Strange Friends [IC]

[BelGareth]

Chapter 1: Introductions


http://digital-art-gallery.com/oid/6/640x400_2481_Wind_City_2d_landscape_fantasy_pictur e_image_digital_art.jpg

It had happened over night, the bells, the clash and clamor of activity, you cannot recall the last time the city guard had actually worked, let alone fight something. Word in the street was, they had, and lost, severely so.

The street peddlers were out in force this morning, knowing like most, that almost everyone would be taking to the streets in news of what had happened.

Those in the know, had heard the creature attacked, after walking the Long distance, pounding on the great city walls, this is where the city guard did something. Perhaps not the best idea to form outside the city walls and advance on something that was literally damaging the walls, but action nonetheless. And the guard commander was eager to claim the first action for the city in several centuries. His name would be lauded as the city hero.

He was the first to die, leading the charge, which for a commanding officer with no training is surprisingly fresh, was stupid. The monster crushed his skull, and continued to murder and destroy the rest of the platoon. The formation crushed, it looked up to the crenelations where the rest of the city guard were watching and sank into the sand.

But only those in the know heard that, several other stories are running around, about a Copper Dragon who turned evil and lusted for the rich taste of exotic man flesh, or a Giant Sand Scarab had found its way out of the Wasted West.

The next day the council called for those capable to come forth, and you for what ever reason decided you could, at the very least step forth. Having been summoned to the top of the Windmills, you find several others, all different and from the looks of things your companions for this endeavor.

A woman steps up to you all, she is attractive and bears the resemblance to one of the ruling merchant houses, her clothing a deep purple, lined with vermillion, a slightly off putting combination, but noting her obvious noble status.

She smiles at you all timidly, as if she doesn't know what to say, "Well, My name is Loxander, I will be your Council representative for this task." She holds up a piece of paper "This is your contract with the cities council, it outlines the task you have been assigned as well as your payment, 500 platinum pieces upon completion. Your task is to ferret out what and who attacked us and stop them from escalating or repeating the offense." She looks over to another group being talked to a similarly dressed man "My brother is telling the other group the same thing, a special clause in the contract states if they are to do it without you, then you do not get any reward. This is legally binding and cannot be repealed, your presence here today proves your acceptance of the law." she smiles again moving a strand of stray hair away from her face "If you have any questions my brother and I will be in the council offices." she bows and walks away.

You see the man, her brother point to the east and mutter something about going to the west gate. (where the attack happened)


Above you the windmills turn in their never ending cycle.

*Woooov*

*Woooov*

*Woooov*

[Chimaera]

Primus, a grey elf dressed with a blue and golden cloak with long golden hair and purple eyes, take a step ahead and ask Loxander: "I'm Primus Longjeba and I have a question. There are lots of rumors around the beast who attacked the city walls. Do you have any information about what it was exactly? A dragon? A sandworm? A scarab?", he then stops for a moment, "Ah, of course, pleased to meet you".

From between the elf's robe came out a grey and old rat, "Dont worry Grey Beast, I know".

He looks at his grimoire and after a quick glance he begins casting a spell and then doubles his size to reach 3,22 m and then open his enlarged mouth and eat his spellbook whole.

"I'm ready ten minutes after as everybody is ready, just have some weaving to do", he says.

After everybody finishes whatever they want he begin to use his weaver's stuff and tiyng luminous lines from the rest of the part and his own rat: luminscent lines of silver, red and black, tying them all together and with a few words the entire tapestry dissapears. He then cast spells in the air without any apparent effect.

"Ok, now I'm done".

Longbuff spells over Primus and Grey Beast:
Superior Resistance (duration 48h)
Greater Luminous Armor (duration 20h)
Str Damage for today: [roll0]
Anticipate Teleport (20h)
Hoard Gullet (10h)

Spells in the Tapestry:
Heal, Lesser Ironguard, Invisibility and Dimension Step

Prepared Spells:
Archivist's Spells:
6: Superior Resistance (0), Vigorous Circle (1), Energy Immunity (1);
5: Heal (1), Owl's Insight (1), Divine Agility (1);
4: Panacea (1), Draconic Might (2), Freedom of Movement (1), Death Ward (1);
3: Blindsight (1), Dispel Magic (2), Restoration (1), Neutralize Poison (1), Cure Serious Wounds (1);
2: Mountain Stance (1), Remove Disease (1), Fell the Greatest Foe (1), Close Wounds (2), Barkskin (2);
1: Healing Lorecall (1), Remove Fear (1), Shield of Faith (1), Conviction (1), Beastland Ferocity (1), Resist Energy (1), Lesser Restoration (1)
0: Cure Minor Wounds (3), Light (1);

Wizard's Spells:
5: Lesser Ironguard (0), Swift Etherealness (1), Greater Dimension Door (1), Mass Fire Shield (1);
4: Celerity (1), Displacer Form (1), Greater Invisibility (1), Greater Luminous Armor (0), Stoneskin (1);
3: Fly (1), Dimenson Step (0), Haste (1), Displacement (1), Anticipate Teleport (0);
2: Cat's Grace (1), Bear's Endurance (1), Invisibility (1), Protection from Arrows (1), Lesser Celerity (2);
1: Enlarge Person (0), Hoardgullet (0), Shield (2), Nerveskitter (2), Ebon Eyes (1);
0: Detect Magic (3), Message (1);

[Quellian-dyrae]

Raltes listened attentively to the representative, nodding in agreement to the terms. The tall, lanky man cast a look across the way at the other group when they were mentioned, a slight grin on his deeply tanned face. He hadn't faced too many competitions in his life. Not legitimate ones, at least, where the other side wasn't fumbling around trying to let him win and not show it.

Should be fun.

The elf's question came to the meat of the matter, but he added, "Does the Council have any particular preference for how we should neutralize this threat? Negotiation, capture, routing..." Frankly, given the deaths and destruction it had caused, he rather doubted any of those options were at the top of the Council's list, but it didn't hurt to check.

[THEChanger]

The third man to join the group at the top of the Windmills kept his face shrouded underneath his traveler's cloak. The blade on his back, the sandals upon his feet, the gauntlets covering his hands, and the belt around his waist all sparkled a deep sapphirre blue in the burning light of the sun. A voice whispered from the darkness in the cloak, tinged with power. "I accept the terms of employment. However, I would ask a small further payment. Upon completion of this task, I require use of the library. I seek to add to my collection of words."

[Tacitus]

Wogg-Gexxa Todarg wears the mantle of the many years of life well in every way but the look in his eyes and the way his otherwise youthful body leans on a staff formed of raw crystal. A larger hollow is filled with what looks to be sandstone shot through with quartz while one of three smaller hollows is set with a violet crystal. His hands drift over the larger stone as the woman speaks, his tired eyes only rising to look her over after she has said her piece.

His motions are deliberate, slow even as he shakes a bit of the desert sand from the wind torn rags that form his cloak and travelling clothes. The shine of fine metal chain shows through various holes in his threadbare tunic, but no weapons are visible on his person, not even the staff which seems unsuitable for use as a weapon. His sandals are worn to the point of being paper thin in some spots with leather straps about ready to crumble and a small gem adorns the center of his weathered forehead.

He lets out a sigh as the others start to chase after the woman for information and speaks with a rough voice, "Letter of the law don't seem to care what we do with whatever it be, boys. Besides, what you do with a rampaging scarab is different than what you do with offended mole-people and is again different from how you treat twisted godspawn abominations or massive collective illusions. And don't tell me illusions can't kill or tear apart walls. I once met a gnome whose fake fire burned hotter than the real thing."

He bows his head before continuing, "The name is Wogg, by the by. Was Gexxa and Todarg, not so much anymore. Ya'll ask your questions. I've got to stare ya'll in the eyes a bit when you're done. Spooky brain powers and all."

[greenpotato]

A woman of average height with skin like grey stone thuds up the stairs of the windmill with careful strides that betray her supernatural density to the observant among you. Shes not wearing much under the hot desert sun but the heat doesn't seem to bother her and it shows off an impressively muscular physique, she could probably swing that glaive she holds with quite some force. She listens quietly to the proposal and the questions that follow from her peers and chimes in with her own introduction; "Hi, I'm Shale. I don't have any questions I'm just keen to get over to the wall and get started"

[Chimaera]

Primus look to his allies and fix his attention to everyone for a few while, "Oh.. yes, the wall. He'll get there soon. If no survivors know what attacked the wall, maybe a divination scroll from the market will help a little. I was thinking in...", he stop talking again but keep making gestures with his hands for like ten seconds till his rat appears again and squeak something, "... a Stone Tell spell. If Loxander doesn't know what attacked the wall we may ask the wall itself".

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Ah, clever. That would indeed cut to the heart of the matter." Raltes said with a respectful nod.

[Chimaera]

"A scroll of Stone Tell would cost 1650 gold pieces. If you're willing to sahre the cost I'll gladly cast the spell. It'll cost only 275 gp for each one... If all agree of course".

[Quellian-dyrae]

"I am willing to contribute," Raltes agreed.

[greenpotato]

"It might be best to see if we can determine what happened before we outlay gold, lets keep that idea as a reserve in case we can't determine anything when we get over there. Tell me, are any of you here able to track?" Shale says looking around at the others.

[Chimaera]

"I have only magical means to find things out. No tracker here, but with the right spells I could...", Primus answer looking to a strange shaped cloud in the sky.

Whatever he can or could do remain unaswered.

"Anyway, let's depart as soon as Loxander give us the answers we asked".

[Tacitus]

Wogg shifts his weight off the staff and shrugs, "I get the feeling a bunch of stone isn't going to be any more accurate than a bunch of eyewitnesses. Besides, I've not got the coin for that. Somewhat close, but I don't feel the need to bankrupt myself unless its the last option. As for tracking, its a skill I've long left to hunters. Now, if you'll all look the mean old hobgoblin in the eye..."

Despite asking for eye contact and trying to establish it, the weary hobgoblin doesn't seem to actually require it. It starts as a crawling sensation at the base of the skull that, unless resisted, quickly expands through the brain like a raging sandstorm. For the briefest moment thoughts are scoured away and replaced by a flood of thoughts and memories of deep ocean and burning sands. As the storm subsides a series of mental images flicker by showing wounds closing, flesh enduring elemental stresses, and lastly a vague diagram showing a radius around the gleaming blue figure of a man. This radius is marked by glowing azure lines of power that form a web, brighter strands now linked to rough caricatures of the others present.

A voice enters the mind, filled with the vigor the hobgoblin misses while speaking 'If we're to work together I'd prefer a quicker, and certainly more quiet means of conversation.'

[BelGareth]

Loxander pauses and turns to field the questions as they were asked of her:

"Does the Council have any particular preference for how we should neutralize this threat? Negotiation, capture, routing..."

She smiles and shrugs her shoulders, "It is up to you to decide, but if they come back, then you will be breaching the contract." she taps the letters she is holding. Turning to Primus she smiles wider, as if she were listening to a 2 year old.

"I'm Primus Longjeba and I have a question. There are lots of rumors around the beast who attacked the city walls. Do you have any information about what it was exactly? A dragon? A sandworm? A scarab?"

She splays her hands out wide "We know only what you do, that is why we asked for you." she says, with a tone of elitism. Turning finally to the last person she nods as she pays attention.

"I accept the terms of employment. However, I would ask a small further payment. Upon completion of this task, I require use of the library. I seek to add to my collection of words."

"This can be arranged, our library is vast, but if you were to...deal with this issue then we can arrange some time to do so."

The other group dealing with her brother starts to walk off, and then they all *pop*, vanish from the windmill balcony altogether, seemingly teleporting somewhere else.

Loxander looks at you all and asks "Is that all?"

[Chimaera]

"That's enough, let's depart", Primus say smiling to her.

"I guess she likes me" he then say after they're far enough for her to stop hearing the group with a great smile in his face... but then his rat showed again and squeaked something that turned his smile in an angry face, "Oh I see what you mean, Grey Beast".

If everyone wish so, we'll be off towards the city walls to investigate.

In the walk he look at Wogg and ask him via telepathy: "Can you include my rat in this... tapestry of you? Also, how you call it?".

[Quellian-dyrae]

"I have no other questions," Raltes agrees, following along. "And no, I've never done any tracking either."

[Tacitus]

Wogg considers it for a moment, and as he does so the familiar receives the same sensation, 'I've never really considered a name. This is not something I've trained in, it is something that has grown with me as I've grown older. Acts almost as a hivemind, a network, a collective of sorts.'

[greenpotato]

"Yes, that's all." Shale says and she begins to walk towards the site of the attack.

[Chimaera]

"I call mine 'Tapestry'. We both got some interesting abilities... With my spell tapestry and your psionic hivemind we can make some capable party... Also, what about the kobold there? He's all quiet. Got curious about what he can do".

[BelGareth]

You all head out, moving to the site of the attack. You have to walk through several blocks of city and then through the Southren Gates, followed by a nice stroll through the searing desert to reach the spot indicated.

However before you ever reach the spot, a strange sight is laid upon your eyes.

Several Metallic beings are moving through the sand, seemingly burrowing through the sand as if they were swimming in water. Their heads suddenly swivel over to you all, eyes glowering, brightening a little, and then they suddenly come out of the sand, rising from the desert sea.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ha_pJpH-iMs/Ua4_0vmZB6I/AAAAAAAAD8c/cAaEnizOJPo/s640/iron_golem.jpg

K.Arcana

DC 29 or >
You know this hulking behemoth to be an Iron Golem. They are constructs made from binding elemental spirits and incredibly hard to hurt.

DC 34 or >
They are immune to magic. (specifically, spells and powers that allow SR/PR)

DC 39 or >
They can breath a noxious fume that saps your life energy

DC 44 or >
Lightning damage causes them to slow as the spell

DC 49 or >
Fire damage causes them to heal instead of take wounds.


Top of Round 1
{table=head]Character|Initiative
Wogg-Gexxa|27
Primus|27
Raltes|23
Hafiz|23
Shale|21
Golems|-
Vern|17
[/table]

Map

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Egc-k17cceI/Ua98xqVVmeI/AAAAAAAAD9E/BqP2aefji3s/s800/Round%25201.jpg

[Quellian-dyrae]

~Iron golems!~ Raltes sent through the telepathic link, grimacing as he did so. He had little experience fighting such creatures, but golems in general were not fun for mages like him. Certain elements did certain things to them...and he could not recall which was which off the top of his head.

Given that they were made of metal, though, acid seemed like the safest bet.

He shifted closer to the party, and his voice boomed out as he called upon the elements, a sulfuric stench filling the air as a yellowish-green energy swirled around him. Normally, the power would gather in a sphere in his hands, but he put in the additional effort to alter the flow of power, throwing up his hands and hurling a deluge of acid into the sky. It came down in three separate globs, dropping on the heads of the golems.

Rolling failed, reposting.

5' Step into B9.
Full Round Action: Sculpted (10' Cubes) Vitriolic Sphere.

I'll place the cubes on the golems, wherever they happen to be when my turn actually comes around. Each target takes [roll0] Acid damage, no SR, Reflex half (DC 22).

If they fail the Reflex save, next round they take [roll1], with a new save for half.

If they fail that, then the next round, they take [roll2], with again a save for half.

Assuming I understand the Warmage Edge rules correctly and it deals damage once per target per spell per round; if it's strictly once per target per spell, reduce the second two instances of damage by 27.

EDIT: Actually, looking the class over again, it just says spells that hit multiple times to the extra damage once. So, yeah, that should be 17 damage next round and 6 damage the round thereafter. :smallsigh:

If I'm threatened by that point, I'll cast on the defensive. With Combat Casting, it auto-succeeds.

Warmage Spells: 6/8/8/7/7/6/3.
Bard Spells: 3/5/5/3.

[Tacitus]

Wogg strides forward to meet the golems, power surging within him before surging out into the Collective to fortify the bodies of the entire group.

Move: Headed to I12, assuming the golems haven't moved.
Standard: Overchannel a Vigor spell. Spend 13 PP.
9pp gives 45 Temporary HP to a single target.
4pp augments to 5 targets.
Psicrystal also receives these temporary HP

137/150pp

Edit: Auto-succeed on Concentration check to manifest without display and to manifest without provoking AoO. (DC 16 each, +20 mod)

[Chimaera]

"Golems, huh? And I was so wanting a dragon... Well, Draconic Might!", Primus say before casting the spell, "and I hope some few tricks work on them".

Actions:

Swift/Immediate Action: Nervesiter (+5 Init to all);
Standart Action: casting Draconic Might;
Everyone in the party (including me and familiar) gets a +5 enhancement bonus on Strenght, Constitution and Charisma, also Natural Armor +4 (Duration: 12 minutes).

Everyboy also gets DR 5/magic (or raise their own DR by 5) and heals 8 hps.
(Due Thougning Transmutation and Magic of the Land).


Move Action: releasing Lesser Iron Guard (10 rounds) and Invisibility (9 minutes) from the Tapestry on everybody;
Everybody heals 14 hp (10 from lesser iron guard and 4 from invisibility)

NOTE: in the beggining of every battle Primus will cast Nerveskitter to grant +5 Initiative on everybody. So everyone initiative is 5 higher.

Status:
Spells on himself:
Superior Resistance (duration 48h)
Greater Luminous Armor (duration 20h)
Str Damage for today: [roll0]
Anticipate Teleport (20h)
Hoard Gullet (10h)
Invisibility (9 min)
Lesser Iron Guard (9 rounds)
Draconic Might (12 min)


Spells in the Tapestry:
Heal and Dimension Step

Archivist's Spells:
6: Superior Resistance (0), Vigorous Circle (1), Energy Immunity (1);
5: Heal (1), Owl's Insight (1), Divine Agility (1);
4: Panacea (1), Draconic Might (1), Freedom of Movement (1), Death Ward (1);
3: Blindsight (1), Dispel Magic (2), Restoration (1), Neutralize Poison (1), Cure Serious Wounds (1);
2: Mountain Stance (1), Remove Disease (1), Fell the Greatest Foe (1), Close Wounds (2), Barkskin (2);
1: Healing Lorecall (1), Remove Fear (1), Shield of Faith (1), Conviction (1), Beastland Ferocity (1), Resist Energy (1), Lesser Restoration (1)
0: Cure Minor Wounds (3), Light (1);


Wizard's Spells:
5: Lesser Ironguard (0), Swift Etherealness (1), Greater Dimension Door (1), Mass Fire Shield (1);
4: Celerity (1), Displacer Form (1), Greater Invisibility (1), Greater Luminous Armor (0), Stoneskin (1);
3: Fly (1), Dimenson Step (0), Haste (1), Displacement (1), Anticipate Teleport (0);
2: Cat's Grace (1), Bear's Endurance (1), Invisibility (1), Protection from Arrows (1), Lesser Celerity (2);
1: Enlarge Person (0), Hoardgullet (0), Shield (2), Nerveskitter (1), Ebon Eyes (1);
0: Detect Magic (3), Message (1);

[greenpotato]

Shale waves her hand at the golems and a sheet of vibrating air roars into life in a great wall.
Shale manifests a twinned empowered energy wall using overchannel and linked to animal affinity(+4str)
If the golems havn't moved before her action: She places the wall so that it is running directly through the 3 golems squares along the line of M and the effect points back towards the party.
If they have: ??? I dunno, I'll have a squiz

Each of the two energy walls does the following
Chaotic Surge effect: [roll0]
on a 1(Halved)
[roll1]*1.5*0.5 +12 =20 sonic damage for each of the 2 walls (so 40 if they fail both saves)
on a 2(Normal)
[S][roll2]*1.5 sonic
on a 3(Empowered)
[roll3]*1.5*1.5 sonic
on a 4(Maximized)
18 sonic damage
DC 21 reflex for half

This costs 10pp and Shale takes [roll4]damage

If they have not moved shale will move up to H14
If they have moved: ??? we'll see

[THEChanger]

Hafiz slid forward, placing himself in the front of the group. With blade drawn, Hafiz began whispering words of power, strange vibrations moving through the air. Ripping its way out of the sand, the skeleton of a massive lion roared back into life. Hafiz took up the ancient chant, the True Words dripping from his tongue like honey, as his beast growled at the metal adversaries.

I auomatically succeed my Truenaming Check to summon the skeleton form of Simba, the Dire Lion. However, since Truenaming fails on a natural one, except for opposed rolls, I still must roll
Truenaming: [roll0]
Stat block below.

Simba
TN Dire Lion(Skeleton) , Level , Init +6, HP 132/132, DR 5/Bludgeoning, Speed 40 ft.
AC 13, Touch 10, Flat-footed 11, Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +14, Base Attack Bonus 11/6/1
Claw +20 (1d8+16, X2)
2 Claws, Bite +20/+20/+15 (1d8+16/1d8+16/2d6+11, X2)
(+2 Dex, -2 Size, +3 Natural)
Abilities Str 33, Dex 15, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 1
Condition None

Hafiz moves to G12. Simba will be summoned directly to his right on the map. As a Huge creature, I believe he will take up spaces G13 to H15, but I'm not positive of that.

Knowledge: Arcana to identify-[roll1]

[Gorgondantess]

As the golems move to engage, from the opposite side a pillar of dust and sand and wind moves quickly towards the group. And at its head is... a crusty old pebbly-scaled kobold.
He wears plain, simple clothes, and a big, floppy, wide brimmed rawhide hat that is pulled down to cover one eye; the other is covered by a thick monocle. He has one arm made of a dull grey metal, and lands before the group to lean heavily on a cane.
"Sorry for bein' late, kids. Too bad I didn't miss the excitement... oh well, let's get this over with."
With a wave of his hand, the sand around the golems begins to sink, creating a pit around them.
Land at D9. Casting control sand- will create a square pit 1-20, J-P, 26 feet deep.

[BelGareth]

Wogg surges forward, manifesting powers that invigorate everyone, as he does so Primus unleashes a storm of magic upon the group, enforcing them with a myriad of spells and dweomers.

Raltes prepares to blast the golems with some form of war wizardy, while Hafiz summons a huge skeletal Beast which stands beside him growling ready at the golems.

Shale bought forth two shimmering walls of sound, blasting the golems, tearing and wrenching their armor as they walked, while vern calmly landed and with a wave of her tiny hand, sucked all the sand down, creating a massive pit for the golems.

The golems, now below the walls of sound, look to one another and then upwards, assessing the situation, they start to shorten, as if they were melting, but it is obvious they are going underground, there heads disappear from view just as Raltes is ready to launch his attack, but alas, there are no longer targets.

It takes a moment, but you realize they are gone.

You are suddenly aware of the sun beating down, any without sun protection are dazzled and take [roll0] damage from the desert heat.