[4E] Legacy's Truth

[Infernally Clay]

Link to the OOC here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=292647).

"Awake!" several voices speaking as one call to you. Yet you feel so sleepy. You contemplate telling the voice to give you five minutes, but it's inside your head. You feel compelled to follow the command.

When you finally open your eyes, you are surrounded in darkness. Then you notice the stars, the moon and the cold breeze. The area brightens slightly, revealing a long-dead forest. The only noise comes from your own movements - there are no animals here.

Then the pain comes.

The pain of life. Your lungs seize in shock. Your heart strains. You scream in pain and hear the screams of others. Looking around, you recognise three others in the shadows. It's hard to see who they are at first, but then the memories flood back.

You were killed.

You remember what happened. How you had been part of a group of heroes, now closer than friends, tasked with saving the world. How you had plundered tombs, taken part in great wars, hunted down vile sorcerers... You remember the camp fire. The discussion you had had as a group, deciding whether or not facing a God would be possible. You argued that you had been through far too much to give up now and that you had already done things thought impossible, yet the others argued that the fact you had been through so much already was proof enough that there is a limit one can take. The disagreement split the group in two, leaving only you and three others to take on Cyric, the Prince of Lies.

You won, somehow. Perhaps the Gods had blessed you with the strength you needed or perhaps you were simply too defiant to die. Barely able to stand, you and the three others limped back to the camp site. You were eager to get back and tell the others what you had achieved, to celebrate together the hard-fought victory of good over evil. Each of you had lost so much on this quest and now none of it was in vain.

The campsite was empty when you arrived and there was nothing you could do before you were ambushed by six people. Not just any six people, however - they were closer than friends. All you could do was look in horror as your brothers in arms killed you. All you could do was ask "Why?"

"Gooooooooood," the voices said, venom lacing every word, "Most of you are in one piece. You are lucky in that. The people who came to steal your trinkets and to spit on your graves didn't damage your corpses so much for me to fix. Five years of decomposition is difficult enough to repair as it is."

A moment passed as the voices allowed you to contemplate.

"Yes, you were killed five years ago - by your blood brothers, no less - and I have brought you back. Back for revenge."

That last word stung. You don't know how a word could sting, but it did. There was pain there. Anger. Just hearing "revenge" somehow excited you. What was happening to you?

"You may have noticed that you are not as strong as you once were. It cannot be helped. I am too weak and too much time has passed," the voices said, audibly annoyed, "You will need to regain your strength if you are to achieve the revenge you deserve but I have faith in you... For you killed a God, did you not?"

The voices then disappeared and all was quiet once again. You notice your clothes are barely more than rags now and that everything of value that you held has clearly been stolen, just as the voices said. At the back of your head there is a nagging desire for revenge, but you ignore it. You have more important matters to attend to right now - you need to get out of the woods.

[Irish Musician]

Elvan'idil (http://iplay4e.appspot.com/characters/agdpcGxheTRlchQLEgtDaGFyYWN0ZXJWMhi0tcUIDA), Drow Druid
Elvan'idil's eyes shot open, and a scream that sounded more like a wolf in pain came out of his mouth. He gasped for breath and tried to focus on anything around him, and at once noticed the moon. He stared at it as he gained control of his body, breathing deeply and slowly, trying to compose himself. He then heard a voice, and immediately went of the defensive. As it talked he tried to find the source of the voice, using his animal senses to help him. He listened to the voice, but he was confused, he didn't understand where he was and why all of his things were gone. Then, just like that, a flood of memories broke through a dam in his mind.....and he remembered.

He didn't know what was going on, all he knew is that is was 5 years later and he was pissed off!! He looked around him and saw other bodies starting to stir, "Hey! Are you guys alive as well? What in the nine hells is going on here?!!"

Perception check to see if I know where the voice is coming from [roll0]

[Hircine]

Karra Noble - Paladin of Corellon - [Forest]

Karra's eyes flutter slowly as if awakening from a deep sleep. Shifting her body from its prone position on the ground she sits upright while trying to regain her bearings. She quickly stifles a yawn, vigorously rubs her eyes, and scratches the back of her head several times before the memories start flooding back all at once.

A strange voice that she's never heard then starts conversing with her. Peering out into the darkness she can't make out where whoever's talking with her is or what they look like. Listening to the voice she soon comes to the realization that it's in her head. Once it has finished speaking, Karra nearly becomes overwhelmed at the notion of being brought back to take revenge against her former compatriots.

Pushing these thoughts to the back of her mind for the time being her gaze lowers to the area where she was stabbed by Aramil five years ago. The first thing she noticed was her ornate armor and equipment had been stolen off her corpse, and all she was left with was a few tattered rags. Secondly after lifting up her shirt she is surprised to find no scar where the blade had pierced her chest.

Still somewhat disoriented Karra gets to her feet, and does her best to survey her surrounds. As she’s looking around a familiar sounding voice pierces the darkness, though she can’t currently place who it is.

"I'm not quite sure, friend. This situation is rather perplexing to me as well.", she states in a soothing manner.

[Guancyto]

Sharell (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=605567), Revenant Warlock

Sharell stirred slowly. Far too slowly, and it was more mechanical than animal. There was no sharp breath or sudden rush of blood to her veins, there was just... movement. At first there was no meaning to it, just the senseless seizing up of a corpse that hasn't realized it should stop moving.

Then, all at once, something clicked. It was a pathetic, rasping cry, devoid of air or feeling, a dreamer suddenly spurred to wakefulness. Awareness. There were others. A wolf's howl. Elvan'idil. She recognized it even now, and how could she not? She had seen him die.

She had seen them all die. The memories were so sharp, so clear, like a knife pressed into her forehead. Of course there was a voice that was more than happy to explain the situation to her while she was still coming her senses.

To have died at the hands of her fellows was not inconceivable. She had only wanted to help them, but they had been so craven. They had been so unwilling to do what needed to be done.

What needed...

Her second cry was more spirited, a howl of fury the likes of which might shake the heavens themselves as she managed to struggle to her knees, bones creaking under the strain.

"Show yourself!" she demanded, snarling, wisps of black fire starting to swirl around her as she tried to pinpoint it, "show yourself so we can kill you again!"

[Turalisj]

Andros coughed, his lungs burning. He pulled a spear from his chest, even as the wound regenerated. The pain was unbearable, but for some reason he couldn't make a sound. Oh, right, his throat had been slashed. When that wound finally healed, he screamed, pounding a fist into the ground. So close to killing him! So close to glory, to victory! And taken by a bunch of cowards!

Andros didn't need the half-dead god to tell him what to do. He knew what he was going to do. The Ardent grabbed his massive spear, lifting it up and turning to look for Cyric. "Show yourself! Our job is not done!" Andros shouted, eyes glowing a blazing red.

[Infernally Clay]

There was no reply. No matter how hard you searched, you couldn't find a source for the voices either. They had disappeared as quickly as it came - perhaps there was no physical source at all. Perhaps it had all been in your head.

Either way, the four of you soon figured out that staying in the woods wouldn't get you anywhere - especially with a storm on the horizon, eager to unleash its rain. Remembering an abandoned fort to the south, you decide that shelter is more important than revenge right now. What happened to you has left you understandably confused and you need to gather your thoughts.

After an hour's walk, during which you may or may not have done much speaking, you hear a voice. Several, in fact. Unlike the voices you heard earlier, these clearly belonged to living breathing people.

"Gah, I hate this job..."
"Nobody likes this shift, boy, but a job is a job."
"It's a stupid job! What does Lord Aramil think is going to happen? That those four are just gonna rise up from the dead or something?"
"You know we ain't here for that. Ever since the Six Lords defeated Cyric and killed the four of their kin that had forsaken their role and embraced the darkness, weird creatures have been coming out of them woods. Remnants of Cyric's forces. We're here to stop them comin' out and any folk that would revive Cyric hisself from going in."

The more astute among you would notice that the two guards are currently alone, but not the only people here. They have holed themselves up in the fort that was once abandoned and would almost definitely have supplies. Food, clothes, maybe even weapons and armour. If you were to attack them head on, you might be able to overpower them. If they were to call for help, though, there's no telling how many others would come running. On the other hand, if you were stealthy enough, you might be able to grab some gear without being spotted.

What will you do?

[Irish Musician]

Elvan'idil (http://iplay4e.appspot.com/characters/agdpcGxheTRlchQLEgtDaGFyYWN0ZXJWMhi0tcUIDA), Drow Druid
Elvan lets out a small growl and whispers to the rest, "I have been dead for a long while......however, I do feel at least some of my strength coming back to me. What do you, my friends, think we should do? Sneak out some supplies, weapons, and armor....or shall we wet our lips?" At the end of his question, Elvan'idil's teeth seem to grown more into wolf's fangs, and his nails grown into claws that are quite long. His hair also seems to grow more feral and wolf-like, though he still looks like a drow overall, albeit a feral one.....and you all have seen this before, Elvan is preparing himself to "wet his lips."

[Hircine]

Karra Noble - [Abandoned Fort]

Karra's eyes widen and her heart nearly skips a beat when she hears one of the men mention Aramil. She shudders visibly as memories of her former mentor mercilessly driving his sword through her heart resurface. Instinctively her hand reaches up to touch the area where the wound was, causing her to wince.

Why did you betray us, Aramil? Were you coerced by the others or were you a willing participant in their scheme? I thought after all the years we spent traveling together that I knew everything about you. I guess that just isn't true anymore, is it?

Forcefully putting a mental block around her mind to shut out her thoughts, Karra approaches Elvan'idil and places a hand on the drow's shoulder.

"Don't be so rash, old friend. None of us are properly equipped to handle combat at the moment should the guard have an opportunity to call for help. Now subterfuge isn't exactly my specialty but I suggest we try to sneak in. Perhaps we might even be able to gleam some more information on what our former acquaintances are up to these days."

[Guancyto]

Sharell - Abandoned Fort

Well, that certainly sounded like the Karra she knew, Sharell mused as she went along, there were a great many things tumbling about in her brain as they made the trip, her fury subsiding into a silent, cold rage for now.

Maybe they hadn't... maybe they had believed the only way to walk away from a confrontation with a god was to have made a deal with him. Maybe they weren't...

A lot of maybes. A lot of excuses for men who had betrayed them, and a lot of speculations on far darker motives.

Then she overheard the guards. Lord Aramil.

One of the strongest of them. Karra had been closest to him, she watched her old companion carefully. It wasn't easy for any of them, but perhaps that wound cut the deepest of all.

"I think," she whispered slowly, the words nearly creaking out of her, "I think I want some answers, and it's hard to question dead men."

[Irish Musician]

Elvan'idil (http://iplay4e.appspot.com/characters/agdpcGxheTRlchQLEgtDaGFyYWN0ZXJWMhi0tcUIDA), Drow Druid
The drow seems to calm at the touch of Karra, but his appearance doesn't change much. "Hmph....very well. But if we are spotted, I will be tasting guards' blood tonight. Perhaps we should sneak in and grab some equipment first. And maybe grab a bite to eat," Elvan ends with a wry smile on his face.

[Guancyto]

Sharell - Abandoned Fort

"If we see someone alone, we could grab them and have a little talk," Sharell says, letting the druid lead in their very sneaky business, "but the more there are together, the riskier that is."

[Turalisj]

Andromalius

"I have a different plan." The ardent said. Standing up, he called into the forest.

"WHO DARES DISTUUURB THE REST OF THE FOUR DEMONS! LEAVE THIS PLACE NOW OR FACE ENDLESS PAIN AND SUFFERING!"

rolling bluff for this, since we aren't actually dead.....
[roll0]

[Guancyto]

Sharell - Abandoned Fort

"That's... that's great. Fantastic distraction. I'll just be over here, doing a thing," Sharell said, pointing off in a direction, her form visibly starting to darken as she did exactly that.

Shadow Walk for concealment for Stealth. Not expecting this to work.
[roll0]

[Irish Musician]

Elvan'idil (http://iplay4e.appspot.com/characters/agdpcGxheTRlchQLEgtDaGFyYWN0ZXJWMhi0tcUIDA), Drow Druid
Elvan stares, open mouthed, as his companion does a quite horrible rendition of what an evil undead thing would be.....he almost laughs. Elvan sighs, and taking on his wolf form, stalks off into the shadows, trying to use this distraction to grab the supplies the party needed.

Wolf form - Druid
Stealth Check [roll0]

[Infernally Clay]

"...D-did you h-hear that?" the younger of the guards asked, visibly shaken.
"Of course I bloody well heard it!" the older replied sharply, "So ring the damn bell! We have intruders!"

Within seconds, the warning bell was sounding and the two men were quickly joined by ten more. Worse yet, you could hear another bell in the distance being rung in response. The group all saluted the older man, calling him Captain, and they quickly organised a search pattern. They were clearly used to doing this and their formation was perfect. At this rate they would find you. They were almost upon you when...

A woman appeared, dressed in fine black and silver. She seemed to glow in the moonlight and the guards all turned to her. "Oy! Who are you?! What are you doing here?" they called, but she did not answer with words. From her waist she drew a small blade which suddenly grew to the size of a longsword. The guards reactively pulled out their own weapons to defend themselves, but all eleven were slain quickly and easily. She seemed to move like the tide, drifting in and out of their defences and attacks, expressing not anger but a hint of regret. The Captain, now alone, crawled backwards, begging for his life, but she took it without hesitation.

"You should be more careful. The life given to you was not given so you could throw it away so easily," the mysterious woman said coolly, taking a thick key from the Captain and throwing it to Sharell, "And I dislike having to have taken lives so that you would not lose yours."

Seeing the group regardless of their attempts to hide, she offered one final piece of advice: "Never lose hope. There is a town to the south of here. If you leave soon you'll reach it by dawn."

With that she disappeared, leaving you alone surrounded by corpses. The key in Sharell's hand, you might have figured, was for the lock to the armoury.

[Irish Musician]

Elvan'idil (http://iplay4e.appspot.com/characters/agdpcGxheTRlchQLEgtDaGFyYWN0ZXJWMhi0tcUIDA), Drow Druid
Right as Elvan was about to race off, the bells ring and the guards start running everywhere. Well, we are definitely not going to be sneaking anywhere now. *Sigh* Then, out of no where, a woman appears and slays all the guards. She is mysterious and amazing.....and Elvan'idil is completely on edge. His hair stands up, a low growl starts to emit from his throat, and he paces around the woman. She then explains herself and he is, admittedly, curious. As soon as the throws the key and disappears, he turns back into his drow form and springs into action. "Loot the bodies, quickly, and then hurry your asses up and lets get what we can out of the armory. QUICKLY, everyone, do it now." He keeps words of haste coming, all while search the bodies, very quickly, for any money, as well as anything of use to them. He then follows Sharell to the armory, opening it and seeing what is inside that they can use.

[Guancyto]

Sharell - Armory

Sharell didn't waste any time in complying with Elvan'idil. Well okay, maybe she stared a little after the woman who had popped up out of nowhere and killed everyone.

Maybe she stared just a little much. She had the nagging feeling that that, too, had been an enemy and trying to follow her movements... well she had been far too quick.

Maybe she wasted a lot of time as things moved on around her. But she got to the armory with intent to open it up eventually! Just some armor and a sword would be fantastic.

[Hircine]

Karra Noble - [Abandoned Fort]

Karra remains still as a statue while the gruesome battle plays out before her. Watching the mysterious woman appear out of nowhere and cut down the fort's numerous guardians is truly a sight to behold. Every movement she makes is precise, wasting zero motion and each swing of her strange blade unerring.

Only after their savior has vanished and the others move to search the bodies does she snap out of her trance. Approaching the carnage she looks for anything that would be of use to her.

OOC: DM
What exactly do we find?