the stairs. "...Send for me when are to leave," he calls out before he takes his first step up.

Upstairs he settles down on his bed. He is not sleepy, but he lies down on his bed nonetheless and closes his eyes. Maybe he is just wanting time to go faster until they leave. Being on the road is safer. For everyone.

[Mellhurst]

"All righty." Cognette looks over everyone with a bit of a bow, makes her way over to the barcounter to leave twenty gold and get a drink of water, then makes her way back to her room later at night.

[Mystral]

Gillivane gives a little sigh as the others excuse themselves from the conversation. Oh well... She turns to Piecemaker, erm, Peacekeeper. "Allow me to explain to you the concept of drinking, my Friend. Let us sit." she offers and heads for a mostly cleaning looking bench, ordering herself a grog herself. Only for explanatory purposes, of course, and my, did that talk with that halfling woman make her thirsty.

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

The warforged nods. "Yes," it says, "Peacekeeper would like that."

[Mystral]

Gillivane

Sitting down on the Bench, Gillivane takes the Grog points down at it. A warforged was, in most regards, very similiar to a golem. They had a limited capacity for free thought and creativity, but to get informations into their skulls, bluntness and simple information was key. "People, or as you call them, softies, are beings made out of flesh. They are powered not by magical energies, but by alchemical processes. To feed those alchemical processes, they imbide food and drink, solid and liquid food. A person can sustain himself on a diet of rather bland things, although he has to eat a variety of things, as not all food and drink has every alchemical substance the body needs. For example, without fresh fruit or vegetables, like on a long sea voyage, the sailors suffer from scurvy, as they lack on of the alchemical ingedrients only present in the aformentioned goods. Now, as you lack the need for these alchemical substances, you also lack the means to process them. As such, you can not imbide drink. Things like grog, by the way, are not consumed for their nutritious value, but because they contain alchemical substances that alter the way the human body works. Most people experience, after a dosage that is high enough, a slightly confused, but happy feeling that is called drunkenness.

If you really want to consume something similiar, I am sure magical crystals that would make you feel in the desired manner can be constructed, perhaps on the basis of illusion magic."

[BelGareth]

The night goes by uneventful, Peacekeeper having learned how to properly imbibe (or not as the case may be) grog and a lesson on how softies work.

Everyone sleeps soundly, except those who need none, again peacekeeper.

The Hin community wakes up slow but it roars into life like a lion hasted to the butchers.

You go about readying your spells for the day and have just finished stretching and exercising, oiling armor or weapons and you are all ready to go.


Left it as I know you wanted to prepare specific spells, plus I like to RP teleport spells :)

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

Jessiah is up before the rays of the great orb of fire in the sky has set upon the still silent village. He does his usual routine in the mornings that he has developed in the few weeks: a light jog around the town's streets, then he goes back to the room and starts his maintenance on his gear and his weapons. When the sun would start to peek out of the horizon, he is done, and he can be seen at his usual spot by the window, staring outside. When the others would be up, he would go down, this time packed with all his belongings, and eat his meal and wait for them downstairs.

[Mystral]

When everyone has eaten their breakfast, Gillivane tells them to gather around her and touch her shoulders. Then, she speaks a magic word, and they all disappear.

[Teleport: Magetower. On Target]

[Hazzardevil]

N'fen having just finished his spells when the spell is cast casts Inspirational boost as they arrive at the tower.

Inspirational Boost:
Raise your inspire courage bonus by one until you next use inspire courage.

He then takes a look around, if he can see the tower he looks up to see how high it goes.

[Mellhurst]

"Finally someone worth seeing this far east outside the lot of you..." Cognette jokes in a low tone as she reaches out for Gillivane's shoulder.

[BelGareth]

Gillivane starts to weave her magic, touching each one of you in turn her gentle touch ignites an amber glow at the point of origin. Slowly it spreads to encompass your whole body until all that is left is your head, watching you see it creep upwards and over your mouth.

You try to gag but nothing comes from within, even the reflex seems to fade as the amber energy washes over your eyes flooding your vision with a golden hue.

This all happens within seconds of being touched, too fast to react for even your body to do so.

And then your existences lurches from your spot, your essence like sand in the wind being pulled inexorably to another spot. It seems like your body is being stretched between to excruciatingly long distances.

And then you snap back to reality the amber wave of energy recording like a wave in a tidal pool. You stand before a Tower, not large by any means, but wide, it's girth perhaps more than its height.

Those of you who have traveled with teleportation before overcome your sensory overload much more quickly, but those who are new to it need a few seconds. perhaps even to emtpy the contents of ones stomach to rid yourself of the strange lurching feeling that would not leave.

A middle aged man with a cropped black goatee turns to regard you and smiles genuinely his arms held wide to encompass all of you, "Ah, guests! It has been too long!" he turns and hollers to someone "Gertrude! Awaken the rest, we have guests, wine and food at once!"

The tower resides between a large rock and the steady but eventual slope of a small mountain, trees dot the area and a dirt road leads away from it. It seemingly looks like a normal Holdfast, except that it was a tower, a short squat tower with a golden roof and alabaster stone.

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

Jesse looks around the surroundings immediately after they arrive, his eyes darting left and right, showing no signs of any lingering after effects of astral travel. He may not be adept with magic, but this would not be the first time he did this either.

His attention goes directly to the man who is coming towards them, assessing him for potential threat. When it looks as if he is welcoming them, he simply looks at him, then towards the tower, and stands there without saying a word.

[Mellhurst]

Cognette smiles at the sight of the well refined man while shaking off the damn sand and shouldering around to reorient herself then follows him at a rapid clip, eager to spot the lady of the house first.

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

During the night, Peacekeeper tinkers as it always does. Through the time traveling with the others, the warforged has learned to work quietly and in near-darkness so as not to rouse the softies. This night, the machine carefully forms small wooden planks inside a rounded steel band into a crude bucket; it had thought Gillivane's idea for a grog bucket was a stroke of genius. After completing the form, Peacekeeper affixes a crude strap that will allow the bucket to hang beneath the creature's mouth, leaving both hands free to handle the drink. It tries on the bucket, nods contentedly, and tucks the contraption into its pack.

[roll0]

* * *

Peacekeeper holds its head as it materializes before the tower. The machine had always disliked magic of all sorts, and teleportation magic even moreso. For a device whose primary directive was riot control and defensive positioning, being moved with nary any effort or notice was quite unsettling. Peacekeeper takes a knee to regain its bearings, moaning from the ground: "Softies often talk of 'hangovers' and 'headaches.' Tell Peacekeeper, Gillivane, do those feel anything like teleportation?"

As the stranger approaches the party with glee, Peacekeeper steps forward and extends its hand for a friendly shake. "Hello, citizen," the machine barks in a greeting that the party had heard countless times before, "are you evil?"

[Mystral]

Rolling her eyes, Gillivane eyes her comrades while leaning on her staff. Having teleported for hundreds of times, with her first teleportation over a decade ago, she never quite understood why people felt the need to fall down and puke after the done deed. At least this time, nothing like that happened. "As I understand, the feeling is similiar, but less shortlived. I have been drunk, though, and am not prone to teleportation sickness, either. Why do people always feel so disoriented after a short trip trough the astral plane...?" Then, she Groans as she hears the usual greating. "I am quite sure they are not... I hope. Well met, stranger! We are here looking for the high mage Jureln Blackwood, whom we believe to reside in this tower. Are we correct in this assumption?" Not that she cared if they were evil, as long as these people helped them.

[BelGareth]

The man's eyes seem shocked at the warforged question his surprise turns from shock to a wicked grin in but a heart beat.

"Why yes, yes I am!" he hisses as his skin starts to stretch and rip, an enormous bloated body bursts from the skin, little wings flutter in the air as if to keep the immense body in the air.


http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MM35_gallery/MM35_PG45.jpg


The skins falls to the floor with a plop and the Demon before you smiles as he reaches to the warforged striking at his metal skin.

Vs Flatfooted AC
[roll0]
[roll1]

Roll initiative

[Mystral]

"Oh, you got to be kiddding me..." Gillivane groans and takes a step back while concentrating on her magic, her mind feverishly racing to remember everything she can about this sort of demon.

[roll0]

[Mellhurst]

Initiative: [roll0]

[Hazzardevil]

Twin draws his axe, enters Child of Shadow Stance, moves towards the demon and strikes at the demon with the strike Lingering Flame, thus triggering the Black Fire ability.

Attack:
[roll0]
Damage:
[roll1]+[roll2] flame damage
Crit Confirm:
[roll3] (X3)

Child of Shadows:
During a round in which you move 10 ft or more you gain concealment for that round. You may not use this concealment to make hide checks.

Lingering Flame:
Your strike deals an additional 2d6 fire damage, and an additional 2d6 fire damage for the next 3 rounds.

Blackfire:
Expend one Bardic Music use when you use a desert wind strike while in a shadow hand stance. The target takes desert wind maneuver level/2 (rounded down) +1 con damage. In this case 3.

[BelGareth]

Top of round 1

{table=head]Character|Initiative
Vilac|26
Twin|19
Jessiah|14
Nalfeshnee|11
Peacekeeper|6
Gillivane|5
[/table]

BattleMap

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-arwFYX3e0Hk/T0vYEf-SUcI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/tW8B4slCTAs/s800/round%25201.jpg


Who's Who

Twin Death
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-TBZGrtwze0I/T0vX-A6oTcI/AAAAAAAAA0I/pBhpv_L50H4/s400/Twin%2520Death.jpg

Gillivane
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QcYkh-fjXYU/T0vX9AjFweI/AAAAAAAAA0A/SYsKe_6PJ98/s800/Gilivane.jpg

Cognette
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nnnxJjcqTto/T0vX8WtJldI/AAAAAAAAAzw/yv7AyfBSYXA/s400/Cognette.jpg

Jessiah
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-dfM3BmKRvk4/T0vX8dwzQ8I/AAAAAAAAAzs/dDPNzWP2it8/s400/Jessiah.jpg

PeaceKeeper
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FMXPxrF_Gl4/T0vX8bxCHtI/AAAAAAAAAzo/RuWxH_19umE/s800/Peacekeeper.jpg


Vilac you have initiative

[Mellhurst]

Following the butler closely and expecting nothing of the sort Cognette froze for a split moment as the demon transformed. Luckily he ignored her for the clever robot. It had been too long, she had brought a trinket but not even groomed herself for a proper discussion with the magelord. Vilac quickly summoned a shield and reached for her rod of empowerment.

Vilac's turn (when it comes around): Cast [Shield] (AC before/after 21/25).

~Is the demon vulnerable to charm monster?
Battle strategy - eliminate or extraction?~ she thinks loudly to Gillivane.

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

Jesse's first reaction is to draw his weapons as the monster reared its true form. There is no thought for reason or strategy. It was clear: it attacked one of them, and it was a threat. The logical recourse is to eliminate it.

Stepping to the side, guns drawn and pointed at the demon, he lets loose a volley of shots.

5 foot step to C4.
Swift action activate Alarming Alacrity boost (+1 additional attack)
Active stance: Hawk's Eyes (+2 attack, damage, x2 range)
Full attack with Rapid Shot.

Attack 1: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Attack 2: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

Attack 3: [roll4]
Damage: [roll5]

Attack 4: [roll6]
Damage: [roll7]

Attack 5: [roll8]
Damage: [roll9]

Attack 6: [roll10]
Damage: [roll11]

I'm not sure how Rapid Shot interacts with TWF. Some of the stuff I read says it grants an attack for both hands, while others say only one. I just added the additional attack, so in case the second one is correct, just ignore attack 2.

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

The warforged doesn't flinch as the demon bats at it. Instead, it takes a resounding step toward the beast. "Fall back, citizens!" it booms. "Peacekeeper shall eradicate this evil!" Clasping its longsword in both hands, Peacekeeper stabs at the creature with all its might. Only after attacking does the demon's initial attack even seem to register, though it does little to slow the machine. This is what it was designed for.

Free action: 5 ft step to D8
Swift action: change stance to Iron Guard's Glare (-4 to attack allies)
Full action: full attack, first attack Smiting Evil (w/ Stone Power @ -5 for 10 temporary HP)

27 vs AC for 16 slashing damage
10 vs AC for 9 slashing damage
No action: take 8 delayed damage from temporary HP (10 - 2 DR/adamantine = 8)
Current HP total: 104/104 (and 2 temporary HP)
Notes: Since the demon dealt damage to Peacekeeper, it gets a +1 bonus to AC until the end of its next turn. However, since it's a morale bonus, Peacekeeper may be immune...

Rolls:

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]


Crusader granted maneuvers:
Charging Minotaur
Douse the Flames
Paladin readied maneuvers:
Shield Block
Wall of Blades
Mountain Hammer
Iron Heart Surge

[BelGareth]

Nalfeshnee -
Almost laughing at the attacks sent his way, stepping back his bloated form suddenly pulses with a bright nimbus of light. The thing laughs manically looking to you all.

[Mellhurst]

(Now the whole party is on group initiative, right?)

Spellcraft: Take 10 (skill mastery) + 20 = 30

~No damage - Evac recommended!~ Vilac thinks to the team while casting Fox's cunning on the move. ~Silverstaff, please delay and teleport!~ she requests as she comes to a halt at G8, touching the mage's shoulder.

(I originally made a bunch of will saves in posts (couldn't get a good roll so rerolled twice and misposted once) and then realized it hadn't actually fired its ability yet.)

[Mystral]

Gillivane sighs and shrugs her shoulders, her eyes locked on the demon. Whatever it was laughing about, it was preparing something, and when something of that power took a few seconds to charge up, it meant real trouble. Maybe it was better to withdraw, but.. to hell with it, this was their best chance. If they had to come back tomorrow, the demons would have entrenched, and killed any prisoners, if they had any. "Negative. Kill it, we can do this!" Shrugging of the hand of the red mage, she concentrates and evokes the power of a robe. A nimbus of blue light plays over her, then leaps out, forming a gigantic beetle that charges at the demon, trying to impale it on it's horn while pushing it against peacekeeper. It misses, but continues to fight with mindless, enraged abandon. Almost as an afterthought, Gillivane touches a bead of her necklace, strengthening herself with it's magic.

------------------

Free: 5-foot to G7
Standart: Summon Monster V (trough Robe of Mystical Conjuration, switch out Telekinesis) to summon a celestial stag beetle.
Stag Beetle appears at the other side of the demon, carges to A12-B13 and attacks (22, 30 Damage), providing peacekeeper and anyone else who wants it with a flanking bonus
Swift Action: 1 Charge from necklace for 12 temporary hit points

[BelGareth]

Cognette -
You cast your spell with ease and your are calmed by the protective magic, for now.

Twin -
Moving you provoke an attack from the thing, but he ignores you for now!

Your strike seems to be true, but misses the large beast by a wide berth, this thing may be more than you can handle.

Note - you didn't hit so you can take back the bardic music for the blackfire

Jessiah -
Moving to the side you have a clear shot to the demons side, unleashing your payload of blackpowder you see only one shot manages to hit the thing, the bullet smashes into it's hide barely going as far as it should. The thing has incredibly tough skin!

Peacekeeper -
Moving to close with the demon your attack sounds true, calling upon whatever inner reserve of strength you have you smite the beings hide with a ferocious stroke of your blade causing black ichor to stream from the thing, the Nalfeshnee howls but still manages to keep the radiant nimbus up, but just barely.

Gillivane -
Sacrificing your spell to fuel your robe the Celestial Stag beetle is summoned with a quickness and charges as soon as it's moving feet touch the solid ground, but alas it manages to miss the giant demon before it, the demon chooses not to attack the thing as it moves under it's reach.

Top of round 2

{table=head]Character|Initiative
Vilac|26
Twin|19
Jessiah|14
Nalfeshnee|11
Peacekeeper|6
Gillivane|5
[/table]

BattleMap

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7GLdFQ8E1aU/T050gRKuAhI/AAAAAAAAA08/gArIGhF2Mx8/s800/round%25202.jpg


Cognette -
Moves to Gillivane.

Twin is up.


Please keep all your crunchy information in spoiler tags, it helps me out to understand what you are doing and the numbers involved.

Thanks, and so far looking great!

[Hazzardevil]

Twin switches from Child of Shadows Stance to Tactics of the Wolf


Twin Now Initiates Shadow Blade Technique, he takes the higher of the two rolls.

Attack (Factors in flanking)
[roll0]
[roll1]
Crit Confirm (X3)
[roll2]
Damage:
[roll3] (Factors in Tactics of the wolf)

Twin has now recovered the following bard maneuers due to using the crusader mechanic.
Shadow Blade Technique,
tactical Strike
Shadow Jaunt

Shadow Blade Technique:
Roll 2 attack rolls, I may either take the higher roll of the two and attack with that or take the lower roll and attack twice, the second roll deals only 1d6 cold damage.

Tactics of the wolf:
Me and all allies gain half my IL level as a bonus on damage rolls on flanked targets, in this case a bonus of 5 damage per hit.

Twin now recovers Clinging Shadow Strike.

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

Wary of the ominous glow surrounding the monster, he steps back and to the side. Also noting the ineffectiveness of his attacks against the monster's tough hide, he switches tactics, adjusting his stance to focus his shots on spots with lesser defenses, then unleashes a second barrage of bullets.

5 foot step to B3.
Swift action change stance to Soft Targeting. (pierce Damage Reduction by 3)
Full attack action with Rapid Shot.
Attack 1: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Attack 2: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

Attack 3: [roll4]
Damage: [roll5]

Attack 4: [roll6]
Damage: [roll7]

Attack 5: [roll8]
Damage: [roll9]

[Mellhurst]

(Demon's turn now and its ability activates before it's moves/actions so here's my save/s:)

Will Save (charisma-based): [roll0] (actually 33 (forgot to add the recent Int boost to arcane resilience) :))

HP: 70, AC: 25 ((-4 th for Nalfeshnee) Touch: 14, Flatfooted: 22), Fort +12, Reflex +18, Will +14, Rerolls 2/2, Spells remaining: 6/5/5/6/3, Melee +8, Ranged +10
Permanency: Arcane Sight, Dark Vision, See Invisibility, Tongues, Comprehend Languages

[BelGareth]

The colorful nimbus playing around its bloated body moves ever faster until it becomes a blur, and then suddenly bursts in a shower of light motes.

All of you get covered by the powerful energy that seems to assault your very senses, threatening to overwhelm you with it's power. But to no avail, you pull through and grit your teeth shunting the energy aside and move forward with purpose.

All of you save.

The Demon stops laughing and realizes he may have underestimated the lot of you.

Stepping back he conjures powerful dark energies that stream out from him and slam into Gillivane, Will DC 20 or affected by Feeblemind spell.

PeaceKeeper is up.

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

The warforged stands motionless as the demon's energy throbs around it. As the aura recedes, the mechanical creature removes one hand from its longsword and points at the demon. "You cannot defeat Peacekeeper alone," it booms, "what chance do you have against an entire company of equally powerful allies? We can defeat you without aid, but the mage you attack can make us even stronger!"

Peacekeeper returns its hand to the longsword, steps forward, and prepares a mighty swing. It waits momentarily for the all-too familiar buzz of magical energy surging through its joints that Gillivane often provided in such moments: spells that usually made Peacekeeper strike true and move quickly.

Free (or move?) action: 5 foot step (or more) to close with the demon
Standard action: ready action to initiate Mountain Hammer with full Stone Power after Gillivane's turn

29 vs AC for 22 damage (which bypasses DR).
Note: this attack gives Peacekeeper 10 temporary HP, which replace the 2 temporary HP from last round. Also, if Gillivane casts Haste, the attack roll becomes a 30.
HP total: 104/104 (and 10 temporary HP)

Rolls:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[Mystral]

Gillivane freezes up for a moment and then slumps to the floor in a heap. Meanwhile, the beetle continues to follow it's last command and attacks the demon.

Attack: [roll0]

Smite: [roll1]

[Mellhurst]

Cognette doublecasts Fox's Cunning and Cat's Grace on Gillivane and herself respectively then 5-foot steps to F6.

~And this is why all the parties love me!~

HP: 70, AC: 27 ((-4 th for Nalfeshnee) Touch: 16, Flatfooted: 22), Fort +12, Reflex +20, Will +14, Rerolls 2/2, Spells remaining: 6/3/5/6/3, Doublecasts remaining: 2, Melee +8, Ranged +12
Permanency: Arcane Sight, Dark Vision, See Invisibility, Tongues, Comprehend Languages

While thinking victorious thoughts to her colleagues really loudly the now superintelligent red mage simultaneously speaks to the moderately wounded demon in abyssal:
"Evac for truce! Message me!" Cognette offers the demon.
Diplomacy Check (OOC thread): 1d20+21 = 38

[BelGareth]

Gillivane slumps to the floor a drooling mess Cognette cast's her spells on the two of them but the spells only affect her half as much due to the headband she is already wearing.

As small explosions resound through the opening, Peacekeeper and Twin keep up the attacks against he Demon something starts to happen.

At first you think it must be a magical cortex, but as you look closer you realize the whole place is being pulled, sucked away from you, the color of everything is draining away.

The Nalfeshnee takes a step forward as if to punish the mortals before it but dissolves into a maelstrom of color, swirling together and then dissipate altogether.

You all find yourselves in a small spherical room made from some manner of metal, a opening swings wide letting in sunlight and a diminutive figure flies through moving to Gillivane.

"Get up dear, you are fine." she says before turning to the rest of you.

"I am sorry about this, but I had to test you, my cousin said you might fit the bill and it seems you do." she pauses and looks to Cognette "Well maybe not all of you, but the majority, and that works for me."


All HP damage is real, but Gillivane is fine and not under the affect of a feeblemind, your beetle is still there however.

Spellcraft and Knowledge Arcana checks will help you understand what is going on.

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

Jesse prepares to fire another shot when he notices the swirling magical phenomenon going on around him. He looks around, trying to make sense of it, but brings his eyes back towards their foe as it seemed to lunge at them. He fires off a shot then hears the clicking of the hammer hitting empty bullet slots, prompting hims to step back as he tries to reload his firearms, something he does unbelievably fast.

By the time he is done, the Nalfeshnee seems to be disappearing from reality, baffling him again. A few moments after, a stream of light catches his attention, and he sees a small figure come in and go towards Gillivane. He follows the figure with his eyes and listens as she tries to convey something about a cousin and them being tested, the whole while training his arms at her, hammers pulled back and ready.

Standard action fire weapon.
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

5 foot step back.
Swift action activate Black Tempest to reload his guns.

[Mystral]

Gillivane lets out a small groan and reaches for her head as her ability to reason returns. It takes her a few moments to get over the shock of what just happened. Was it an illusion? No, her fellows were hurt. Something more complicated then... She had felt her mind wasting away in a matter of seconds. It was a frightening experience for someone who valued her mental prowess above all else. She had to find some way to protect her mind.. herself from such a spell. Rather would she be slain then live out her life as a mindless thing, perhaps under the care of some misguided healers.

With a great effort of will, she fights back the terror and brushes of her robe. "I am glad that your experiment yielded results. Let us not repeat it, shall we? May I presume that you are Jureln Blackwood?"

Spellcraft: [roll0]
Knowledge Arcana: [roll1]

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

The robotic creature keeps both hands firmly affixed to its sword as the demon vanishes from sight. "Backup requested," it calls, "the evil one has gone invisible!" The warforged maintains a sturdy pose and looks around, its eyes darting from one corner of its head to the other. As it sees the small figure fly forward, it pivots to face her and says, "Greetings, citizen. Be warned, but not alarmed: there is an evil, invisible demon in the vicinity. Are you evil as well?"

[Mellhurst]

Spellcraft: 30
Knowledge Arcana: 1d20+12 (forgot to roll when I posted)
"I think it's all right Peacekeeper." the young mage says, the fingertips of her left hand on the warforged's right arm.
"Remember I can see the invisible?" Her eyes glowed blue as usual with arcane sight, the other spells producing no visible effect but often presumed by most bystanders; probably why the pickpocket had gone easy on her.
"I can not detect any invisible form. The demon we fought was very likely some sort of illusion... amplified by the nature of the metals in this room... to see if we would fight the figment or try to negotiate with it."

Knowledge Nature: 1d20+8
Vilac looks carefully at the flying creature, reading it's magical signature and trying to place it as regards species as she mechanically admired its flight capability.
"I would surmise this person is either the master or close to her masters in terms of values, who are probably the ones we intended to visit: Halflings, a race that is typically neutral but aspires to different varieties of good represented by their Gods. The method of testing us, in particular the use of illusion magic, could mean the councillor values freedom and creativity."
Despite her words however Cognette seemed to remain wary. Apologies only went so far even if she was the one who had offered, for a moment, to sacrifice commoner souls for the demon to leave them alone so that a cure could have quickly been found.
With a shrug the red mage aquitted herself of the majority of her possessions to the floor of the chamber, including her headband of intelligence, gloves of dexterity and the rest of her cash, keeping only her haversack, clothes and armor, two of four rings, and the rod of empowerment. "This is a personal donation of twentyeight thousand five hundred gold and a state gift of one thousand gold, the water clock, to your charitable or heroic efforts. Please keep the generosity of the Shining Empire of the East in mind the next time you work to pass judgment on its servants." she offered a smile to their host, sarcasm dissipating, wondering if she should ask her for tea.
"Oh... sorry, wait a moment please." Cog turned back around, grabbing her teapot and leaves and putting them back in her sack as the conversations continued. "OK. I'm ready to go." she responds amicably to any communication from her host, it doubling as an indirect unwillingness to take her possessions back if they had been offered.

(Edit: Character sheet's equipment section updated, lowered the donation amount somewhat (if ok) as I'd forgotten about her armor (5,1k) and ring of sustenance (2,5k) and feather fall (2,2k).)

[Hazzardevil]

Twin slowly comes out of the deadly focus in the heat of battle and pays attention to the lady that's appeared.

He turns and holds his axe out in front of him and attempts to discern as to what is going on.

Arcana
[roll0]
Spellcraft
[roll1]

He then shouts at the woman, cautious as to her possibly being a powerful witch or sorceress.

Right, I don't know who you are, but I want to know why you set that illusion of a demon upon us and why it managed to hurt us if it was just an illusion!

[BelGareth]

The halfling smiles as she moves further into the sphere.


"I am glad that your experiment yielded results. Let us not repeat it, shall we? May I presume that you are Jureln Blackwood?"

"Indeed I am." she says quite comfortably as she folds her arms.
Turning she regards the warforged with a mix of surprise and delight.


"Greetings, citizen. Be warned, but not alarmed: there is an evil, invisible demon in the vicinity. Are you evil as well?"

Pointedly ignoring Peacekeepers questions she walks around him as if looking at something quite remarkable, as if he was a rare artifact.

"Quite remarkable! I was not told you were in possession of such a device! Oh, how my colleagues would cringe if I showed up to the next council with one such as this as my personal bodyguard!"


"This is a personal donation of twentyeight thousand five hundred gold and a state gift of one thousand gold, the water clock, to your charitable or heroic efforts. Please keep the generosity of the Shining Empire of the East in mind the next time you work to pass judgment on its servants."

She stops short and turns her head to see the measly 'donation', "Dear, I don't need such trinkets thrown at my chambers floor, pick it up or lose it."


Right, I don't know who you are, but I want to know why you set that illusion of a demon upon us and why it managed to hurt us if it was just an illusion!

Her head turns again, "My we are full of questions aren't we?" she pointedly looks to Jessiah as if asking him if he had any questions. "Indeed, This chamber is a powerful artifact created by myself and few others of my ability. I wouldn't bore you with an explanation of how it works exactly as I'm sure you wouldn't comprehend the genius behind it, but needless to say it can conjure anything the mind desires and make it real." She walks over to the metal of the small sphere and strokes it as if thinking back to past times. She stops and turns to regard the whole group.

"So. What exactly are you needing from me?" she points to herself in a melodramatic way.

[Mellhurst]

"Oh I see, enough money to feed and shelter a-a few hundred people for long enough for them to fend for themselves is a triviality to you... I suppose you were either born with a rod of power in your mouth or have grown so mighty you think it's all right to ignore the suffering of the weak as long as you're protecting them!
And it's not all right to ambush your guests either...
I shall sell these items and distribute the charitable donations myself then at the nearest locations." Cognette packs her items back up.

The mage could perhaps be overly self-centered at times, but as the burning sensation of embarassment subsided the wizard's other words slowly caught up with her.
"What, no - He's a person too, so treat him like it!" she shouts at the wizard as she objectifies the warforged.


As the wizard got to questioning them for what they wanted Vilac glanced at Silverstaff. All she could give were the very general details but she kind of looked forward to seeing the barrows down at the sea again.

[Mystral]

Gillivane gives Cognette a look that might seem vaguely reproachfull. You did not shout at a mage in his own tower. Baator, you especially did not shout at him in the middle of a chamber where he could allegedly manifest everything his mind could dream up. "If I had to hazzard a guess at the means of this chamber, I'd say that it works on the same principle as a conjuration of umbral matter, though on a far more powerfull, but stationary basis. Perhaps coupled with a portal to the plane of shadows for the transportation of the semireal matter? Truly impressive.

As for what we need, we would like to request your assistance in a matter of transportation. We need to get to the city of Greanlaele, and I lack the necessary teleportation points to transport us there. We also lack the time to reach this place by non-teleportation means. Your relative, Peuncia Blackwood, referred us to you.

And yes, Peacekeeper is not a mere Golem, but appears to have an, although inexperienced, mind of his own."

If that chamber really was what she claimed to be, it stood to reason that she had no need for the gold Cognette offered, for which reason she did that Gillivane was not entirely sure. The ability to create any environment or creature at will was quite astounding. On the other hand, she wondered, why would anyone create such a thing? You were not able to produce anything you had not studied before, and most likely, nothing in here was usable on the outside. Entertainment? Surely not. Testing of other magic? But what if the magic of the chamber came into conflict with it, tests would have to be verified anyway. A soft clicking noise brought her out of her thoughts. Oh, right.. With a short word, she ended the summoning, and the celestial bettle, which had spent the last moments staring dumbfoundedly at the walls, vanished.

[What Gillivane states is that this artifact more or less creates are more powerfull version of the spell "Greater Shadow Conjuration"
Standart action: End "Summon Monster V"]

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

Peacekeeper's circuits race to compute the mage's lack of a response to its question. Anyone with a telepathic link with Peacekeeper hears the processing translated from its raw code into Common: Query submitted; awaiting response...waiting...response does not match query. Lack of response /= TRUE, and TRUE /= FALSE, ergo lack of response == FALSE via transitive logic. Subject identified as not evil; information logged for future use.

The menacing construct gently raises a hand to silence the protest of its friends. "Now, now," the machine clucks and wags a finger, "Ms. Blackwood's initial assessment was quite accurate. Peacekeeper is not a person, but a living construct. Additionally, many units from Peacekeeper's forge were tasked with individual guardianship as a primary objective." The unit nods slightly to Jureln, but then furrows its brow and asks its companions, "On a related note, why do you use masculine pronouns to describe Peacekeeper? This unit, like all warforged, is genderless."

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

After identifying herself to be indeed that mage that they were looking for, Jessiah lowers his weapons, but does not holster them; it is not his nature to be trusting. But this is not to say this is not of an improvement for him. A year ago he would have shot the lady as she came in. He just stands there and lets the others speak for their group.

[Hazzardevil]

Twin also lowers his axe, keeping it out, but says nothing.

[Mellhurst]

"Peacekeeper is not a person, but a living construct."

"As Miss Silverstaff points out a person is also defined as any sufficiently sentient being... though the boundary is multiferous and indistinct." she added hastily, mentally adjusting that she was talking to a machine.



"On a related note, why do you use masculine pronouns to describe Peacekeeper? This unit, like all warforged, is genderless."

"You seem to be a man to me... psychologically." her voice lowered she continued the personal conversation. "If you were to design a satellite unit with another sentient to complement your programming would you choose an archetypical male or female personality as co-designer?"

"Or perhaps I am wrong regardless of either answer or a third alternative, but it is comforting and stable for me to organize the universe in familiar terms." she smiled at the machine again. "Or maybe it's because you're big and scary, like those gladiators we saw at the arena." she adds with a grin.

[BelGareth]

The little but obviously powerful halfling watched with approval as Gillivane dismissed her summoned creature.

"Quite remarkable! I am truly grateful for this...chance to meet...you?" she says , almost towards Peacekeeper but not quite.

She turns to Gillivane, again ignoring the prattling of Cognette, with a genuine smile on her face "You have a handle on the truth my dear! I wonder to meet someone who is familiar with the mechanics of my work! Truly to meet such a pair together within one day! Peuncia was right to bring you to me, oh how I do owe her!"

Moving towards Gillivane she waves her hand strangely in the air and the small sphere which could barely hold the lot of you changes suddenly into an airy countryside underneath the shade of a great Elm next to a bubbling brook. The change was almost instantaneous and so thorough your senses are completely deceived.

"This is indeed an Umbral generator, the metal of the sphere is a conductor for shadow energies from the very plane itself, it conjures in much the same fashion as Shades but at an exponentially more powerful fashion, everything and anything is capable to exist here but alas, it is restricted to this area." she starts with her characteristic smile but ends with a slightly down grimace, as if she was trying to correct the matter.

http://universitychic.com/files/tuscany.jpg

"So! Peuncia sent you! I have indeed talked with her, she had the foresight to forewarn me, ah she will make a good Maester Arcana one day! So, down to business?" she asks as she sits down waving her hand again several blankets materialize on the ground in the shade along with several stools, even one suited to hold the hefty bulk of Peacekeeper. She eyes the warforged with a sly grin and continues "I do indeed have the power to grant you such a thing, I know of a portal that will take your there within moments. But as most things, I am in need of some services." she stops and looks at everyone, making a point to look you in the eye.

"A Beholder by the name Cha'raz the Deceiver has taken up residence, and while I am formidable in the art of the arcane, a Beholder poses a....serious threat that would be....hard to deal with." she takes a moment to find the appropriate words and watches your reaction as she tells you her price "If you would kill it I would be grateful, and would whisk you away to this place of yours, and of course anything the creature has massed would be yours to loot."

She stops and looks to you all awaiting a response or answer.

[Mellhurst]

"Sounds like fun."

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper


Or maybe it's because you're big and scary, like those gladiators we saw at the arena."

The warforged frowns a bit at Cognette's suggestion, true as it was. Peacekeeper didn't know what made it look so frightening to the softies; plenty of friendly units from Peacekeeper's forge had more spikes than it did, and others had faceplate modifications that left them permanently scowling. Peacekeeper was one of the most aesthetically neutral units forged.

To comfort itself, the unit tries to think on Cognette's previous question about crafting a satellite unit. However, it struggles to grasp the concept. Its circuits switch to subjective reasoning mode, causing the unit to think much like any other human: Why would Peacekeeper want to create another warforged? And why would the gender assignment of a co-producer matter? Peacekeeper would simply select the most efficient unit to assist in the construction. Peacekeeper must think more on this later.

Peacekeeper listens to the halfling's offer patiently before raising a massive arm. "Peacekeeper has a question," it asks innocently, "is this beholder evil?"

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

Jesse still keeps silent as the halfling tells about her part of the agreement to send them to the port town, not taking his eyes off her. When the spherical room changes into another scene, he could not help but be amazed at the level of magicks that this little old halfling lady could do. In his whole life he has only seen one other mage capable of such magicks, and that meeting almost cost him his life.

He steps near a low shrub and touches the leaves, feeling them between his fingers, closing his eyes to see if they still felt real without looking at them, and they did. Indeed such powerful magicks, to be able to almost create something out of nothing. He looks at the surrounding hillside, trying to memorize the scene, especially the important looking markers.

[Hazzardevil]

Twin raises an eyebrow.

[COLOR="brown"]
Is there anything that makes this beholder especially difficult?
[/COLOUR]

Twin makes a various skill checks to try and remember if this halfling has anything had anything that could have affected her or her magic.

Spellcraft
[roll0]
Arcana
[roll1]
History
[roll2]
Nobility
[roll3]

[Mystral]

"As far as I am informed, beholders in itself are dangerous opponents, able to turn their enemies into stone or dust, and they have the ability to supress any magic they cast their central eye upon. If you have any information regarding his abilities, or location, we would of course be thankfull... Be that as it may be, we shall require at least a day to prepare and heal the wounds we received during your.. let's call it a test, shall we?" As she had thought, everyone needed something. No wonder she needed someone to exterminate that beholder, it was able to negate nearly all of a wizards magic.

Of course, it could do the same with her abilities, and she had already spent a good deal of her magic in the battle against that illusionary demon.

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

The gigantic warforged shrugs. "If the rest of you wish, Peacekeeper can go kill it now, citizens...as long as it is evil, of course. This unit's wounds are superficial, and nothing can suppress steel piercing flesh. Shall Peacekeeper eradicate this evil while you rest?"

[Mellhurst]

Having stood her ground on her principles and said her piece to the illusionist Vilac had expected to be ignored.

The red mage went to climb a big elm tree with low branches while the others continued talking, to collect any particularily beautiful or interesting leaves, for the purpose of fun and to practice an ancillary skill.

She would jump down later when they were done.
(Climb: 1d20+1 = 15, Ring of F.F.)
"Hey party... I think the gate would take me a bit too far away from home. And I like this rolling landscape." she said, taking in the air.
"Say hi to the elves from me Jessiah, and whatever you're running from I suggest killing it and embracing whatever is in your present and or the future." Cognette finished with a warm smile.
"Warforged... I mean Peacekeeper... you're a very good person and a smashing paladin, but don't just kill people whom you are certain are evil without first seeking the input of people you know to be good-aligned and whom have earned your trust, such as your team members, unless they are in the process of or are explicitly planning to commit manslaughter, an equivalent moral crime or worse. There's so much more to say, but I recommend an undergraduate year in alignment studies at any university belonging to a good-aligned religion if you can ever find a moment in existance not in need of you for that long.
And take my water clock okay? It's a toy for you.." she says handing him the item with some embarassed enthusiasm.
"T'win, I'm sorry we didn't have more time together." Cognette continues, giving him a hug. "You don't talk half as much as I do but I suspect we feel somewhat similar about most things."
"And it's been a pleasure as always to meet a fellow mage. I admire your wide-ranging access to spells and your powerful conjurations, but most of all your leadership." she says, taking Silverstaff's hand.
"You led us to victory against the demonic dragon and to this excellent lead and shortcut. From my neutral perspective the value of this party as a force for good corrected for its potential is second only to the fate of a nation, but I deeply respect and admire your decision to protect the innocent at its risk."
...
"Take the very best care of them and yourself." the red mage finished sincerely.

"Bye!" Vilac waves and turns around, continueing her travels.

[Hazzardevil]

Twin speaks to Cognette before she leaves.


Cognette, I hope someday we could meet again, because I wish I could have talked to you more, and perhaps, in another life, we may meet again and get to know you better.

It is sad to see you go, but at times we must decide what is truly important and make the hardest decisions to grow as people.

[Mystral]

Gillivane watches Cognette leave with a cocked eyebrow. Given the things she has learned about this sphere, it can not really create additional space, so everything outside of the sphere they are just seeing is just a realistic, three dimensional illusion plastered onto the chamber wall. Even if not, this illusionary landscape would vanish as soon as its creator got bored with it.

That said, Gillivane just tearns to the halfling archmage and shrugs in a "I got nothing." kind of way.

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

The mechanical humanoid takes the waterclock in its hands and studies it quizzically, turning it end over end and watching the air bubbles dance about. Peacekeeper nods in acceptance of the gift, takes a bulging pack off of its pack, and pulls out a thick blanket. It wraps the clock in the blanket for safekeeping and tucks it gingerly back into the sack before turning back to the others. "Shall the rest of us seek out this beholder? And Peacekeeper must know: is the beholder evil?"

[BelGareth]

Looking at Peacekeeper she smiles with a wicked and sly look in her eyes.

nodding slowly she replies "Yes, it is evil." she actually replies to you and makes eye contact for the first time.

She watches the display as Cognette 'attempts' to leave and a small smile creeps upon her face, looking to Gillivane as she speaks she moves on with the matter, waving her hand in the air "Of course my dear, all those things will be given to you, take your time and prepare how you need to, My assistant will give you the appropriate resources. He is waiting outside."

With that she snaps her fingers and disappears, the countryside vanishing with her and you are all standing outside a large metallic sphere facing a grinning orcish looking man.

Cognette is not there.

The tooth brute of a man looks to you; "Whatsa yu need?" he says in the simple way of an illiterate uneducated villager.

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

Jesse nods at the mage as she gives her final words. They had been traveling together for quite some time, and she had been reliable at what she did. But as all things come and go, it is inevitable, and he could only wish her a safe journey.

When the scene changes abruptly yet again, Jessiah is not surprised anymore. He holsters his weapons and finds a suitable place to sit down and rest while the others do their preparations.

[Mystral]

Gillivane takes a curious look at the sphere, then she turns to the 'assistant'. Never judge a book by it's cover, they were dealing with a master illusionist. Nothing should be taken at face value.. Perhaps this man was the halfling in disguise? Nevermind that..

"We shall require a place to rest until the evening hours, and a description to the lair of the beholder your mistress send us to vanquish.."

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

The warforged opens its mouth to ask its familiar question of greeting, but pauses for a moment and cogitates. It leans down to Gillivane and does its best to whisper in her ear; the result is not unlike whispering into a megaphone. "There is no need to ask if this citizen is evil, since he is in the employ of Ms. Blackwood. Since she has not been identified as evil, Peacekeeper can assume that none in her employ are evil, since hiring evil people would in itself be an evil act, correct? Is Peacekeeper's skill in deductive reasoning increasing?"

[Mystral]

"One would assume that, yes, but do not forget that Mrs. Blackwood might have forgot to ask him might have hired an evil person without knowing, which would of course not be evil. I think you should enquire, just to be sure. Still, a valiant effort, my friend." Gillivane keeps a straight face trough saying this, although the situation amuses her greatly.

[BelGareth]

The mages Lackwit assistant helps you with whatever your needs are and then shows you to a closet in a nondescript portion of the castle, he motions towards the closet opening the door.

Peering inside you see nothing to show that it was special and feel a little ridiculous 'stepping' into it. Upon being questions he merely grunts towards it and ushers you in.

It takes a while but you all eventually step into the closet and experience the telltale lurch of teleportation, this was different however, it seemed like you were suddenly wearing extra layers of clothes, like you were wearing a hundred and one coats bogging you down and just as you thought you were about to die of suffocation they started to come off, and then you saw daylight and found yourself standing in what you can only think as a cavern from the dripping sounds and wet moist air.

You can see nothing but pitch blackness.

Map

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-DIF6l0rIvfQ/T6iTKeeQwPI/AAAAAAAAA5s/0Y7JfLAbNiU/s800/Beholder%2520Lair.jpg



No one has said they have a permanent light source, so for now its pitch black, for future endeavors I'll change it per your reactions to this.

[Hazzardevil]

Twin casts Dancing Lights. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dancingLights.htm)
He then makes a knowledge (dungeoneering) check to try and remember if a beholder has darkvision or not.

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

Jesse brushes off the effects of yet another teleportation and focuses on his surroundings. He peers into the darkness, beyond the range of the light given off by Twin's magical light, and trains his ears. He waits at the back of the group, readying for any surprise.

[Mystral]

Groaning a bit, Gillivane leans on her Staff and takes a moment to take in her surroundings. "I prefer my own teleportation spells." she quipped and then straightened herself. It was not the thing for a conjurer to do to be sickened by one of her own schools spells. As she had anticipated combat in the next time, she had prepared accordingly. The air around her seemed to glow and flicker from the various powerfull spells she had cast to protect herself.

[Prior to the Teleportation, Gillivane casts the spells of the "Heart of ..." Series.]

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

The world circles around Peacekeeper, and the gigantic warforged must place its hands on its knees for a moment's rest to stop the orbit. "Peacekeeper will never get used to that," it says. The creature raises a hand to its right temple and turns a gear which causes its eyes to flicker from blue to red.

Peacekeeper spends one charge from the Scout's Headband to gain darkvision out to 60 feet for one hour.

[BelGareth]

Those of you who can see -

The room is a worked room that has natural floors, it is hard to tell if they were once worked and nature had crept back or not, but one thing you can see are mushrooms.

The room is full of them, the chamber stretches out beyond your vision into darkness with only one obvious route.


Hazzard, I'll get to you knowledge check when im at shcool, I'm AFB right now.

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper points off into the darkness. "This is the only apparent option. Shall Peacekeeper proceed before the others?"

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

Not good, he thinks to himself. If there were something that comes up, he would be at a disadvantage in this closed up space. The unnatural voice from his companion before him jerks him from his thoughts.

One of the few times I am pleased I am not working alone.

Jesse nods at the warforged.

"...please do," he speaks softly.

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

The dauntless warforged moves down the darkened hallway. It recalls something about looking for traps if one is leading a party, but Peacekeeper was constructed more for withstanding traps than locating them.

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

The tiefling follows closely, his senses heightened to the maximum. He hates being caught unawares most of all things. Not a luxury he could afford in his previous life.

Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]

[Hazzardevil]

Twin whispers
"I'll back you up Jess, as soon as that Beholder appears, I'll try and get behind it so we can flank it."
He also switches to Tactics of the Wolf stance
Also: Relevant infomation:

Anyone flanking an enemy with Twin gains a +5 bonus on attack and damage rolls.
He also casts summon instrument to summon an ocarina.

[BelGareth]

The three of you move through the mushroom filled room with ease and at least quite stealthiness. You approach the ending of the room to a 10ft hallway which bends to the right, a faint glow appears from further down.

Moving further (or sneaking a peek) you see the hallway follows to your right into a big rough hewn chamber with a fire pit in the middle, standing around it are several humanoids, the light is too dim and far away to be able to identify them with any accuracy. You see 4 individuals standing, and two others sleeping on the ground nearby.


Hazzard-
You recall that Beholders have excellent vision, rivaled only by Dragons. They do indeed have darkvision.

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

Jesse taps the warforged and Twin and motions for them to stay and wait. He sneaks in forward to take a closer look at the humanoids, both guns drawn.

Hide: [roll0]
Spot: [roll1]
Move Silently: [roll2]

Also, I has Darkvision out to 60 feet.

[BelGareth]

You manage to sneak in easily keeping to the shadows of the cave, the cave was obviously a natural cavern that was used and tunneled into in some point in time.

Now it was used as a sleeping quarters for the creatures before you, you see a half orc with a grizzly bladed axe of foreign design (knowledge history), a human in full plate, his face barely visible in the light and his full helm open to the crisp air of the cavern, he has several marks on his armor which look to be religious in nature (knowledge religion), next to him is a female bugbear with a mean looking bow and next to her is a squat gnomish looking figure with dark skin resting on a pick as tall as he is.(knowledge history)

The figures sleeping on the ground are not discernible at this location. And oddly enough you do not see them talking, they are just standing there blinking at the flames before them.


HOLY CRAP!
I thought I was waiting on you guys and I checked it to see if there were any ghost posts and low and behold there is. Sorry!

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

Jesse observes them closely but could not discern who these creatures are based on their markings and equipment. He takes note of them and slowly makes his way back to the others. Maybe they would know of this.

As soon as he arrives to where his companions are at, he quickly explains the situation.

"...There are 6 of them. A half-orc, a human, a bugbear, a dark-skinned sort of gnome or something similar, and the two others I could not identify...The human, he had a mark on his armor that looks like this..."

He proceeds to draw what he could remember on the wall (or the floor, whichever is softer).

Is this an Int check to see if he could copy it?
Int: [roll0]

[Hazzardevil]

Twin attempts to remember stuff with Knowledge (History)
Weird Axe:
[roll0]
Gnome Thing:
[roll1]

[BelGareth]

As Jessiah explains what he saw in a whispered hush you realize he is talking about an Orc Double axe, something to be feared, only the strongest and biggest orcs wield such terrible weapons.

http://images.wikia.com/forgottenrealms/images/a/a5/Torm_symbol.jpg

And then as he continues, you know the image on the humans armor to be the symbol of TORM, the man sounds like he is a paladin, from the palm held upright and the detail therein.

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

"...who or what is this TORM?" he asks. "Should we treat them as foes or allies?"

[OMG PONIES]

Peacekeeper

The hulking warforged's faceplate contorts into a grin--an orc double axe was usually the sign of a skilled warrior. At the very least, there would be one of strength equal to Peackeeper's. "Peacekeeper believes Torm to be a god of some sort, but cannot recall whether it is a good or evil god. Perhaps we should ask them?"

Darn my whole "start with 0 ranks in knowledge: religion and level it up as Peacekeeper learns more about world religions" idea!

[GuyFawkes]

Jessiah

"...right. Talk," he replies.

He grabs his chin and takes look at their surroundings, then takes a peek at the group down the corridor, assessing the situation.

"...we should take precaution...Maybe have just one of us go and talk, the others wait here in case they intend to harm us...so we could keep a little surprise in numbers," Jesse suggests.

"I could go, but as you very well know...I am not good with words..."

He looks at the warforged. A warforged just on the path to discovery of himself or herself, and the world around. Not to belittle the machine, but he could say he has more experience than him or her, he just might as well go himself.

He looks at Twin. "...perhaps, you are good with people as you are good with creatures?"