[3.5] Celestial Spheres: Tales of Kadur IC II

[Piggy Knowles]

Old OOC thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=290180) | Current OOC thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=326108) | IC thread I (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=290181) | Die rolling thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=290197)


Morning in the Forest of Giants and Crows

The greenspawn sneak looks up just in time to see Kitty aim her bolt of lightning. Though his movements are slowed, he manages to get his body out of the way of the brunt of the strike, refusing to fall prey to the same fate as his brother.


OOC: Kitty's readied action resolves, but the sneak succeeds on his save. Sasha, I believe you still have actions remaining, since speaking is a free action. Once that concludes, it will be Natsu's turn.

[Piggy Knowles]

All is still and calm as ever. Then suddenly, there is a heavy clanking noise. Your eyes are drawn up to the great hulking statue on the small island. Slowly a crack begins to form across its face, a wide and even crack forming a great mouth on the large and featureless head. This mouth opens wider and wider, becoming a great maw more than a foot wide.

There is a brief moment of stillness, followed by a deep glugging from far beneath the ground. A trickle of water begins to pour out of the great stone jaws, falling on the sloped island and flowing down to the pool itself. Then the trickle becomes a torrent, as hundreds of gallons of water stream out of the mouth with enough force that they pour directly into the pool, raising its level by a couple of inches. After several seconds of this massive torrent, the mouth begins to close once more, and soon the statue is as still as ever save for the drips of water flowing down its formless face.


You can see the sneak move ten feet to the large, flat surface underneath the small "island." It pulls at a large handle, at which point the statue's mouth opens and begins pouring out water as above. Once this is done, it drops prone, hiding in the mud and undergrowth.

OOC: The sneak is now in R1 and lying prone.



OOC: The sneak did something that was hidden by the illusion covering the water (although anyone who was able to see through the illusion could see it happen - check the spoiler above). Then the statue's mouth opened and dumped an extraordinarily large quantity of water into the pond in a very short time.

Siegfried is up next.

[Morcleon]

Natsu stares at the rushing torrents, eyebrow raised. "...ah, what was that...?"

[Amidus Drexel]

Siegfried touches Aleister with a wand, and the incarnate's wounds start to knit back together.

"What is going on? Can any of you spot the lizard-creature?"

Taking 10 on UMD for the wand of lesser vigor - Aleister gets fast healing 1 for the next 11 rounds.

[Piggy Knowles]

As the healing magic begins to knit Aleister's wounds, the small pond seems to shiver, then boil, then surge. Though things were perfectly still only an instant ago, suddenly it is a roiling mass of waves. The water seems to move of its own accord, and it rushes in a great mass to the shore closest to the party. A great column of water, ten feet on a side, raises up for an instant. From the column emerges a lone pseudopod, gelatinous and clear as water. The pseudopod of water seems to quest about carefully for an instant before aiming itself at Kitty with a sudden burst of speed. It misjudges the distance, however, and falls short, splashing harmlessly at her feet.


OOC: A 10'x10' column of water rises in K/L 2/3. A watery pseudopod emerges from the column and attempts to attack Kitty, but it misses.

Next up is Aleister! (Also, Natsu can take her delayed action whenever she is ready.)

[Venger]

Aleister begins slowly to piece himself back together, his flesh crawling back over the bits of shadow he's filled himself in with, little crumbs of black flaking off as they're pushed aside.

Many thanks.

He sees the tentacled beast roil up and his nostrils flare. He takes a deep breath and breathes a stream of acid at it.

I'm in no mood

swift: reallocate essentia:
dissolving spittle: 3
keeneye lenses: 0
vitality belt: 2
lucky dice: 1

touch atk: 18
acid dmg: 16

[Piggy Knowles]

Where the acidic spittle lands on the column of water, it hisses and burns with a strange blue-green flame. The column seems to recoil slightly before twisting and thrashing angrily.


OOC: That will hit. Next up, we roll back over to Sasha, unless Natsu takes her delayed action now.

[Morcleon]

Watching as the spittle causes the pseudopod to flinch, Natsu pulls out one of her acid flasks, hefting it with a grin. She dashes past the prone form of Shass and lobs it over at the water.

Move to H3.

Touch attack: 7, Damage: 3. Probably didn't hit, but it's Large size and hopefully with a negative Dex mod. :smalltongue:

[Piggy Knowles]

The acid flask falls short of hitting the column of water, landing instead on the shore near Kitty's feet. It cracks open on impact, acid and glass spraying the column of water and Kitty alike.


OOC: That will miss and land in K4, where it deals one point of splash damage to both Kitty and the column of water. Next up is Sasha!

[Kymme]

Wow. You don't see that every day. I wonder if it bruises easily. Sasha dashes forward, crossing several yards in a matter of seconds. She tenses herself to dodge any of the creature's strikes as she rushes forward and leans back to kick at the column of water.

Move action: Move to J4.

Immediate action: 30 Baffling Defense, but only if the creature attacks her. If it doesn't make an AoO then Sasha won't use the maneuver.

Standard Action: Mountain Hammering the thing.
13 to hit, 10 damage that overcomes all DR. :smallsigh:

[Piggy Knowles]

The creature extends another pseudopod of water in an effort to lash out at Sasha, but finds itself confused by her maneuvering and is unable to strike at her.

Sasha's kick carries with it the strength of mountains, and the column recoils at its strike.


OOC: Your baffling defense successfully prevented an AoO, and that kick was a successful hit. Kitty is up next!

[Venger]

The creature extends another pseudopod of water in an effort to lash out at Sasha, but finds itself confused by her maneuvering and is unable to strike at her.

Sasha's kick carries with it the strength of mountains, and the column recoils at its strike.


OOC: Your baffling defense successfully prevented an AoO, and that kick was a successful hit. Kitty is up next!


Kitty hops back as the creature lashes out as Sasha. She throws her arms back dramatically and pulls the storm cloud from the water to hover over the ooze, skimming lightly across the pond's surface.

She leaps up into the air and lands, her feet firmly on the ground, making an overblown exploding noise with her mouth.

KPSHHHHHOW!

The lightning strikes the creature and illuminates its translucent interior before fading away.

Move to K8. Lightning deals 11 electric damage

[Piggy Knowles]

Almost by instinct, the column of water moves away from the lightning, avoid much of its strike. What does hit it lights it up, but seems to do little beyond illuminating it for that quick instant.


The dragon-like man continues moving across the bottom of the pond, crawling low and keeping one eye on the strange column of water following you. He moves south past the island, taking care as he travels.

OOC: He double moves to T5.



OOC: The column of water succeeds on its save, and does not seem particularly bothered by what does hit it. Next up is Siegfried!

[Amidus Drexel]

Siegfried edges forward through the trees, and fires a bolt of eldritch energy at the pillar of water. "What is this, now? Water should not move in such ways..."

5ft step to F2, eldritch blast at the... thing

To-hit: 10 (touch)
Damage 10

[Piggy Knowles]

The column of water recoils from the blast like a living thing, seeming to shrink away. Water pours from invisible wounds like blood, and the column twists and thrashes. It lashes out at the closest foe, catching Sasha with a flailing pseudopod. The powerful slam hits her solidly, and the strange watery protuberance seems to engulf her completely, surrounding her on all sides.

The engulfed Sasha attempts to draw a breath but is unable to as she is surrounded by water - except no, the strange substance surrounding her on all sides is not water but some sort of acid. Compared to Aleister's expectorations or Natsu's flasks it is a weak acid, but it has the familiar sour taste of bile, of digestive fluids.

Injured, the flailing column attempts to retreat with its prize, flowing across the small pond and back toward the island from whence it emerged.


OOC: That will hit, and the column of water appears damaged, though it is still moving. It slams Sasha, dealing 13 points of damage and engulfing her. Unable to breathe, and unconscious and therefore unable to hold her breath, Sasha must make a DC 10 Con check on her turn or begin to drown. Each round the DC increases by one.

With Sasha engulfed, the injured creature retreats back toward the island, and is now in O/P 2/3 (map will be updated once I get onto a real computer). Sasha is in danger of dying, both from drowning and from being at -2 HP! Next up is Aleister. Can he save her?

[Venger]

Aleister leaps through the undergrowth and judges the wind once he comes to clear ground by licking his finger and seeing where it blows.

He leans forward as far as he can without stepping onto the sand. He begins to yell to Sasha, but thinks better of it, grunting at her in Gnoll since it is far easier to read the exagerated lip movements involved.

<Miss Terthian, for your own sake, please cover your eyes>

With a grunt of considerable effort, he presses two fingers into the soft, black shadowflesh behind the point of his chin and pulls the insubstantial lower jaw right off, his tongue hanging out. He looses a much larger volley of acid than normal and strikes the ooze with it as far away from Sasha's flailing form as he can.

Once he surveys the damage, he pops his jaw back on and murmurs something incomprehensible to himself.

Move to I2, dissolving spittle:
touch atk: 17
acid dmg: also 17

[Piggy Knowles]

The spittle flies far over the still pond, landing on the strange column of water. It sizzles and burns as before, reacting oddly with the acidic water. The entire column seems to shudder. Then with a great splash, it appears to lose cohesion entirely, whatever strange force that bound it into some semblance of life apparently dissipating.

Sasha falls into the water as the creature disperses into the pond at large. Once again, she is met with a shock. As with the monster, what initially appeared to be water is anything but. As she falls into it, she feels a slight sting as the caustic liquid touches her raw wounds. Once again she feels the all too familiar burn of acid. It is a weak acid, but with most of her body submerged, the tingling increases to an unpleasant burn.


OOC: That will do it! The creature is vanquished, taken to a whopping -16 with that last attack. It disperses, dropping Sasha into the water. She can make a DC 10 swim check to stay afloat rather than sinking to the bottom.

The water is apparently somewhat caustic. Touching it produces only a mildly unpleasant tingling, but anyone who begins a round with most of their body submersed in it will take 1 point of acid damage at the start of each round.

That will bring things down to Natsu, then back around to Sasha. Only one enemy left - the sneak who is somewhere under the pond!

[Kymme]

Sasha drops, kicking and thrashing, into the water. The living water's attack had taken her by surprise and she had been engulfed without so much as an brash taunt.

Now, though, Sasha is oddly silent as she splashes in the water. Her eyes are locked on the shore and she treads water calmly, seemingly stunned.

[Venger]

Aleister cups his hand over his mouth and shouts to Sasha as she struggles to keep her head above the surface.

All ashore who's coming ashore! You've not got much further to go, Miss Terthian! he shouts, trying to buoy her spirits.

[Morcleon]

Natsu dashes over to the shore, staring out across the water. She holds out a hand to pull Sasha in when she comes closer. "Sasha! Come on, you can do it! I'll pull you out!"

Natsu moves to K4 and readies an action to pull Sasha ashore.

[Kymme]

Aleister and Natsu's calls snap her out of her stupor. Hold on, guys, I'm coming! She starts swimming to shore, still numb to the pain of the acidic pond.

Swimming to L3 as a full-round action.

[Morcleon]

As Sasha approaches, Natsu crouches down and extends her arm. She grabs Sasha's arm and hauls her up, dragging the inundated woman out of the acidic waters.

"Ah, there we go! Are you alright, Sasha...?"

Triggers readied action.

[The Viscount]

Kitty pouts as the column of water absorbs the lightning strike. She brightens as she sees it fall under Aleister's stream of acid. Turning to search for the lizard man, she jumps into motion when she spots it pressing low against the bottom of the lake. She runs along the bank to position herself closer before sliding to a stop, pointing at the lizard man. After several attempts, she snaps her fingers to an accompanying crack of lightning.
Move to M9, 11 damage, Ref 15 half.

[Piggy Knowles]

The lightning arcs downward, and instead of pausing at the surface of the pond, it continues on to the fleeing form of the sneak. He attempts to dodge its path but finds himself bogged down by the mud at his feet. His body is wracked with electricity, shaking violently, and then is still.


OOC: The sneak fails its reflex save and takes the full eleven points of damage. That will do it! That sneak is currently at -3 and bleeding at the bottom of a pond of acid. With that, unless folks want to start stabilizing the dying, we can step out of initiative sequence. Well done, all!

[Kymme]

Sasha pulls herself onto shore with Natsu's help. Once safely out of the acidic water she collapses, flopping down on her back. Her clothing is in tatters and faint red splotches cover the bare parts of her arms, neck, and legs. Thin tendrils of smoke waft up from her body where the acid continues to burn.

I'm not doin' so hot, guys. Pond... acid... hurts. Also, Aleister? Sasha glances at him, moving her eyes but keeping her head still. She sighs, then smiles at him. ...thanks.

[Venger]

Aleister removes his oilskin duster and drapes it over Sasha to protect her raw skin from the sun.

It was my pleasure.

[Kymme]

Sasha stands up, draping Aleister's duster around her shoulders.

We're gonna need to get to that island, aren't we? I'll see what I can do.

She pokes her arms out through the sleeves and draws her shapesand hatchet. With a couple seconds of teeth-clenched concentration the axe head transforms into a three pronged grappling hook and the handle extends into a long rope. Sasha holds her new construction up to the light, examining it. Looks alright to me. She glances at the others. Think this'll hold our weight?

Shapesanding a grappling hook and 30 ft of rope for us.

[The Viscount]

It prolly will, but I don't think it's long enough to reach the island. Hold on, I think these guys are still moving.

Lightning flashes over the sneak below the water and the living leaper.

OK, now that got 'em.

Kitty pauses for a moment, looking over the carnage of the battlefield as her face falls. She bows her head for several seconds, and can be heard murmuring faint elegiac words. She then looks back up to the party, her face bright again despite her tears.
Focalor says I gotta stop and think about what I did when I kill something, 'cause it makes him sad.

She pauses and looks at the living sneak bleeding out on land.

You guys wanna ask him anything, or should I just get him, too?

[Amidus Drexel]

Siegfried takes the wand and attends to Natsu, Sasha, and Kitty's wounds, then uses another wand to repair himself. He tests the log with his foot, then looks at Sasha. "Perhaps, although I fear I may be too heavy, and I do not wish to fall into the water."

Siegfried turns to Kitty. "It might be prudent to leave the remaining one alive - it could possibly tell us something important."

2 charges on Sasha, 1 charge each for Natsu and the Trio.

1 charge on the wand of repair light to heal Siegfried. (9)

[The Viscount]

The cloud that has grown to envelop the battlefield disperses, dispersing into nothing with a faint, distant rumbling.

OK. We prolly wanna do something then, cause he's gonna bleed out soon.

[Venger]

I shall tend to it.

Aleister goes over to the sneak on land and manages to staunch the worst of his wounds.

Stabilized the first time

[Piggy Knowles]

Though still unconscious and heavily injured, Aleister's tender ministrations are enough to prevent him from growing any worse.

[Venger]

It is done.

Aleister shouts across to the rest of the party.

[The Viscount]

Oh, good. We can put him against a tree next to Shass... oh we should prolly go get him, too before we try to get to the island.

[Kymme]

On it. Sasha walks over to the wide tree trunk that stretches out over the (slightly) caustic pond. She gives the tree a few prods with her toe before stepping on it and walking down to the far end. Careful not to go too far, Sasha stops and begins to twirl her grappling hook. After a few seconds of concentration she hurls the shapesand construction across the pond. The heavy hook drops into the water with a satisfying 'plunk' and quickly sinks to the bottom, directly above the unconscious lizard man.

HP: 28

Moving to S11 and chucking the rope. The DC ought to be a 16 or so, if I counted correctly.

Taking 10 on Use Rope for a 13 total.

[Morcleon]

Natsu, now mostly healed, scampers over to the log and stands beside Sasha, helping her guide the grappling hook toward the unconscious lizard.

Taking 10 on Aid Another, boosting the result to 15. If one more person comes help, we can get it to 17. :smallbiggrin:

[Piggy Knowles]

Working together, you manage to hook the sneak and pull her loose from the mud. Sour water pours off of her as you bring her onto the fallen tree. She is heavily charted from the multiple lightning strikes, her eyes open and unseeing.

On her belt you can find two more of the small dragonsplits, and she carries a pair of daggers and a pair of acid flasks in the pockets of her leather jerkin as well. Her leather armor is pockmarked and marred in places, but appears to still be functional.


OOC: You find the same gear on her that you found on the male sneak on land.

[The Viscount]

Nice job! Go ahead and try to get the statue next!

[Kymme]

Sasha moves the corpse over to the shoreline, setting it down against a tree. She looks the creature up and down. What are you doing here? She asks, knowing that it cannot answer her. Then she turns around, walking back up the fallen tree. She begins to whirl her shapesand grappling hook around her head before letting it fly with a swift arching motion.

Taking 10 again this time, so 13. Anybody care to give a girl and hand?

[Venger]

Aleister alights on the log and topples his dice on its rough surface.

By your side, Miss Terthian

19 on use rope. +1 to skills/ability checks, saves, atk/dmg for 3 rounds

[The Viscount]

Oh, wait. Somebody should prolly watch Shass and the lizard guy while you're on the island. I'll do it.

Kitty hops down from the tree and runs over to stand near the unconscious forms of the guard and living sneak. She breathes a solid stream of fog at the ground that remains floating around her ankles. It is a dull, empty gray reminiscent of bleak morning on a cold, damp day. Satisfied with her work, she gives Shass and the sneak a stern look before glancing back to the rest of the group, giving them a thumbs up.

Good luck!Move to J9 (can we say we moved Shass and the sneak to I9 and I10, respectively?), turn on Focalor's aura of -2 to errything.

[Piggy Knowles]

Carefully, you make your way from the fallen log to the small island, the rope allowing you to pull yourself across rather than swim through the acidic water.

The island is small, perhaps only twenty feet on a side, and perfectly level. Small ferns cover its sandy surface. The majority of the island is taken up by the massive statue, hulking over you. It is giant in proportions, at least twelve feet tall, with its feet set so far apart that a grown man could lie down comfortably between them. The stone it is constructed from is dark and smooth, though age has worn several small cracks in it where small plants have taken root. It is dirty, too, and lichen grows heavily on it, but when you place a hand on the stone itself it feels oddly cool to the touch.

The hulking figure of the statue is featureless. Its wide head shows no indication of mouth, nose or ears, though now that you know what to look for, you can see a small, smooth crack along the lines where the statue opened its maw and let out the living water earlier. The crack is hard to see at first, and so tightly closed that a blade of grass could not find purchase in it.

[Amidus Drexel]

Siegfried looks the statue up and down. "This is quite an impressive statue... the craftsmanship is simple, but still a wonder to look at. I wonder how long it has stood here?"

He looks at the rest of the group on the island. "I can sense no magic here, so whatever made the statue's mouth open and release the living water was a mechanical device. We should be able to find the mechanism around here somewhere."

[Kymme]

Sasha leans over the edge of the 'island', staring down at her reflection. Her face is pockmarked with cuts and bruises, and light brown patches where the acid had scalded her. Siegfried's wand had repaired the damage her body had sustained, but it hadn't quite touched her face. Or her clothes, for that matter. Her kneesocks are nothing but tatters of blue that cling to her legs, held in pace by now-corroded metal plates. The rest of her ensemble is in far worse condition. She pulls Aleister's duster tighter around herself and smirks at her reflection.

Hey, at least I'll get some cool scars out of it. Scars are always cool.

I think that the dragon guy pulled some kind of lever down there. Sasha points downwards, into the murky water. I don't know where exactly it was, though.

[Piggy Knowles]

As Sasha stares down into the strange water of this strange place, her eyes once more adjust to the illusion that seems to mask everything here. Her reflection shimmers and becomes just a hollow outline, and she can see through to the water below.

From here, she can see that this island and its statue are not a natural occurrence, but rather the roof of a building. Below, underneath the poison waves, the stone face moves straight down in smooth lines. On each side of the stone face are some letterings in a strange alphabet, one that Sasha does not recognize through the murky water. On the east side, there is a large stone wheel protruding near the bottom, almost what one would expect to see on a valve. There is a similar wheel on the west side of the structure. On the south side, facing the falling log, there is some sort of relief worked into the stone. Sasha can just make out two great figures looking down on something, but the murkiness of the water prevents her from seeing it in detail from here.

On the south side, there is a the outline of what appears to be a large door, almost fifteen feet high. There is no handle, but much writing across it, and a large stone plate in its center.

[Venger]

Aleister hefts a length of the shapesand rope and looks to Sasha.

Once more into the breach, Miss Terthian? he asks.

[Kymme]

Sasha glances over her shoulder at Aleister. She sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose as she straightens up. Alright. Assuming you don't mind your coat getting a little melted.

She hands the hook end to Aleister and ties the other end around her waist. With a few quick strides Sasha is poised at the east side of the island, bouncing on the balls of her feed. Two tugs means 'pull me the hell up', got it? Let's do this!

With a quick hop the brawler splashes into the water, sinking downwards like an arrow. She closes her eyes to keep them protected and feels about blindly for the wheel. When she finally grasps it Sasha twists it clockwise then counterclockwise, going with whatever seems to work.

[Venger]

It's been through worse.

Understood

He takes firm grip of the hook and looks to the water beneath him to Sasha's disappearing form.

[Piggy Knowles]

The wheel is difficult to grip at first, the stone worn smooth from untold years in this strange environment. Slowly it begins to rotate beneath your fingers with a deep groaning sound that reverberates through the water. Then it is joined by an even deeper groaning, the sound of rock and against rock coming from somewhere deep inside the stone structure the wheel is attached to. Then there is another noise from within the structure, a strange noise like water rushing down a drain. Then, slowly, the draining sound turns to a trickle and then disappears entirely.

[Kymme]

Sasha tugs once on the shapesand rope and begins to swim upwards, sticking close to the wall.

[Venger]

Aleister kneels by the water's edge, ready to pull her out onto land.

[Kymme]

Sasha's left hand breaks through the water's surface first, followed shortly by her right hand and her head. Her right hand shoots out and seizes Aleister's as the boxer hauls herself out of the algae-cloaked waters and onto dry land.

Sasha sits down beside the statue and inhales a few times. You, she says to Aleister between breaths, have seen me like this too many times. Next time let's just give lakes, streams, and all other bodies of water a wide berth. It's safer, with much less chance of drowning or fighting water monsters. Or fighting water monsters that want to drown you.

[Venger]

Aleister helps her onto land and gives a nod.

Agreed.

[Piggy Knowles]

Once the draining sound from deep within the island dissipates, the pond becomes still once more. Looking down, you can see that the stone plate in the center of the door on the south wall is extended slightly, no longer so perfectly flush with the door itself.

[The Viscount]

Kitty works the letters and words over as she sees the group work with the wheel on the island. After some minutes she cups her hands to her mouth as she shouts across to the group.

It's like some kinda poem about a dad and child. It's really old, so I'm not super sure what it means, but I think it means that was the right wheel. Can you fit a shapesand crowbar in there and jimmy it open?

After this she looks back at the unconscious forms of the guard and sneak.

Man, these guys are boring.

[Venger]

I'm sure between Miss Terthian and myself we should be able to do something to that effect, yes.

[Kymme]

Let's see here... Sasha drifts off, biting her lip in concentration as she morphs the shapesand into a long pole with a small spike sprouting perpendicularly from the tip. Wow, she marvels, I'm getting pretty good at this. I ought to have been a sculptor. The boxer flashes the others a sarcastic grin before moving over to the west side of the island and poking her odd tool into the water. After a few prods she finds the wheel and begins to turn it, counterclockwise at first, but also clockwise if it doesn't take.

[Piggy Knowles]

Turning the wheel counter-clockwise turns out to be impossible - the wheel holds fast when you attempt to move it in that direction. Turning it clockwise, however, works fine. With a groan, the wheel begins to move.

The island shakes slightly, and you hear the noise of stone against stone above you. As you saw before, the state above opens its maw wider and wider. There is a small trickle of water, but this time no great torrent comes out.

Standing on the island, you can see that the statue of the featureless giant is not featureless on the inside. Roughly hewn teeth are carved in the inside of the statue, as well as the hint of a tongue. A stone uvula hangs down near the back of the great maw. Behind it is a large pipe made of smooth black stone. From deep inside the cavernous statue, you can hear the sounds of a great pump moving, though it sounds as though it has no water to draw up.

After a short time, you hear the pump wind down. Your makeshift lever begins to jerk counter-clockwise in your hands as the wheel seems to be resetting itself. As it does, the great jaw of the statue begins to close once more.

[The Viscount]

Kitty winces and scrunches up her face as the great stone mouth opens, turning away from it as she waits for another ooze to issue forth. When none does, she looses a foggy sigh of relief. She shouts across to the group,
I guess that other wheel turned it off. Do you think we can keep the mouth open with something and fit inside?

[Venger]

There is little to lose by trying.

[Kymme]

I've got an idea! Sasha snaps off about a foot from the end of her pole and hands it to Aleister. The shapesand elongates in her hand, extending to about a yard in length. Jam that in the mouth when it opens all the way. I'll see about getting it open again.

Then she sets to it again with her slightly-shorter implement.

[Venger]

Aleister takes it and prepares to jam it in once the mouth is open all the way. He gives a nod.

[Piggy Knowles]

The wheel appears to have rotated back completely to its previous position. As you crank it around clockwise once again, the mouth begins to open wider and wider. Now there is not even a trickle - it appears that all the water has been drained completely from whatever source the great pipe inside the statue is drawing from.

The bar you jam inside the mouth shudders as the mouth begins to close and for a moment, it almost seems like it will bend the bar and close regardless. However, the bar holds, the wheel does not rotate back to its original position, and the mouth remains open.


OOC: The mouth only opens about a foot or so, not a full yard, so I assume that you would have shaped the bar appropriately. The mouth of the statue is currently open.

[Piggy Knowles]

In fox form, Natsu fits inside the large mouth and begins carefully inspecting it. The stonework inside is old, as old as the rest of the statue, and the great teeth and tongue are worn smooth from what appears to be centuries of wear.

The pipe behind the mouth goes back slightly, then veers straight down. Based on the echoes, at the other end is some sort of chamber. You can hear liquid sloshing from deep within, and the sour smell of acid is strong.

Most curiously of all is the stone uvula. On closer inspection, it is not a uvula at all, but an intricately carved piece of stone in the shape of a teardrop, hanging on a small hook near the back of the mouth. The stone teardrop comes away from the hook easily, and you can see deep ridges along one side that have not worn down despite the years. It is not made of the same stone as the statue, but of a darker, harder stone of a kind similar to the small plate protruding from the door below water.

There do not appear to be any traps in the mouth.

[Morcleon]

Natsu gives the strange teardrop an odd look, then carefully extracts it with her jaws. She gives the downward sloping pipe a last glance, then heads back outside of the mouth.

With a small yip, she drops the strange object in front of Sasha and Aleister before turning back into her humanoid form. "Here, I found this thing... it looks like it's the same color as the little outcropping below the waterline."

"There's a lot of acid down the pipe though, so I can't go any further."

[Venger]

Well done

He removes the stick from the giant's mouth and exudes a small amount of his will towards the tip, holding the teardrop-shaped stone towards it and grasping it in some sandy prongs, like the setting of a stone on a ring.

I propose we attempt to set this stone in the southern plate. I believe it may have some further effect.

[Kymme]

Thanks, Natsu. You know, as far as awesome powers go, I think you and - the boxer's eyes flash to Kitty, still standing on the shore beside two unconscious forms - the trio over there definitely take the cake. Shapeshifting sounds like a pretty sweet ability.

Makes sense. Sasha takes the new construction from Aleister and with a bit of concentration fuses it to the bent end of her pole. I'll see what I can do.

After that she moves over to the southern edge of the island and starts poking at the raised surface, searching for any kind of lock their 'key' may fit into.

[Piggy Knowles]

You reach down with the long, makeshift tongs, but it is difficult to see the door from this angle, and so you end up fumbling around the area in the center of the door with the stone plate. It does feel like there is a depression of some kind there, but the complicated ridges on the tear-shaped rock prevent it from slotting in with the awkward tongs.


OOC: Unfortunately, without being able to see, there's really no way to tell how the stone piece would slot into the door, or even where it would go, and long tongs won't give you fine enough motor skills to do anything but fumble.

[Venger]

Aleister sees Sasha fumble with the pole and crouches by the water's edge.

I have some brute strength from Goliath still left in me. Allow me to render a hand.

he looks to Siegfried.

I may need some healing after this, if you would be so kind.

He leaves his hat on the surface and goes beneath the surface. He guides the teardrop into the slot and tries the door on the south side.

[Piggy Knowles]

Up close, you can see that the slot at the center of the stone plate is full of complicated ridges similar to those on the teardrop. Carefully you line it up. Once done, it sits flush with the door. The small stone plate itself presses down, and you hear a loud thud and the grinding of stone from somewhere beneath your feet.

With a rumble, the door swings slowly open, pushing away decades or perhaps centuries of mud and grime. You can hear water from the pond rushing in through the cracks as it swing open, revealing a small chamber perhaps ten or fifteen feet on a side. There is a great stone pipe running up the center of the chamber, and the stone floor appears to be striped, alternating dark and light stone in long thin stripes, each one about an inch across. Toward the back of the chamber is a large, flat panel of stone with a heavy metal ring in it, looking very much like a trap door - but a trap door meant for someone far bigger than any of you.

In the time it took the door to open, the water rushing in from the pond has already filled the chamber at least knee high, and continues to rise.


OOC: The teardrop is, in fact, a key, and the door opens. The chamber it opens to is rapidly filling with water as the door remains open.

[Venger]

Aleister prods at the trapdoor with the shapesand pole, putting some force on it in an attempt to make it open.

[Piggy Knowles]

You pry at the great ring on the trap door, but rather than lifting the trap door up, the ring twists against your shapesand lever. Behind you, you can once more hear the slow grinding of stone, and you turn to see the great door slowly swinging shut against the great torrent of water pouring in, which is now at least three feet high.

As the giant door clicks into place, the inside of the chamber is suddenly illuminated by several floating orbs, which hover near the ceiling and give off an unearthly light, soft and blue. There is another rumbling near your feet, and you can see that the stone floor, which appeared striped when you first saw it, is some sort of grate. Once the door is fully shut, that grate opens, and the water drains through it rapidly, until you are dripping but no longer standing in water.

Looking through the grate, you can see a large reservoir of water underneath you, below a drop of almost twenty feet. Some of the water moves and thrashes, like that strange column of water that attacked you on the pond shore, but they are too far away to even come close to where you stand far above them. The pipe in the center of the room leads down into that reservoir.

There is another loud thud, and with the outside door closed and the water drained down, the trapdoor appears to have opened of its own accord. Peering into it, you can see large stone steps leading down.

[Venger]

Aleister bangs on the pipe twice and awaits a reply.

[Amidus Drexel]

Hearing the two bangs on the pipe, Siegfried walks over to the pond's edge and looks down. "I think I will join Aleister under the statue. I would love to see things from so long ago..."

Siegfried drops down under the caustic water, turns the key, and steps into the room, closing the door behind him. He looks at his armor plating in dismay, "This will need polishing...", and then at the room in wonder.

[Venger]

Aleister reaches to doff his cap and realizes he left it on the surface. He moves his hand to the back of his head, scratching at the brace of stubble across the goat's muzzle.

"Good to see you," he hesitates for a moment, Do forgive me if this seems gauche, but does your kind take a surname?

He looks to the pockmarks on Siegfried's chest.

No need to worry, I'd be happy to assist. I know a thing or two about He squints Silver, I take it

He draws his sword cane from its scabbard and points down the stairs with it as the last bits of water drain through the grate.

Given what happened the last time I took point, I hope I am not being overly presumptuous in assuming you will volunteer yourself for the task this time 'round. I lack your ability to see magic, after all.

[Piggy Knowles]

The trapdoor slams shut as the outer door opens, and once more the small space begins to fill up with water. However, once the door is closed again, the water drains out, and the trapdoor opens.

The stairs move steeply down, and are abnormally large, making it a difficult climb downward into the room below. As you walk, more small orbs of light flicker into existence, casting off that same bluish glow. The stairs take you down about forty feet, well below the bottom of the small pond.

Once you reach the bottom, the entire room is filled with lights. The chamber you are in seems almost as large as the pond itself, at least sixty or seventy feet across. The floor made of what appears to be obsidian. The light itself seems to come from the ceiling, and when you look up, instead of seeing stone or dirt, you are surprised to see the night sky spread above you. The stars are thick and shine so brightly that you have no problem seeing all around you. They are the same stars you would expect to see at night from Malkus, but... off, somehow, with some constellations not quite in the right place. A large crescent moon sits in the south side of the sky.

The walls of the chamber are made of a stone covered in what appears to be some kind of plaster - but what plaster could survive so long without decaying? Frescos cover the walls, showing large men and women with broad heads moving about great darkwood trees, with huge faces in the sky looking down on them.

At first things seem silent, but then there is a low hum, and you hear the soft sound of singing in a strange tongue. It is almost too soft to hear, and every footstep echoes louder than the unearthly music, but when you are still you can hear it, just barely, filling up the background. When you strain your ears, the music has a soft and soothing sound to it, almost like a lullaby.

The chamber is mostly empty, save for three great figures in the center. As you approach, the music grows somewhat louder, though it remains soft. There are three pedestals, two large ones more than ten feet across flanking a smaller one. The pedestals rise up from the floor several feet, and appear to be topped with some sort of glass or crystal, forming what appears to be - a tank of some kind? It is difficult to say.

The two large tanks appear to house only death. Near the bottom of each tank is some sort of gelatinous fluid that has apparently seeped out from the tanks themselves. Most of the strange substance has fallen down grating near the base of the pedestals, but you can still see some that has not. In the large tank to the left, there is what was once a great figure more than ten feet tall, wearing the remains of what must once have been a fine leather jerkin and covers. Now the tattered and moldering leather covers only bones with strips of skin covering the broad and powerful face. There are large cracks in the tank where it appears the creature inside beat against it with a great quarterstaff its bony hands are clutching still, a beautiful staff of darkwood taller than a man. In the tank to the right, there is a great beast curled on the bottom, what must once have been a cat of some sort, but a cat larger than a horse. It too appears long since dead, starved perhaps, but unlike the giant in the other tank, this cat did not manage to crack its container, and so its dead form is still mostly intact. There is an ornate collar around its neck.

In between the two large tanks is a smaller one, perhaps only five feet tall and four feet wide. Unlike the other two, the figure inside it does not appear to be dead, but only sleeping. It is the form of a child, but not a human child. The child is curled up, but would stand almost five feet tall if it stood. Its bones are wide and its face is broad, just as the statue above and the figures depicted in the frescos show. Long dark hair falls in curls down its face. The sleeping child seems suspended in mid-air, floating motionless as if by magic. As you walk closer, you get a shimmer from inside the tank, as though instead of air you are looking at some sort of silvered mirror, but only from some angles. A thick, heavy feeling fills your head the closer you walk toward the sleeping child.

When you get within fifteen feet of the figures, there is a loud click. The crystal tanks flanking the child appear to shudder in place, then rapidly lower. The great bony giant, who was leaning against its tank, collapses as the tank is removed, crumbling into a pile of bones and skin. The cat, which was curled up in the center of the pedestal, does not move at all. On closer inspection it appears to have long since rotted and dried, though the tank kept it well preserved.

The child in the middle is unmoved, the walls of its tank not coming down as the other two did.


OOC: Siegfried, you do see some magical auras. The little globes of light give off a minor evocation aura. The entire chamber below seems to have a major illusion aura over it. On the figures, the great darkwood staff has a minor evocation aura, and the ornate collar around the dead cat's neck has a minor transmutation aura.

You also get an... odd reading around the small amounts of gelatinous liquid seeping out of the bottom of the tanks, and the tank of the child in the middle. You get no reading at all from it, not as though it is nonmagical, but as though your detection aura was somehow blind to it. It is as though the magical vision somehow skips over it.

[The Viscount]

Kitty stands still for several moments after Siegfried enters the underground structure. She then begins fidgeting, waiting for another development. When none follows, she turns back to Shass and prods him with Gran's walking stick, fumbling slightly with the improperly sized gnarled staff.

Hey Shass, are you still out, or are you just faking it?

[Piggy Knowles]

The guard moans slightly at the prod, but does not come fully awake.

[Amidus Drexel]

"Surnames were uncommon in my time, among those such as myself. We rarely interacted with people outside the forge, so a single name was enough." Siegfried taps his armor plating with a hint of pride. "Mithril, although it might look like silver. As strong as steel, but a third of the weight. It is more difficult to shape, and rare, but it can be made into so much more because it is so light. I dream to someday be as skilled as the one who forged this armor."

--
Siegfried looks around in awe, but his eyes are soon drawn to the cat's necklace. He walks towards it and removes it from the massive feline's neck.

"The room is covered in magic, Aleister, except for that liquid there, which... gives me no reading at all. Odd." He points at the stuff seeping from the tanks. "This cat's collar and that darkwood staff are magical too. I wonder what purposes they serve? Do you know of any anti-magical liquids, by chance?"

[Piggy Knowles]

The dead cat does not stir as you remove the large collar. Its skin feels dry and papery under your fingers, as though it has been dead for centuries, but for some reason did not rot. The collar itself is a finely made thing, soft yet sturdy leather with fine metal inlays. Unlike the cat, the leather has not dried out, and the collar is surprisingly light, given its size.


OOC: A knowledge (psionics) check can identify the liquid, if anyone is trained.

[Venger]

Aleister admires his armor.

Ah, I see.

I know of but one from a psion's soul I command somewhat infrequently. It's called quintessence and arrests the passage of time. It's likely what allowed these bodies to remain so intact

[The Viscount]

Kitty quickly tires of waiting for the guard, and after checking to ensure the manacles around his ankles and wrists are secure, she wraps the guard's belt around him like a sash and gives it a solid tap to activate its healing pulse. After seeing the warm glow spread across his body, she takes the belt back off.

[Kymme]

Ugh, what's taking them so long?! Sasha stomps impertinently, glaring down at the submerged door. She had jumped when the ringing noise echoed up to them through the statue's pipe before calming back down and going back to quiet frustration. She isn't quite used to being out of the action for so long, and now Siegfried and Aleister had vanished behind the stone door to some room below. Dreamers only knew what was happening to them down there. Sasha stomps again before sitting down beside the statue, squeezing a lump of shapesand in her hand.

[The Viscount]

Kitty cups her hands to shout across the lake.
Don't worry Sasha, it's prolly just really big in there!

She turns back to the unconscious guard, prodding him more emphatically.

C'mon Shass, wake up!

[Piggy Knowles]

The guard stirs, then his eyelids flutter open. The eyes you see are not the solid black from before, but rather the standard eyes you witnessed on the guard when he first attacked you. "What - oh, Dreamers, what now?" He looks down at his manacled hands, and then with terror at Kitty. "Get away from this place, girl! This forest is terrible!"

[Morcleon]

"Uuu..." Natsu sidles over to Sasha, sitting down next to her and smiling gently. "I'm sure they'll find something soon. Sometimes, you just need a little bit of patience~"

[The Viscount]

Oh poo. You're not Shass. I need to talk to Shass; can you get him?

[Kymme]

I have loads of patience! Sasha stands up and frowns down at Natsu. Just... just a bit... worried. That's all. I'm-- she inhales sharply --worried about Siegfried and Aleister. It's been a rough week and I'm a bit on edge. A sigh escapes her lips. And something tells me this is just the beginning of our troubles.

Turning away from Natsu, Sasha looks out at Kitty, standing across the pond from them. Hey Kitty! What's going on over there? Is our good friend awake again?

[Morcleon]

Natsu shrinks back a little at the miniature outburst and pouts slightly. "It has been quite a week..."

She stands up and gives Sasha a small hug from behind. "Siegfried and Aleister are careful and resourceful. You just need to trust them. And trust us. Because after all that's happened, we kinda have to stick together, don't we?"

[Piggy Knowles]

The guard shudders violently, and as before, it is almost as though a black liquid seeps to the surface. His eyes go dark, and he looks up at Kitty.

"I should warn you, assuming control like this taxes the body considerably," he says. "Sooner or later the body will wear out, and I would advise you to be far away when that happens, medallion or no medallion. I sometimes... lack control when I am separated from a mortal form."

As Sasha watches all of this from her perch on the island, she is suddenly seized by a vision. She can see the ghostly visage of a face that looks like Lord Mathers, and in her head, his voice speaks:

Trouble in Bojnik. City watch has been brought in. Hope all is proceeding well with S. Sending someone to assist you. More details to follow.

[Amidus Drexel]

"If we had anything to gather up this... quintessence, you called it? If we could take some of this, I imagine we could find a use for it. I think it would be unwise to disturb the child here, but this staff should be safe..." Siegfried picks up the darkwood staff and looks at it.

"I wonder what purpose this place served?"

[Kymme]

Sasha's eyes glaze over as Mathers' face appears before her. She listens to his words with quiet fascination and when his face vanishes she turns back to Natsu.

Mathers just contacted me. Some kind of sending magic or something. The Malkus Watch is in Bojnik and Mathers is sending someone to 'assist' us.

The brawler sits back down. You're right. We're friends, and friends stick together.

[Venger]

Agreed. Without a proper means of containment, it does have a tendency to damage flesh. Personally, I believe I've had more than my share of that today. Once we're on solid ground again, I would appreciate some more healing.

Shall we return to the surface and tell the others what we have learned? I see you have an eye for that staff. I could carry it for you if you like. I know you have little inclination for brute force

[The Viscount]

You should have chosen a tougher body. Is this the place you wanted us to come to? Do you want something from the place underwater?

[Piggy Knowles]

The guard looks around, wincing. "Beggars can't be choosers," he says. "Though at this particular moment, I am inclined to agree. I expected this young lad to be somewhat sturdier than he turned out to be. Such is life, I suppose."

He pushes himself up, an awkward affair when bound hand and foot, to get a better view. "This is almost certainly the place," he says. "I found it... oh, maybe two hundred and fifty years ago? Little has changed since then, I see, although these fellows are certainly new." He indicates the unconscious sneak next to him with a nod of his head. "There are few places like it, this close to the Linked Cities. Deeper within the continent, you find more untouched places like it, but the tides of time have not been kind to those areas surrounding the great metropolises of our people. I suppose I have my old enemy Wray Vitki to thank for keeping these woods so pristine."

He squints to see Natsu and Sasha sitting on the island. "You are missing two of your number. Have they fallen prey to these greenspawn interlopers? Or have they gone off to explore the chamber below?"

[The Viscount]

They went down into the chamber. Do you know what's in there? Is there something in it you want?

[Piggy Knowles]

Wrinkles form around the guard's onyx-black eyes. "They should be careful," he says. "All is not as it seems there. There are powerful guardians that live beneath the pond. On my last visit I did what I could to... deal with them, but I do not know if my efforts were successful. And the giants that created this temple were powerful illusionists. I would not trust my eyes, were I them."

He shakes his head. "Your companions are brave, but perhaps foolish," he says. "Then again, no more foolish than I, for the mystery of this place has been bothering me for more than two centuries. When I sought to leave Malkus, I could not help but seek it out one more time, to see if I could unveil it. I am, alas, not one to simply walk away from such a puzzle." He gets a sad look on his face. "It has been my downfall more times than there are leaves in this forest," he adds wistfully.

Meanwhile, on top of the island, Sasha feels another message forming in her mind. Once more the ghostly visage of Lord Mathers appears before her.

I am sending one of my associates, Desmond Blackstone, to meet you outside Bojnik. He will provide what assistance he is able. Look for him.


OOC: Sasha, you can actually reply to this message if you wish, as long as the response is twenty-five words or less.

[Kymme]

Sasha's eyes glaze over once more as she locks eyes with Lord Mathers' face. Desmond Blackstone. Outside Bojnik. Got it.

Wait! She replies, half mentally and half verbally as the phantasm beings to fade. What's this guy supposed to look like? Will he be looking for us?

[Piggy Knowles]

Lord Mathers appears in your vision once more:

Quick student, but blemished. Death's Hand is upon him, barring him from the Guild of Doors. Shame, too--knows damn near everything, except for magic.

[The Viscount]

Is the puzzle just what the writing on the walls say? Some stuff about a man and a kid? Is there something in there you want?

[Piggy Knowles]

"The old writing on the walls is part of it," he says. "That sort of talk was fairly common in the old world, though. It is difficult for one so young as you to understand what it was like. In the old days, the days when the Links were first forged, it seemed as though anything was possible. The world was new, and great kingdoms would rise overnight. Then the Pillars began to crumble, and everything changed. All of those great kingdoms froze, grew as stagnant as this pool - only the Guild of Doors, with its Links, remained strong. The remnants of those kingdoms talked constantly of saviors and redemption." He shook his head sadly. "But no savior ever came. The Pillars crumbled, and all we have left of the old kingdoms are places like this."

He sighs. "Still, there are mysteries in the world," he says. "This place is one. Why build such a place? The chamber is built as though it houses a great treasure, hidden below an enchanted pond and guarded by creatures that disappeared from this world half a millennium ago. But if there is a treasure here, I have not been able to find it. There is a child, of the old race, one of the primordial giants who planted the first darkwood trees, preserved there. Why preserve such a thing? Did the old people know that they would one day die out? If they had the power to do such a thing, why just save one child? Are there more places like this, places where more children lay preserved, seeds of their race's rebirth? These questions have been bubbling in my mind since I first found this place, back in Wray Vitki's day. I have often wished I could go back in the years since then..."

[The Viscount]

That's all that's in there? All these puzzles and protections for one kid? You'd think they'd at least put something else down there.

[Piggy Knowles]

"Perhaps they have," he says. "If so, I was unable to find it when I was last here. I lacked the luxury of time on my last visit. Even staying long enough to disable the guardians so that I might return one day was probably folly, truth be told."

[The Viscount]

Hey Sasha! Shass says there's prolly nothing cool down there, so bang the pipe and let the guys know to come up!

[Kymme]

So he's still with us, huh? Alright Kitty! Sounds like a plan!

Sasha gives the pipe a good whack with her staff and then waits for Siegfriend and Aleister's response. When the pipe rings once more she steps over to the edge and prepares to open the door for them.

[Venger]

Aleister gathers up the large staff, leaving Siegfried holding the collar.

It appears the ladies need us upstairs. Fortunately, it seems as though we have a method of signaling them back he nods towards the staff.

After heading back upstairs, he bangs on the pipe and stands by the door, waiting for it to open.

[Kymme]

When Aleister's tap echoes up the pipe Sasha glances at it. The boxer twirls her shapesand implement and dips it below the algae clouded water, making minute momvements to position the stone key in the keyhole. Natsu, she says over her shoulder, can you give me a hand when this door opens up?

[Morcleon]

"Ah, yes!" Natsu dashes over to Sasha's side and take a hold of the shapesand pole, ready to assist her friend in opening the chamber.

[Piggy Knowles]

As Sasha opens the door, the trap door swings shut once more, and water rushes in as before. The three of you, with Natsu's help, make your way back up to the surface, the acidic water stinging against your bared flesh.

[The Viscount]

Kitty jumps up with excitement as she sees Aleister and Siegfried exit the acidic water. Her arms swell to comically disproportionate size as she half pulls, half carries the guard toward the rest of the group, shouting across the water. You're back! Didja find anything cool down there? Shass said there's just a kid down there or something!

[Kymme]

Sasha shakes the last droplets of acidic water from her hair and pulls Aleister's duster more tightly around herself. When she sees Kitty the brawler snorts with laughter grins. Turning back to Aleister and Siegfried she asks: I'm a bit curious, too. What did you guys find down there? And also, Lord Mathers contacted me. He's apparently sending Blackstone guy out to help us. We're supposed to meet him outside of Bojnik.

[Venger]

There was indeed a child below. He was preserved in some kind of fluid I gather to be quintessence, wich arrests the passage of time like amber. There was an adult giant, presuably the father, and a catlike creature, a giant as well. They were both dead.

He points to the staff.

As far as what it yielded, There is this and a collar. We should likely determine their function before use. They could be cursed.

[Amidus Drexel]

Siegfried pulls himself out of the water, and wipes what he can off of his armor. "There was a magnificent cavern, with a ceiling covered in stars, and the singing voices of the creator's imagination... the giant was poorly preserved, but the catlike creature and the child seemed to be in good condition. We did not disturb the giant child, but took these from the other two. Both appear to be imbued with magic of some sort; the collar reads as transmutation, and the staff evocation. I wonder what they are?"

"Aleister, let me tend to the rest of your wounds. The caustic water of the pool has not been kind to you either." Siegfried heals Aleister with his wand, and then repairs himself.



1 charge from lesser vigor wand
2 charges from repair light wand

[Venger]

As the wand waves through the air, Aleister lets out a deep sigh.

The shadowflesh that's been damming his wounds crumbles slowly as it's displaced by his skin, falling to the ground and evaporating into black smoke, filtering its way back into the face of the anguished giant on his belt buckle. Aleister hides his face behind his cap and removes the shadowy mandible he has been using, feeding it into the buckle and puts his hat back on, his face and the rest of him once more whole.

He runs his tongue over his teeth to make sure they are all present and accounted for, giving Siegfried an appreciative smile.

I am most grateful

[The Viscount]

Kitty gives Shass a sharp glare.

Why didn't you tell me there was cool stuff in there?

Oh well, at least we got it. So, we're gonna go to Bojnik then?

[Venger]

Yes, Blackstone will be waiting for us. If the city truly is full of guards looking for Mathers' associates, it would be imprudent to leave him there unattended.

[Piggy Knowles]

The guard gives Aleister and Siegfried a long look. "I must confess, I am envious of your brief sojourn beneath the pond," he says finally. "I have been wondering about the nature of that chamber for more than two centuries. I suppose this means we are back on the trail? Back to Mathers and his ilk?"

[The Viscount]

Yep. Let's get going. Sasha, I can take over for carrying Shass so you can rest.

[Piggy Knowles]

"I - I know this will sound like pleading, coming from a bound man," he says. "But if I must plead, then I must. Please, do not take me to Mathers. He is part of a group that has been seeking me out for many, many years. It may seem like a laudable goal, but they do not seek me out for any noble purposes. They wish to study me, to interrogate me, to learn the secrets of eternal life."

He shakes his head, aghast. "If they knew the costs - if they only knew..."

[Venger]

What is the cost? If you could tell us, we may be able to explain it to him. Do you seek to put an end to your immortality? I believe we were discussing it before the ambush.

[Piggy Knowles]

The guard shakes his head. "There is no end," he says. "Until the Dreamers awaken and this world is no more, there can be no end. When you are breathing a mortal breath, the life eternal is a siren call. I dedicated my brief existence to discovering it. It was a game for me, I think - I hate to leave a puzzle unsolved, and it had become a puzzle to me, true immortality. I worked at it and worked at it, searching not only Kadur and Gloriana but even the further spheres, and the astral sea they float within."

He looks sadly down. "It was folly to do so," he says sadly. "There were many half-measures I could have taken. Even becoming a creature of half-life, a ghost or a vampire, would have been preferable to this madness. My lifeforce is bound to the fabric of the universe itself. It is so strong, it burned away my body, my first body. What is left - what is left is hungry, and in terrible, terrible pain. It is pure will, hateful and undying and far stronger than any mortal form. Every instant I spend in that terrible state is one of agony, far worse than any mortal pain I have felt in half a thousand lives. And a fever grows over me, a fever that grows and grows the longer I am separated from a body. It is a fever that can only be cooled by seeking out a new mortal form to shade my lifeforce from the burning world. When I spend too long in that state, the fever sometimes lasts even beyond then, bleeding into my new body for days or weeks or even months. I become a mad thing, terrible and fell. I hurt, and I kill. What I did to Wray Vitki, to his wife and his children, was but the merest hint of the pain I have caused in my many lives, under that terrible fever."

He is silent for some time then, and you can see the years flicker across his face. "Mathers and the rest, they see my state as a path to power," he says. "And imagine what power it presents! To be able to take any form, to make plans a thousand years in advance and live to see them take shape, to be unkillable and nearly unstoppable - it is a tempting thing. It tempted me, before I had to live with that fever, with that burning pain. They believe they will be able to control it, to master it. They are wrong."

[Kymme]

Thanks, Kitty. If you think you can handle it, feel free. Sasha steps leaps to the shore and steps up beside Shass. She folds her arms and watches his face, waiting for some inevitable falsehood.

Sense Motive: 27

[The Viscount]

Trying to become immortal is dumb. Didn't your mommy ever tell you the story of Acererak, or Karsus, or Zagan? It went bad for all of them. Doesn't Mathers know that either?

If you're telling the truth, then Mathers is gonna keep you locked away from everyone else, or maybe even kill you. Isn't that better for everybody then? 'Specially 'cause you killed a whole bunch of people and were trying to make a revolution when we chased you outta town. What was up with that anyway?

[Venger]

Aleister nods sagely.

I appreciate your candor, sir. What was your name when you were alive? The first time.

You speak as though awakening the Dreamers will destroy the world. Why would that be? Truthfully, my familiarity with the more traditional religions of these parts is... imperfect at best.

[Kymme]

Sasha's eyes widen, and she glances back at Kitty. You're right! We still don't know what was up with Assari. She locks eyes with Shass, biting her lower lip as she thinks over her next few words.

We got that letter, Shass. 'Beware the Shining Brethren, for they are the hand and we are the glove.' Was does that mean?

[Piggy Knowles]

Trying to become immortal is dumb. Didn't your mommy ever tell you the story of Acererak, or Karsus, or Zagan? It went bad for all of them. Doesn't Mathers know that either?

If you're telling the truth, then Mathers is gonna keep you locked away from everyone else, or maybe even kill you. Isn't that better for everybody then? 'Specially 'cause you killed a whole bunch of people and were trying to make a revolution when we chased you outta town. What was up with that anyway?

"Ha!" He laughs aloud, a merry laugh in sharp contrast from his earlier, more somber tone. "Those names - ah, those are names I have not heard in a long time. You are surprisingly well-versed for one so young, girl. Yes, I know the stories. I read such stories many times when I was seeking the answer to my puzzle. I thought I was smarter, was better. I thought I had found a better method to life eternal. Still... even hearing their names brings me back."


Sasha's eyes widen, and she glances back at Kitty. You're right! We still don't know what was up with Assari. She locks eyes with Shass, biting her lower lip as she thinks over her next few words.

We got that letter, Shass. 'Beware the Shining Brethren, for they are the hand and we are the glove.' Was does that mean?

"I was hoping someone would find that! You are a resourceful bunch," he says. "The Shining Brethren go back a long ways, longer even than I do. I was a member, actually, though only briefly. To tell their whole history would be nearly impossible. But they rule this world, and everything in it. The Guild of Doors is just a front of theirs, you know. They were once a group dedicated only to knowledge, to enlightenment. Then after they learned to forge the great Links, they began to splinter, to stagnate. I joined them in my youth, not realizing that they were no longer the grand group they once were, and left them when I realized there was little they could teach me. Now they are merely obsessed with power, and control. They hold the Links, and so they hold the future of Kadur."


Aleister nods sagely.

I appreciate your candor, sir. What was your name when you were alive? The first time.

You speak as though awakening the Dreamers will destroy the world. Why would that be? Truthfully, my familiarity with the more traditional religions of these parts is... imperfect at best.

"The old religions have fallen out of favor these days, I suppose," he says. "Our world, and all we know of it, is but a dream, so the old stories go - a shared dream of the six Dreamers, lying asleep at the bottom of the astral sea. If you believe such a thing, then for the Dreamers to wake would be to see the world unmade. I sometimes suspect the Dreamers are but dreams themselves... but who knows the truth of such things?"


OOC: You do not sense falsehood, Sasha.

[Venger]

Then let us be off

[The Viscount]

OK!

Once Aleister has reformed the pole, Kitty takes up her position in front of him before pausing as she realizes the height disparity between carriers.

Uhh....... Alexei, you do it.

Kitty's form suddenly shoots up as her blonde hair shortens and turns dull brown. Blue eyes shift slowly to a strong green. Alexei takes a quick look around before sighing as he shoulders the pole and begins walking toward the path. I hate it when she does that.

[Piggy Knowles]

@Desmond Blackstone:

The information given to you by Mathers' runner was sparse at best. You look over the note handed to you by a child no more than seven or eight, to make sure you have not missed anything.


I have had a small troupe looking after our mutual friend. When last I communicated with them, they were heading toward the Branwood, but they appear to have run into some difficulties outside of Bojnik.

From what I can gather from my sources, S. snuck out on a small caravan two days ago, in the body of a porter. Early last evening, he murdered the remaining members of the caravan and escaped into the Bran, where my associates followed him. My eyes do not travel into the Branwood, so I have neither seen nor heard of their doing since.

Late last night, a young traveler discovered the murdered caravan, and the Bojnik guards remembered a small but suspicious party seeking the caravan earlier that evening. With none of their bodies present in the carnage, they have been the most natural suspects. The town of Bojnik has requested aid from the Malkus watch, and in doing so discovered that a group with a matching description is responsible for the killing of a captain of the watch.

As I am still unable to operate in the open because of my own issues with Malkus' finest, I cannot send any direct aid. I do not know if the group will be escorting S., or if they will even make it out of the Branwood alive - it is a fell place. They may be unprepared to meet a passel of guards upon their exit preparing to frame them for murder. I need an independent party who can find them before they reach Bojnik and redirect them if necessary. If it proves that they did perish in the Branwood, please find out what you can. It would be a pity to lose sight of our mutual friend after all this time.

I will send more information on the party in question once you arrive.

Yours in service,

S.M.

True to his word, the small town of Bojnik with its tall and imposing darkwood walls is in a flurry of activity when you arrive. The gates are shut, and members of the Malkus city watch stand next to nervous town guards, watching and questioning all who come and go. There is a small crowd behind Bojnik, in a large, flat area next to the stream that runs adjacent to the caravan road and empties into the Malkus Bay. There is only a hint of the carnage Lord Mathers' note referenced still visible, and more than a hundred yards away on the other side of the stream you can see groups of men digging graves next to shrouded forms. The remnants of the caravan are still there, and watchmen are carefully going through all of the discarded possessions.

You wait, but there is no sign of any of Lord Mathers' runners, and with no descriptions, you wonder if you have perhaps missed the party. Morning turns into noon as the sun crests the sky and begins its descent downwards. Then, suddenly, you feel a voice in your head, and the ghostly image of Mathers' face appears before you.

I have notified party of your assistance and warned them of trouble. They are alive. Five total: Aleister, Sasha, Siegfried, Natsu, changeling. More to follow.

Then, a few minutes later, another message:

Aleister will tell you he's the wickedest man in the world. Bark's worse than his bite. Mostly.

And another...

Sasha is sweet, always eager to help. Don't challenge her to an arm wrestling contest, though, unless you want to lose use of your arm.

And another...

Siegfried is interesting. Lighthearted, jovial robot built long ago. He's obsessed with magic and loves to learn and explore.

And another...

Natsu: short. A bit volatile, but she's really sweet sometimes. Died and came back, so she's sensitive about that. Never give her wine. Surprisingly dangerous.

And finally, one more:

The changeling could be crazy, but all three personalities seem so real. There are stranger things in the world than three people in one body.

After that barrage, no more messages appear to be forthcoming. As the afternoon progresses, you continue to scan the area, watching the stream, the caravan road, and the gravediggers in the distance.

It is only by chance that you catch movement in the forest itself. At first you believe it is just a small flock of the large, clumsy crows that you have seen moving throughout the Branwood. Then you see it is a small group, not on the caravan road, but walking down the streambed itself. They are still too far away to make out their faces or even their number, but there are several of them, at least four or five, and they seem to be carry something heavy between two of them. They slowly pick their way through the stream and out of the forest, pausing as they reach its exit.

@Party:

You find your way back to the stream, and continue traveling down the streambed and out of the Branwood. It is slow travel, far slower than the caravan road, and the stream often veers north or south, rather than due east as you expected. However, eventually you begin seeing signs of the forest's end, and with a couple of hours of daylight still left in the sky.

You can see the walled town of Bojnik ahead, and a flurry of activity surrounding it. Against the stream you are walking on, you can see the former site of the caravan ahead, and off to the north a ways what appears to be a large, impromptu graveyard.

[The Viscount]

They will certainly be searching for us, thanks to our friend Alexei says, shrugging the pole to indicate both the target of his speech and his displeasure.

Did Lord Mathers tell you where to look for the one who will help us, Sasha?

[Venger]

Hopefully we will see him soon. With the way our luck has been going, I don't like wish to skirt discovery longer than we must if we haven't been spotted by now.

[Kymme]

Sasha readjusts Aleister's duster as she turns to Alexei. Mathers said 'near Bojnik', so he must be around here somewhere. He... he has a Death's Hand, too, so he should be easy to spot.

The brawler scratches her neck, looking to each member of the party in turn (though pointedly ignoring Shass). Should I try to sneak up and get a closer look? She winces. With this many people, though, someone will be bound to see me.

21 Spot to look for anyone who sticks out from the common crowd.

[Piggy Knowles]

Looking around, things appear crowded near the small town of Bojnik.

Following the stream down would eventually bring you to where the caravan had stopped for the night, and there are many people milling around that area, guardsmen and city watch and interested onlookers. There are some stragglers that are not standing with the crowd, including a tall man looking down the streambed, but you are too far to see any Death's Hand.

Off to the north of the stream is another large group, all working to bury the dead caravan members.

South, around the walls of Bojnik itself, there is a third crowd, this one smaller than the other two, all surrounding a large man dressed as a captain of the watch.

[Venger]

Aleister pushes his glasses up his nose and they merge for a moment with his skin, catching the light and giving him the appearance of six more eyes scattered across his forehead for a moment, like a heat mirage.

Many-Eyes, Many-Eyes, what do you see? he murmurs to himself.

rolled a 23. not a lot better. He directs his attention to the captain to see if he matches Blackstone's description.

[OMG PONIES]

Desmond runs his temples as Mather's sending insinuates itself into his consciousness. No matter how many times Sam pulled that trick, Des never quite got used to it. He closes his eyes and thinks a message back:

Visual acquired. Five, traveling with a sixth. Any advice on dealing with our mutual friend? It's been a while--last time didn't go so well.

From amidst the group of onlookers, the tall man gazing down the riverbed rubs his temples as if nursing away a headache and moves closer to the group. He walks casually and without purpose, milling about like a local. As he draws nearer the group of travelers he lights up a thick cigar; the quick flash of flame illuminates a deep scar on his right cheekbone. The man is at once gaunt and rugged--he looks like the echo of what was once a much stronger man. A great man, even...but long ago.

Lighting his cigar serves as an opportunity for the man to burn a note he's been holding in his hand. He lets the scrap of paper smolder in his hand as its edges glow and curl in upon themselves. It burns all the way down to his hand, but the man seems unfazed by the heat. He bites the cigar between hit teeth and unclutches the fist that had previously been clutching both it and the note. Naught but tiny ashes drift inconspicuously to the ground at his feet. As the man draws closer still, ever winding in a lazy serpentine fashion, what had been a glimpse of a scar is now clearly visible as Death's Hand. The lingering shadow of a warrior has unkempt shocks of auburn hair springing up toward the sky, but the most shocking of them all are the ones that are pure white, bleached by some past trauma. He looks over each member of the party, gazing intently into each of their eyes with a stare that feels incongruous with his casual approach. He squints his wrinkled, tired eyes and maintains eye contact with each of you, as if he's searching for something deep within their eyes. Whether or not he finds it, only he knows.

His gaze settles on the shortest member of the group, and as his eyes trace the mark of her Death's Hand, he nods. As he closes to speaking distance with the party, he pulls a pinch of wax from his belt pouch and snaps it between his fingers. The vague rumblings of conversation fill the air--meaningless small talk about the weather, the harvest, and the like. Once the unseen voices get a good clamor going, he finally speaks, their conversation covered by the blather.

The man has just cast Ghost Sound.

"You must be Natsu," he grumbles from behind his cigar in a voice just above a whisper. The sound of it is like a full glass of whiskey and a dying fireplace. He shares a warm look with her; the two of them shared a burden none of the others gathered could ever hope to understand. He glances over the group once more, checking what he sees against the mental images Mathers had sent him. Short girl w/ Death's Hand? Check. Robot? Yep. Two humans? Roger. A changeling? Affirmative. "Guess your Sam's crew. I'm Dez," he says. The gruff older man extends his hand to Aleister in favor of any of the others, and it almost seems like a force of habit from a military career now far behind him. His gaze settles on the other man traveling with them and the medallion around his neck. "He in there?" Desmond asks Aleister knowingly as he squints and stares into the guard's eyes.

[Venger]

Aleister takes Desmond's hand and raises an eyebrow, surprised at the firmness of his grip.

As he releases his grip, Desmond can see some black spots on the back of Aleister's hand, not unlike the pips on a set of dice.

Aleister Crowley. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Blackstone. He is indeed within this unfortunate. While I fear the worst for his host, I do hope we can preserve his mortal form once our quarry is... done with it.

[The Viscount]

How are we to know it is you Mr. Blackstone? I apologize for being blunt, but one cannot be too careful.

[OMG PONIES]

Desmond barely hears Aleister's words after the confirmation that Shass was currently possessing the guard. Instead, he crouches so that his face is at eye-level with the shorter guard and plucks his cigar from his mouth. With a scratchy guttural sound, he produces a thick wad of mucus and spits it straight in his face. "Remember me, ya sumbitch?" he asks Shass. "Been a while."

He doesn't break eye contact with Shass, though he addresses the group and shrugs off the question of his identity. "No time for games--Sam told me about you, so I'm guessing he told you about me." He makes a quick nod away from the town and says, "Bojnik's hot," as he tucks the cigar back between his teeth. "We'd best find a way around." With that, he exhales a thick plume of acrid smoke straight into the guard's face.

The satisfaction he got from taunting Shass was hollow, though. The reason for this futility was the same thing that kept Desmond from running the man through with his guisarme. He'd seen the darkened eyes, and he knew he'd hear that voice once more. Even if he spilled blackened blood, this man wasn't Shass. He was just another helpless vessel.

[Venger]

I had feared as much. I presume Lord Mathers equipped you with some route around the worst of it until he can exert his influence to clear our names. Lead the way

[The Viscount]

Alexei witnesses Desmond's interaction with Shass with stone-faced silence, sensing the anger that runs beneath it.

Your hatred speaks as loud as words. I follow your lead.

[Kymme]

Sasha tucks her thumbs through her belt and saunters forward. What a charmer, she thinks, a smirk creeping across her face.

Pleased to meet'cha, Dez. I'm Sasha, our resident boxer. Pardon my asking, but are you a fighting man? You've got that look about you, but Mathers implied you were some kinda scholar. "Knows damn near everything", I believe were his words.

[Venger]

Indeed. I believe you covered our spoor with some manner of magic, though Old Lob has failed me in identifying specifically what kind. What discipline do you subscribe to?

[Piggy Knowles]

The guard does not flinch as Desmond spits in his face, but when he looks up, the blackened eyes crease in surprise. "Well, this is a face I did not expect to see," he says. "I must be going daft. I heard the fighting girl mention a Desmond and I didn't think it would be you. Well, well, well - made it out of the desert, I see. I hope this climate suits you better."

[Venger]

I take it you are already acquainted with Mr. Blackstone

[Morcleon]

Natsu chuckles and nods to Desmond, returning the look. "Yep, that's me. Mathers told you about us, didn't he?"

"And you put some sort of auditory illusion over us, didn't you? Mask the conversation and what now?"

She grins and looks between Shass and the newcomer. "Oh my... this will be an interesting trip..."

[Amidus Drexel]

Siegfried gives Desmond a curious look, then shrugs. "You seem to be odd company, Desmond, but I believe the same could be said for any of the si..." He looks at the Trio, slightly confused, then continues. ..for any of us. I hope your travels have been safe. That will likely no longer be the case, were it ever to begin with."

[Venger]

How was it you came to be stranded in the desert, Mr. Blackstone?

[OMG PONIES]

Pleased to meet'cha, Dez. I'm Sasha, our resident boxer. Pardon my asking, but are you a fighting man? You've got that look about you, but Mathers implied you were some kinda scholar. "Knows damn near everything", I believe were his words.

Desmond pointedly sidesteps Sasha's question, but a glance at the man belies his essence. Varied scars litter the landscape of his arms and his right hand is never far from the hilt of his weapon. If there was any doubt, Death's Hand emblazoned up his neck and onto his cheek makes it abundantly clear: whether or not he's a warrior now, Desmond Blackstone once was. "Sam said that, eh?" Desmond asks, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. Clearly uncomfortable with compliments, he shifts the topic back to their mission without a trace of subtlety or guile, using Aleister's question as an excuse to abruptly change the subject.


I had feared as much. I presume Lord Mathers equipped you with some route around the worst of it until he can exert his influence to clear our names. Lead the way

"Negatory. We're to chart our own course--wide South, way I see it. Steer clear of the worst heat and blend in on the road." He doesn't wait for assent from the others before turning and making his way toward the road. As the group falls in, their new addition makes no small talk. Instead, his eyes lock ahead as his feet fall in rhythmic fashion; it is almost as if they're falling back into the dusty cadence of a long-remembered march. As they reach the road, Desmond finally begins to answer the questions being asked of him. However, he seems to treat is as more of a chore than a pastime.


Indeed. I believe you covered our spoor with some manner of magic, though Old Lob has failed me in identifying specifically what kind. What discipline do you subscribe to?

Desmond arches an eyebrow. It seemed that Aleister may also be of a more scholarly bent. He'd have to remember that--maybe he could help Desmond with some of his research. "Discipline?" he repeats. "None...at least not the way you mean it."


Natsu chuckles and nods to Desmond, returning the look. "Yep, that's me. Mathers told you about us, didn't he?"

"And you put some sort of auditory illusion over us, didn't you? Mask the conversation and what now?"

Desmond inhales deeply from his cigar and nods gruffly. "Yep, Sam gave me a sending on each of ya. 'Less is more,' I suppose." He falls silent and enjoys another drag on his cigar, conspicuously not answering any questions about his use of magic. He continues toking on his cigar as Siegfried speaks to him. A look of astonishment crosses the old man's face as the robot addresses him.


Siegfried gives Desmond a curious look, then shrugs. "You seem to be odd company, Desmond, but I believe the same could be said for any of the si..." He looks at the Trio, slightly confused, then continues. ..for any of us. I hope your travels have been safe. That will likely no longer be the case, were it ever to begin with."

"Hmph, you think you've seen it all and then a gorram robot calls you strange," Desmond grumbles to himself. He looks Siegfried up and down and, at a loss for anything else to say, just responds with a "Likewise." He wonders to himself how such a creature was forged and begins sketching a schematic in his mind.


How was it you came to be stranded in the desert, Mr. Blackstone?

The retired soldier's countenance drops, becoming even grimmer than it was before. The last embers of the butt of his cigar glow orange in their death throes and extinguish themselves as he pulls the last of the smoke from the other end. He flicks the discarded tobacco carcass to the side and casts a sideways glance at Shass. He exhales a stream of smoke slowly--sadly, even. "I wasn't stranded," he says dryly.

[Kymme]

Sasha raises her eyebrows and grins as Dez changes the subject. Huh. I'll assume what he lacks in subtlety he makes up for in combat prowess. I mean, why else would Mathers send him? He doesn't move like a thief or anything, so I doubt stealth is his strong suit... Her wandering thoughts all but vanish as the man starts heading south. She follows him, hanging back a bit and watching their trail.

As she walks Sasha regards Desmond with a trained show-fighter's eye, paying close attention to his weaponry (all well-maintained and razor sharp) as well as his posture (back straight, eyes up, even steps, not favoring either leg). She restrains herself from laughing as the image of one of her brothers toy wooden soldiers appears in her mind's eye.

She pulls her staff from a loop on her waist and gives it quick spin. Then, holding her staff like she would a polearm, the brawler closes the gap with Desmond and begins to match his stride, trying to sync up her movements with his.

[Venger]

Aleister follows the group, allowing Sasha to replace him as the one directly behind Dez.

He kneels briefly and picks up the butt of his cigar, clenching his fist around it and holding it up, waving the flat of his palm across the top of his clenched fist. Unfurling his fingers, anyone who cares to look see the cigar stump is gone.

My apologies, Mr. Blackstone. I was unaware of the gravity of your... involuntary sojourn. All the same, we are being followed and are wanted, albeit wrongly, for murder. We should do what we can to minimize the trail we leave.

[The Viscount]

I agree with you, Mr. Crowley, but if they have sent a dedicated tracker after us it will make little difference, especially with the tracks left by two men carrying a heavy load. Though you seem to leave none, Siegfried. I wish to know how you do it.

A shame I can only hinder those near me. With time....

Alexei gives a quick sigh marked by wisps of fog that join the faint ones gathered around his feet.

It is something we cannot avoid, unless Mr. Blackstone has something in his bag of tricks.

[OMG PONIES]

Desmond shakes his head at Alexei and grunts, "I ain't no magician." With that, he continues down the road wordlessly. The only sound that wafts back from him is that of him lighting up a fresh cigar.

[Piggy Knowles]

As you begin picking your way down the edges of the Branwood, working south, you begin to see great masses of those clumsy crows flying out to the border and resting in the trees above you. They stare at you with their dead eyes, but they do not attack, though it seems like each tree you pass has at least five or six of those wormy and rotting birds above you.

Even at the edges of the forest, the terrain here is far thicker than the scrub and brush beyond it, but you manage to slowly pick your way through it. Soon the town of Bojnik is well beyond even Aleister's keen eyes.

As you travel, the guard at first seems content to listen as you all talk, but when the group falls silent for a time, he turns to Desmond, his neck twisting awkwardly against his bindings.

"I must confess, I am surprised, Desmond," he says. "Surprised to see you, yes, and even more surprised that you seem to be working for Mathers. After our last encounter, I expected you would have had your fill of puppeteers."

[The Viscount]

You are in no position to talk of puppeteers, old one.

[OMG PONIES]

Desmond ignores Shass' words, marching on in silence. To respond would be to confirm that his tendrils could still worm their way into Desmond's psyche.

[Amidus Drexel]

Siegfried looks at the Trio and shrugs. "It is an old magic, and one that I am grateful to have. I have no idea if showing you how I do it would help you or not... He traces a rune in the air, and a faint field of flickering energy surrounds him again. "I know only a few kinds of this magic, though... I have been toying with my programming in an attempt to be more versatile, but it is slow work. I remember only a pittance of the old magic, and I can only try to duplicate it."

using Entropic Warding, and keeping it up for as long as we walk here.

[Piggy Knowles]

Unable to get a reaction from Desmond, the guard falls silent and seems to go to sleep for a while, despite being suspended from his arms and legs.

Eventually, you pick your way through the forest until you feel you are sufficiently far away from Bojnik and the caravan road, about a mile south from the town. This far from the caravan road, the undergrowth is thick here, with tough agave plants, woody darkwood shrubs and high grass burnt brown under the sun. Periodically you see the grass far away shake, and sometimes you catch glimpses of a fleeing javelina, the small wild pig that is common in these parts.

Though your movement is more rapid here than it was in the Branwood, where the high canopy and great roots of the ancient darkwoods managed to churn the ground and trap moisture for plants, you must still make your way carefully through the brush. The tall grass often obscures snake dens and the occasional cony or fox burrow that threatens to catch at your feet. As the sun drops lower and lower, the air is filled with the sound of insect life, the buzzing and humming of crickets and great grasshoppers longer than your finger, the clicking of beetles and boll weevils near the ground, the occasional skitter of a giant spider or centipede on the hunt. Every now and then, you come to a large mud wallow, depressions in the land where rainwater collects or springs occasionally trickle. Around these, great clouds of biting insects gather, mosquitoes and fat black horseflies.

The sun finally begins to set in earnest, and the outline of the great forest far behind you is painted with a brilliant red line. Ahead, the sky is blue and fading to black, and you can see the first stars ahead. The grass begins growing more lush, the mud-wallows and springs more common, and while this means more clouds of gnats and biting flies, it also means the Milk River is drawing nearer.


OOC: As you travel, I'd like some Spot checks from everyone. As it's dusk but the sun is still behind you, take a -2 penalty to the checks unless you have low-light vision.

[OMG PONIES]

[roll0]

As they draw closer to the Milk River, Desmond's aging eyes strain to see if anything is moving in the overgrowth. Closer to Bojnik, civilization was the concern; out here it is the wilderness.

[Piggy Knowles]

Natsu & Aleister:

As you are approaching a mud-wallow in the midst of the brown grass, you see the barest hint of movement, of a slithering of yellows and browns. It is a snake, you realize - not a terrible shock, for snakes are common in these parts. But this is a large snake, perhaps seven feet long, a brown thing with yellow spots that blend in almost perfectly with the tall grass. Then you see another slithering out of the corner of your eye, and then you notice a large hole in the ground, underneath a large agave plant.

It dawns on you that what you are looking at is a snake den, and there are at least five large snakes moving slowly through the grass at your feet.

[Venger]

Aleister nods towards the snakes' den and whispers to the others.

No sudden movements, but I detect half a dozen or so large snakes just by that hole.

He looks around to see if it's possible to bypass them.

I believe we should avoid fighting them. The noise would certainly attract attention.

[Piggy Knowles]

As Aleister points them out to you all, you can see the great, slithering creatures moving silently beneath the tall brown grass. Each snake is perhaps seven feet long, colored a reddish-brown that blends in well with the sun-burnt grass. Small yellow spots dot the length of the large serpents. As you watch the creatures moving silently around their great den, hidden beneath the roots of a large agave lechuguilla, one raises its thin, triangular head and flicks a tongue in the air.


OOC: I've updated the map, although we're not in combat yet. The party is currently coming from the west and moving east, and is in the area of C7 through G11 (marked with : on the map). The snakes are scattered around the tall grasses surrounded its den, which is underneath the large agave plant at J6.

Anyone with knowledge (arcana) trained can attempt to identify the snakes.

[Kymme]

Sasha stops dead (not really) in her tracks. How... how large are we talking, here? She asks, her voice a low whisper. The brawler casts her mind back to the aranea-lings a few days past. The venom of one of the creatures had seeped into her veins and ripped all the strength from her muscles. That was all but four days ago, and yet it seemed like weeks.

Yeah, I like that plan. Less chance of turning into a potato sack.

[The Viscount]

It is wise to keep your distance. These snakes can spit, and you do not want their venom to get on you.

[OMG PONIES]

Aleister nods towards the snakes' den and whispers to the others.

No sudden movements, but I detect half a dozen or so large snakes just by that hole.

He looks around to see if it's possible to bypass them.

I believe we should avoid fighting them. The noise would certainly attract attention.

Desmond looks toward where Aleister had nodded. He raises a hand slowly to stop any in the group who are still moving and freezes in his tracks. As one raises its head above the tall grass, Desmond recalls tales of the dreaded "Spitting Serpents." He drops his voice to a whisper and says "Not snakes--Mlarraun." He doesn't blink, keeping his gaze on the one currently licking the air. "See that?" he asks the others of the tongue flicking, "he's smelling the air for meat."


It is wise to keep your distance. These snakes can spit, and you do not want their venom to get on you.

Desmond nods and adds, "More than 10 yards at all times--they can smell and spit that far, as long as we're not upwind. If we are, he's already got our scent." He licks a finger and holds it out, trying to intuit the direction the air is moving. "Move to avoid. If you have to engage, use magic: focused fire, though, not bursts. Freezes 'em right up for days."

[Kymme]

"Move to avoid. If you have to engage, use magic: focused fire, though, not bursts. Freezes 'em right up for days."

Well, there goes my main avenue of attack. Magic is definitely not my strong suit. Anyways, let's get this show on the road, shall we?

And with that Sasha sets off, skirting around the snake's location with soft heel-to-toe steps. Aleister's duster flutters behind her in the evening breeze.

Shadow Jaunt
Mighty Throw
Cloak of Deception
Baffling Defense
Mountain Hammer

[The Viscount]

Alexei creeps behind Sasha, keeping careful watch on the snakes.

[OMG PONIES]

Desmond steps gingerly--or at least as gingerly as a man in a suit of armor can. He makes sure to give the snakes a wide berth. He was sure that some of Sam's more eccentric friends would pay good money for a stony spitting snake spear to hang over their mantle, but not today. This group had Shass. It didn't matter how much coin he stood to gain or what stood in his way; nothing was going to prevent Desmond from delivering the fiend to Lord Mathers.

[Piggy Knowles]

Giving the serpents a wide berth, you manage to avoid them entirely, and they soon they go back to slithering below the grass. As you move around them, a small javelina leaves the nearby mud-wallow, its snout pressed against the ground in search of roots or grubs. It moves west, toward some of the grass you saw occupied by the mlarraun. Suddenly there is a flash of movement and the javelina staggers as a spray of venom strikes it from the grass cover near the agave plant. As it staggers about, seemingly blind and squealing in fear, the large serpent glides near it and begins making small circles around the pig-like creature.

Soon you are well beyond the small snake den and the mud-wallow, and even the javelina's squeals are a distant echo. Then they are overwhelmed completely by the faint sound of water. That sound grows steadily louder as you move east, east, east, the reddened soil darkening and the plants growing thicker. There is still a hint of red in the skies behind you when you push through a thicket of thorny mostrenco shrubs and catch your first sight of the Milk. It flows rapidly east-northeast toward Malkus Bay, set in a gully perhaps forty feet down. The water has a silty off-white color, like a cup of weak tea with a spoonful of milk. The normally red rocks in the gully are stained white where the Milk flows past them.

The Milk flows quickly, though this land is relatively level and there are no true rapids here. There is a heavy buzzing in the air as damselflies and craneflies flit back and forth over the river, pausing to alight on plants growing on the steep banks of the gully.

[Venger]

Aleister lets out the breath he had been holding once they're past the snakes.

Well done, he whispers.

[The Viscount]

Indeed. I have little patience for snakes. The river at least marks a clear path.

[Venger]

We'll keep to its side, then

[Piggy Knowles]

As you watch the Milk flow before you, the setting sun at your backs, the guard suspended between Sasha and Alexei stirs. His voice is thick, as though he just was sleeping. He looks around.

"I know this place," he says. "I would recognize that water anywhere. This used to be the old smuggling road, you know. Still is, in all likelihood, though I would guess a century has passed since last I stepped foot here. Are you planning on smuggling me into the city?"

He shakes his head. "Desmond," he says softly, his voice just barely rising over the sound of the Milk far below. "Desmond, this is a mistake. You have seen what I am like when I am... unburdened from the mortal coil. You have seen that. This yoke they have put around my neck - it seems to trap me in this body. But this body will not last forever, and when it perishes, I will become that other thing. And I swear, whatever prison Mathers has planned - it is not enough."

Looking around, he raises his voice. "All of you, think this over," he says. "If you believe the peril ends when I am handed off to Mathers, you are deeply mistaken. For all my evils, it would be a worse evil to hand me off to that man. Think this over, before you smuggle me down the Milk. There are terrible things afoot."

[Venger]

Were it just you and us involved, we may have been able to carry out your plans, but as it stands, we are under suspicion for the murders of the caravan. The murders your, ah, worse half committed. We can hardly explain to the constabulory the truth. You're aware your existence is regarded as, at best, a myth. Mathers is our only hope of clearing our names. Even if we did attempt to smuggle you elsewhere, we would surely be discovered

[The Viscount]

Did your victims beg as much when you killed them last night? Did that guard cry out to stop as you possessed his body?

Alexei pauses to breathe out a long, misty sigh, the flowing tears for once appearing to match his thoughts.

Even if we could believe you, you have still left a train of bodies in just three days. You threaten everyone by existing, it makes no difference where you are. If taking you to Mathers might stop you, so be it.

[Piggy Knowles]

"I am an evil creature," says the guard. "There is no doubt about that. I have done terrible things. Certainly freeing me would mean more death, more destruction. But ask yourself - why does Mathers care about me? Is it just to end my threat? Does he really seem so noble, so selfless as all that? If you have met the man you know, he is as cruel and as calculating as any. So why this sudden civic-mindedness, where I am concerned?"

[Amidus Drexel]

"You are like cast iron - unsatisfying to work with. You are strong, but your form breaks too easy, and even with expert care, time corrupts you. Any good things done with such a material are unlikely to last."

Siegfried glances back at Shass. "Do we really have any better options? I feel that putting you in the hands of someone who at least thinks they know what they are doing - regardless of their intent - is far better than leaving you to your own devices. We have all seen the results of that. I find it highly unlikely that we will be able to come to an agreement on this, as you cannot recommend a prison that we will not find suspect for your recommending of it, and what we consider the best option to be at the moment is not conducive to your plans by any means. If the end result of either freeing you or taking you to Mathers is similarly bad, then I would at the very least prefer to take a chance at having my name cleared so I can return to the forge."

Siegfried gives the bound man a pointed look. "Either give us an acceptable alternative to sending you to Mathers, or stop complaining about it."

[OMG PONIES]

"No."

Desmond's voice is forceful...strong, even. For a moment, the sound of whiskey and dying embers is gone from his voice. His commanding bark is like that of a drill sergeant shouting rapid-fire orders at his new recruits. But in a moment, the man looks aged and tired again. His voice responds to its regular raspiness.

"Even entertaining the idea gives him a foothold." He takes a deep draw from his cigar, causing the end to glow orange. He closes with Shass, ending up about an inch from his upside-down face. "Listen good: I don't give a damn what Sam's planning to do with you, as long as it makes you suffer. We march!"

[Piggy Knowles]

"So be it," says the guard. He wiggles his arms and legs dramatically, so that the pole they are bound to shakes. "Though marching would require being unbound, and I doubt that is a risk you are willing to take. Still, take me to your leader. Smuggle me in to the city on the city, and let us see what wonders Mathers can work with me."

[OMG PONIES]

"Don't talk; we move," Desmond grumbles. As he regains his gait, he shoulder-checks Shass and causes the bound guard to wave back and forth slightly. Without stopping or looking back, Dez flicks his crumpled cigar butt over his shoulder and into the Milk, where it extinguishes with a soft hiss. With a flick of his wrist, he pulls out another and gives it a light.

[Kymme]

Sasha watches the procedings with an odd silence. She has taken her ironshod staff from its belt-loop and leans heavily on it as she follows behind. Her shoulder had begun to ache a few hours ago and such things tend to leave one in a sullen mood. She makes no attempt to respond to Shass, or add to her compatriots conversation. She just stands and watches, as she did on the day Assari died - but, did Assari die that day? Or had she already been dead for some time, her conciousness forced into the bottom of her soul as this... abomination controlled her body with his black, lightless strings. It was complicated and terrible and confusing and infuriating and...

RRRRRARRGH! Sasha's voice swells up and explodes out like a thunderbolt. She glares daggers at Shass as her hands and feet are swallowed by fire. The brawler points a blazing finger at the bound guard and speaks, glowing sparks flying from her mouth as she yells.

Just shut up! Stop talking! All you do is talk with your stupid silver tongue! You're a liar and a murderer and a FOOL! Keep your empty words to yourself for a change, monster!

[Piggy Knowles]

"Murderer?" He shakes his head. "Yes, I suppose," he says. "I have done many things I regret. But most of those lives were small lives. That caravan you are so worried about - I can see how the knot of destiny unties itself, you know. I can see the hidden potential that lies deep within you all. There was no potential among that caravan, none at all. They could have all lived a thousand years and never made even a footnote in the history books. This guard whose body I am bound in - even he was little more than a bully, and not even an inspired bully. Had there not been such a paucity of choice, any frame would have been more fitting."

He looks around from his awkward position suspended between Aleister and Alexei. "All of you have great potential, I can see that plainly," he says. "Not all potential is realized. Jacquelyn Assari had great potential, though she was wasting away, devoting her life to drink and sorrow. I uncovered that potential when I shared her form. I turned her into what she should have been all along. Her life was cut short, alas, but is that truly worse than how it was spent until that point? I would happily see a thousand small deaths, just to see those few great ones burn like a torch, a flame that will cut through the fog of time." He smiles at Desmond. "You were a fine flame yourself, Desmond," he adds. "That militia in the desert is an army now, you know. The machine drives itself now, without needing my guiding hand. If I were you, I would be proud."

He turns to the rest, the smile still playing on his lips, his oil-black eyes searching. "What I could do with any of you, given a chance... Why, the earth would shake."

[The Viscount]

Are you a god that knows the inner soul of every man? No life can be judged until it is finished. You see potential in me like a fire sees potential in a tree. You burn up people to destroy them and release their energy. When you do it, they cannot grow to great heights. Your age has cost you your senses, old one. You are a genius only to yourself.

[OMG PONIES]

RRRRRARRGH! Sasha's voice swells up and explodes out like a thunderbolt. She glares daggers at Shass as her hands and feet are swallowed by fire. The brawler points a blazing finger at the bound guard and speaks, glowing sparks flying from her mouth as she yells.

Just shut up! Stop talking! All you do is talk with your stupid silver tongue! You're a liar and a murderer and a FOOL! Keep your empty words to yourself for a change, monster!

Desmond lets a quiet whistle escape from the corner of his mouth at Sasha's display of pyrotechnics. He drags quietly on his cigar, but his mind is churning. The only thing that impressed him more than the flames was the force behind her words. For a moment, he forgot that she was a young girl and thought of her as a comrade in arms. She definitely seemed strong enough. It's only Shass' words that shake him from his reverie.


He smiles at Desmond. "You were a fine flame yourself, Desmond," he adds. "That militia in the desert is an army now, you know. The machine drives itself now, without needing my guiding hand. If I were you, I would be proud."

At the mention of the militia, Desmond can't help but chuckle. Tiny tendrils of smoke puff out at the sides of his mouth as his scowl crackles into a wry smirk. "Is that what you think happened?" he asks Shass with an arched eyebrow. "Heh." Desmond walks on in silence, allowing his single cryptic laugh to hang in the air and gnaw at Shass. Even for those who don't know the man, it's easy to tell that his coutenance has lightened and his march has transformed into a swagger.

[Kymme]

Sasha's eyes blaze furiously for a moment, and for a second it looks as if she's tensing her muscles for a punch. But the moment subsides the flames around her hands and feet die with a quiet 'whoosh'. She breathes in deeply and exhales once, twice, then three times. When she next speaks the edge has vanished from her voice.

Empty. Words.

She raises her eyebrows at Desmond, but doesn't speak. The brawler pulls Aleister's duster tighter around herself and follows Desmond, walking beside Natsu.

[Piggy Knowles]

For the first time, there appears to be a crack in the facade. The guard's eyes flash, and you can almost feel anger radiating from the large man in waves, a palpable aura of hatred and frustration. There is the hint of a great and terrible beast hiding just beyond the seen. Then the oily black eyes dim, the possessed guard becomes as he was, and that fleeting impression is but a memory.

To your east, the Milk flows and flows...

[Morcleon]

Natsu glances over at Sasha and curls an arm around her friend. "You alright?"

She then turns to Shass, frowning at the waves of negative emotion. "Please don't try to influence our emotions like that. It's not nice..."

[Kymme]

I don't think he cares about being nice... Sasha's voice is distant, pensive. She stares straight ahead for a while before glancing down at Natsu.

I don't think he cares about anything accept for himself. I-I'm fine, Natsu. It's a funk, that's all. I'll pull through it; I always do.

[Piggy Knowles]

The guard remains silent as you trudge along the ridge just above the steep western bank of the Milk. Darkness begins to fall in earnest as you travel, but it is a clear night with a near-full moon, and the rushing Milk is a reliable guide leading you toward Malkus Bay. Thick chaparral, its dark leaves almost purple in the moonlight, spreads out from the bank and covers the land here. Down below, the Milk flows on, moving faster and growing louder as you make your way northeast and begin descending toward the bay, drowning out the occasional whine of mosquitoes.

And so you follow the river, picking your way through the thick chaparral. The Milk is a meandering river, and you follow its curves. It cuts sharply east and -

- there. A flicker of light, perhaps a lantern, catches your eye. It is a small light, barely more than a candle, but under the starry sky it shines brighter than a torch. It is coming from the east bank of the river, in a small alcove almost hidden by the curve of the bank. In its shadow, you can see three dark figures moving, carrying something bulky and wide onto a flat-bottomed boat of some kind. The light itself is coming from a small hooded lantern, held by the smallest of the three figures, perhaps a halfling. The other two figures are also humanoid, humans or half-elves most likely. The boat is small and without sail, and covered with a dark tarpaulin that causes it to almost disappear against the rocky east bank of the Milk. There is a large stack of something broad and flat, perhaps furs or rugs, and the two men not holding the lantern appear to be loading them onto the boat.

Then a small voice hisses. "Wait, I hear something," it says. "There! Across the Milk! Kill the light!" You have an instant of seeing one of the larger figures pointing across the river directly at you, and then the lantern fades, and there is only the moonlight and the bright starry sky to make out the three figures. All three figures rush to the large stack of furs, crouching behind it, and two of them reach down to pick up crossbows on the way.

[The Viscount]

<It seems we are not the only smugglers on the Milk tonight, and they are armed. Should we try to solve this without bloodshed?>

[Morcleon]

"Are you sure...?" Natsu gives Sasha a concerned look. "If there's anything bothering you, you know you can always tell me..."

As the figures on the boar notice them, Natsu sighs, whispering back. <"Yeah... it would be best if we could just get them to ignore us again.">

[Kymme]

Yeah, I'm sure.

Sasha squints, trying to find the three figures in the ghostly moonlight. <I don't like the look of those crossbows,> she whispers. <Let's just keep walking. They might leave us alone.>

[Venger]

<This seems the most prudent course of action>

[Piggy Knowles]

OOC: OK, I've gone ahead and updated the map (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1H710iEZJivBOXkyGP_dHIpnRer4wwRBRxCQ-YrqZpF4/edit?usp=sharing).

Basically, you're looking at a river that is thirty to thirty-five feet wide. The river is down a steep bank twenty feet over and almost thirty feet down.

Where you are above the steep bank of the river, the chaparral bushes are common. These grant you concealment, but also count as difficult terrain as you push your way through. If you step onto the steep bank of the river, it's steep enough that you must make climb checks. It's a DC 0 climb check to move at one quarter speed, or a DC 5 climb check to move at half speed.

The river itself is moving at a moderate pace, and requires a DC 15 Swim check to cross. It moves forward at a rate of 15' per round.

Across the river, hidden by its bend, are the three smugglers. Two are holding large crossbows. Their boat is tied down, and they have a large pile of furs or carpets in front of them that is about two or three feet high.

It is night, but the moon and stars mean you can see moderately well - call it shadowy illumination for anyone without low light vision. That means you can make out the figures across the way, but they have concealment.

[The Viscount]

<Very well, but I do not think they will simply ignore us.>

Alexei pauses to draw out Gran's gnarled staff and leans on it heavily, bending the wood until he is able to string it and it takes the more familiar form of a compact, oddly shaped bow. Once this is done he begins to move cautiously forward with the rest, keeping an eye on the smugglers across the stream.

<Just in case.>

[Piggy Knowles]

The figures in the dark crouch behind the pile of rugs and furs, seemingly unsure of what to do next. From far away, you can hear one of the tall ones, the one without a crossbow, speaking in a low voice to the other two, but his words disappear as they travel over the river.

Then, suddenly, a cry pierces the night. It is coming not from the small smuggler's camp, but from your side of the river, just in between Aleister and Alexei. The scream, you realize, is coming from the guard, suspended still between the two.

"Smugglers, across the water!" he shouts, a frantic note in his voice. "Kill them now, before they see us! Kill them! I'll notify the guards!"

For half an instant, it seems as though the smugglers are unsure of what to do. The screams are loud, certainly loud enough to be heard clear across the river. Then the halfling levels his crossbow and fires. His aim seems true, and the bolt flies over the river and toward Alexei's torso, but gets caught in the chaparral around him, which redirects the bolt and causes it to pass harmlessly in front of him.


OOC: The halfling fires a bolt, and while it would ordinarily hit, it misses due to the concealment Alexei currently has from the chaparral bush. We'll go ahead and move things into initiative then. I've posted initiative in the OOC thread. Natsu, you're up first!

[Kymme]

So that's the way you're gonna play it, huh? Sasha turns to her diminutive companion, staring at her with dim black eyes. Natsu, you're coming with me. Then the brawler scoops up her companion and makes a mad dash for the river, kicking though chaparral and skidding down the steep bank. Grinning madly, Sasha explodes into a tendril of darkness that lances across the swift waters, the hapless Natsu engulfed within.

On the other bank the tendril spirals and coalesces into the boxer's form, still carrying Natsu in her arms. Sasha sets her friend down on the uneven bank and turns to address the three figures before them. I'm really tired of these needless fights. Drop your weapons and we can part ways here. Or not. It's all up to you.

Swift to go into Child of Shadow Stance. (20% concealment)
Free action to pick up Natsu.
Move to go to E14.
Standard to use Shadow Jaunt to leap to O14.
Free action to set Natsu down in O15.

[Morcleon]

Before Sasha picks her up, Natsu shifts herself into her fox form. She yips quietly and allows herself to be carried over.

[Piggy Knowles]

The man closest to the boat stands up straight and looks at you. In the darkness of night, you can make out just a hint of elfin features - a half-elf, most likely. An ornate tattoo covers his neck and part of his face. The smuggler is wearing dark clothes cinched tightly in several places around his body, and he moves noiselessly, hopping on the pile of rugs and furs and stepping towards Sasha and the small fox. His smooth movements suggest he is not wearing armor. He draws a small hand crossbow as he walks, but rather than firing it, he reaches out his free hand and points.

"No one threatens me, scum," he says, his voice so soft that it barely registers over the swiftly moving river. Then the wind grows louder and louder, rushing until it fills the air. It hits Sasha and the tiny, fox-like Natsu like a hurricane, forcing them backwards and practically lifting the small fox off her feet.

The half-elf used a spell-like ability of gust of wind, defensively.


OOC: The half-elf moves to P13, drawing a hand crossbow in the process, and then defensively uses a spell-like ability. A sixty foot line of intense wind springs out from his hand in a diagonal line, catching Sasha and Natsu.

Sasha must make a DC 13 Fortitude save or be unable to move forward for one round.

Natsu must make a DC 13 Fortitude save or be knocked prone and blown backwards 20 feet, and be unable to move forward for one round.

Up next is Siegfried!

[Morcleon]

Natsu manages to cling onto the ground with her little paws, hanging there momentarily before settling back down on the ground.

[Kymme]

Sasha stumbles back as the wind hits her full-force. She slams her staff into the ground and holds fast, shrugging of the blast's effects.

Is that all you've got?! She jeers over the howling winds.

[Amidus Drexel]

Siegfried takes aim at the human and fires, then moves down the river bank. <I will see you on the other side.>

Eldritch blasting the human, then moving to F12

To-hit: 12 (which is sad, but it's touch and he's flat-footed, so it has a chance, I suppose)
Damage: 7

[Piggy Knowles]

The night is briefly illuminated by crackling eldritch fire shuddering across the river and striking the armored human's breastplate. You can hear a grunt from across the river, but he remains standing, his crossbow still leveled.


OOC: That will hit! Next up is Aleister.

[Venger]

Aleister dives into the water, his eyes focusing on the eddies and currents of the stream, finding a line that will take him towards the smugglers to assist the women.

double move to J18. swim check 7.

[Piggy Knowles]

The quick current carries Aleister forward as he splashes into the river, bringing him almost to the bend. The rough waters catch him awkwardly, and he finds himself flailing to stay upright.

The halfling looks across the water and smirks at the struggling form of Aleister. "Ah, this'a barely a current," he shouts, a strange, lilting accent touching his voice. "Ain't ye never learnt ta swim?" Even shouting, his words barely carry over the rushing wind.

"How 'bout ya, girly?" he asks, a hand extended toward Sasha, the smirk still on his face. "Can ye swim better?"

An arc of electricity flies from his hands, slamming into Sasha's legs with a crackling burst. The electricity rams into Sasha with the force of a battering ram, pushing her backwards toward the rushing waters.


OOC: As Aleister failed his Swim check by more than 5, he's underwater, although he can right himself next round with another Swim check.

The halfling moves to R14 and fires a ray of electricity at Sasha, which hits for 9 damage (Reflex DC 16 for half). Sasha must also make a DC 16 Strength check or be pushed back 10', which will put her into the river. (Anyone with psicraft can attempt to identify the power used.)

Next up is Alexei!

Energy Push power.

[Kymme]

Sasha steps away from the electrical onslaught, though a few stray sparks catch her in the upper thigh. The brunt of the blast threatens to send her teetering into the river, but the brawler windmills her arms furiously and brings her foot back down onto land with the weight of a mountain. She smirks at the halfling.

Seems you'll have to wait a bit and find out.

HP: 19/30

Readied Maneuvers (unchanged from last time)
Shadow Jaunt
Mighty Throw
Cloak of Deception
Baffling Defense
Mountain Hammer

[The Viscount]

Alexei delivers a stern glance to the prone guard, still snarling from his mouth shaping to better speak Gnoll.

Keep silent you idiot, if only to protect your own hide.

He gazes across the river at the fight going on, setting his sights upon the human.

Never send a crossbowman to do an archer's job.

Drawing back on the string, he sends an arrow arcing across the river to fall with deadly aim upon the human.

17 On attack, 10 damage total, 5 of it from Sneak Attack, if it matters.

[Piggy Knowles]

A sharp curse comes from the human as the arrow pierces his shoulder, finding a gap in his breastplate. He winces, the arrow still sticking out, and looks toward the half-elf.

"You need help, boss?" he asks.

The half-elf shakes his head. "Kevin and I can handle these two. You take out those archers," says the half-elf, his voice all but carried away by the wind and the river.

The human nods. He drops to his belly, most of his body obscured by the stack of rugs and furs, and levels his crossbow at Alexei. He lets a bolt fly, but it catches a spare breeze from the half-elf's sudden windstorm, and the shot goes wide. With a resolute expression on his face, the man pulls another bolt from a small quiver on one leg, and reloads the crossbow.


OOC: That will hit! The human drops prone and fires, but the shot misses. Next up is Desmond.

[OMG PONIES]

Desmond curses under his breath at Shass' words--that confounded saboteur! He springs into a natural combat stance, but has to take a moment to spit out his cigar. Because of this, by the time he's ready to fight his younger companions have already taken off across the river. The aging warrior is puzzled as his new compatriots stop speaking and instead begin snarling, growling and...barking? He furrows his brow as he attempts to decipher what they're saying, but it's impossible. The best he can tell is that they all seem to be fluent in Gnoll, the language of the dogmen. He appreciates the tactical significance of sharing a language that most enemies don't, but he curses his luck that it's not a language he knows. He tries to pick up some smatterings, but it's neither the time nor the place.

Instead, he sticks to Common. "Get down!" he calls to the others and drops prone just before the embankment "Half-elf evoking a Gust of Wind!" he calls out. Dez pulls a spear from his side as he drops to his stomach and narrows his eyes to slits. While he'd have to stand to use it, he didn't want to make himself a target in the meantime. It seemed like the half-elf across the river had been referred to as the boss, and he also happened to have some kind of magical ability. Desmond smirks and mutters to himself, "Target acquired." Tossing a spear that far with any accuracy would be difficult, but not impossible. Dez closes his eyes and focuses his attention, visualizing one perfect strike. He sees the spear sailing through the air...pictures it piercing his victim's chest.

Move Action: drop prone while drawing spear. This increases Desmond's AC against ranged attacks by +4, drops his AC against melee attacks by -4, and prevents him from using ranged weapons while prone.
Standard Action: cast True Strike.

[Piggy Knowles]

OOC: That concludes round 1. Up next is Natsu, followed by Sasha.

[Kymme]

Sasha steps into the windstorm, furiously clawing at the wind. One of her flailing hands seizes the half-elf's collar and the brawler attempts to heave the man into the river.

Using Mighty Throw on the half elf.

27 touch (Nat 20 =D)

8 opposed strength (Nat 1 D=)

If the dude fails he'll go flying into M13.

[Piggy Knowles]

The half-elf looks up in surprise as Sasha manages to force her way through the winds, and before he realizes what is happening, she has a firm grip on his collar. As Sasha attempts to throw him, he seems to get his wits back about him, and spins away from the grasp.


OOC: That touch attack will definitely hit, but the half-elf wins the opposed check. Next up is Natsu!

[Morcleon]

Coughing slightly, Natsu shakes the sand out of her fur, then closes her eyes. When she opens them, she reappears in the water, with Aleister appearing where she was.

Realizing her (partial) mistake, she attempts to grab onto the shore and pull herself up.

Swim check 16 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=17126145#post17126145), if needed.

[Piggy Knowles]

Dripping wet, Aleister appears where once the fox stood, while the fox attempts to swim through the swift river. The water carries the tiny fox further downstream, but as the river carves east, she manages to get her paws on firm ground and scrabble ashore.

The half-elf seems surprised by the swap. As the powerful winds die down, he feints forward, then darts back a few paces, moving with an acrobat's grace. With a little bit of distance between himself and the two new foes, he raises his small crossbow, taking careful aim. He considers Aleister for a moment, but then turns back to Sasha, who resisted both his wind and his colleague's attacks, and who attempted to throw him.

"Enough," he says, his voice heard clearly now that it is no longer drowned out by the rushing wind. "I'm done playing games."

There is a sharp twang, and the carefully aimed quarrel flies out at point blank range, catching Sasha in the gut. The bolt is small, but at such close range, the shot is powerful enough to bury itself so deep that only the small black fletching is visible.


OOC: If Natsu spends her remaining move action swimming ashore, she can make it back onto the shore safely with that swim check. The water will continue carrying her downstream as she does, though. She can end up at either G9 or H8 - I've placed her at G9 on the map, but let me know if she'd rather be at H8.

The half-elf tumbles backwards to P11 and fires his hand crossbow at Sasha. It hits critically for 10 points of damage.

Up next is Siegfried, followed by Aleister.

[Amidus Drexel]

Siegfried fires another bolt of eldritch energy, this time at the half-elf, then walks down the rest of the slope to the water's edge. He steels himself against the current, then steps into the river, soon sinking below the surface.


To-hit: 10
Damage: 4
Miss chance: [78] low misses

Climb check: 8

Moving to H12.

[Piggy Knowles]

The half-elf seems to freeze in place as Siegfried aims at him, as though stunned. Then the eldritch blast lights up the night sky, and he springs into action. Rather than dodging the blast, however, he seems to spring into its path, spinning his body and catching it with his shoulder. Miraculously, the blast seems to bounce off of him, rebounding back towards Siegfried. It strikes Siegfried squarely, the eldritch energy crackling against his glittering mithril.


OOC: The half-elf manages to reflect the eldritch blast somehow, and sends it back to Siegfried, where it hits Siegfried for 4 damage!

Next up is Aleister.

[Venger]

The water runs off Aleister's bald pate as he rises from the water, dashing atop the pile of furs. He draws his sword cane and is bathed in a white-grey patina as though rolled in ash.

All we wanted was to pass unmolested. We have no care for your ill-gotten gains. Instead, you have elected the way of pain.

He thrusts the sword towards the half-elf's shoulder.

flicking on incarnum radiance.
atk:24
dmg: 9

[Piggy Knowles]

The half-elf smirks as Aleister charges toward him, sword-cane extended. He tries to whirl out the way, but it seems as though Aleister was planning this dodge, and the blade sinks into his side as he spins. He grunts in pain, a red stain spreading on his loose robes. Gritting his teeth, he sneers back at Aleister. "You'll pay for that, scum," he says. "Take them out, Kevin."

The halfling narrows his eyes and raises his hands to his head. He takes a step backwards, placing his feet carefully, his small face screwed up in concentration. He closes his eyes completely then, as though blocking out the world.

The air around him seems to shimmer. Then, a wave of energy radiates out from the tiny figure, catching Sasha and Aleister in its blast. Dizziness and nausea washes over both. Sasha manages to shake the feeling off, but it seizes Aleister powerfully. He feels his strength ebbing and fading, and suddenly finds it difficult to even remain standing.

Meanwhile, high atop the western bank, there is a sudden stirring at Alexei's feet. The great shapesand bar connecting the bound guard's hands and feet suddenly shudders, then collapses into a pile of small pieces. His hands and feet remain bound, but he jerks sideways, attempting to roll down the steep bank.


OOC: That will hit!

The halfling takes a five foot step back to S14 and uses some sort of psionic power that blasts out in a cone, affecting Sasha and Aleister. Sasha shakes its effects off, but it hits Aleister fully. His hit points drop to 0. He is currently disabled (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#disabled). He moves at half speed, and can take only a move or standard action - and if he does, he will fall unconscious.

The halfling used the disable (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/disable.htm) power.

Back on the bank, the guard wrests control of the shapesand rod, turning it into caltrops that scatter where he was lying. Then he rolls onto the bank and intentionally fails his climb check, rolling down another five feet. Alexei can make an attack of opportunity against him as he rolls, if he has a melee weapon in hand.

Alexei is up next (in addition to the AoO, should he choose to make one)!

[The Viscount]

Taken aback as the battle turns against them, Alexei is too distracted to notice the guard reshape the bonds and begin to slide down the bank. He curses as he reaches out with his gnarled staff to stop him, but too slow. He snarls in frustration as he casts it aside and begins to run towards the river, drawing his spear.

Natsu! Stop the guard! Beat him if you must.

With this he leaps off the bank, diving into the water, leading with his spear. The ripples quickly dissipate, though oddly no bubbles are seen rising to the surface.Failed to grapple the guard with 11, double moving (with jump 20) to K11.

[Piggy Knowles]

Even bound hand and foot, the guard manages to slip away from Alexei's grasp.

The human looks around, trying to find a good target on the far bank. He sees only the prone form of Desmond, everyone else having crossed into the water. He tries to fire a bolt at him, but between the darkness of night, the thick chaparral, and the trickiness of the shot, it goes wide.

"Damn and blast!" he shouts. He has a deep, booming voice that echoes across the river. "You know I don't have your night eyes, Leo. I can't shoot them if I can't see them."

The half-elf scoffs, his breath coming in sharp hisses as he gingerly touches the wound in his side. "Fine," he says. "You handle the bald one and the girl. I'll try to deal with the ones across the river."

Grinning, the human stands up, dropping his crossbow and picking up a long guisarme as he stands.


OOC: The human misses a shot at Desmond, then stands and picks up a guisarme. Up next is Desmond, and then things roll around to Natsu and Sasha!

[OMG PONIES]

Desmond maintains his focus on the half-elf, forgetting all else in his tunnel vision. He waits for the perfect opportunity and, seeing Aleister's attack connect, finds his window. The aging warrior springs to his feet with the agility of a far younger man and tosses his spear straight at the half-elf. The weapon flies across the river with unerring accuracy, headed straight for Desmond's foe.

It is only then that he takes his eye off the target, only then that he realizes Shass is not where he was left, and only then that he sees the guard rolling down the embankment. The Possessor had moved the dominoes into place and knocked the first over once more...why hadn't they gagged him? "You dumb bastard," he mutters to himself for not paying attention, but the distance was too far and the bank too steep for Desmond to do anything in this second. Instead, he calls out to Alexei, "Don't let him get away!" He turns his attention back across the river and cries, "We're not guards; you're free to go!"

Move action to stand from prone, attack of 27 against the half-elf for 8 damage.

[Piggy Knowles]

Still perched atop the pile of furs, the half-elf risks a brief glance across the river at the sound of Desmond's voice. His eyes widen slightly at the spear flying unerringly toward him, plainly shocked by the idea of a spear-thrower at such a great range. He just has time to reach up with his free left hand and bat the spear away. His blow deflects the spear's trajectory and it whistles passed him, missing his head by inches, to land quivering in the bank several feet behind him.


OOC: The half-elf manages to deflect the spear, though it appeared to be well aimed.

Up next is Natsu, followed by Sasha!

[Morcleon]

Running to block of the guard, Natsu rests her hand on her blade. "I will give you this one opportunity, Shass. Stay still, and we may still trust you a little. Move, and you with both lose your trust and your consciousness."

Move: To F10.

Standard: Readied action to attack if Shass attempts to move.

[Piggy Knowles]

OOC: Next up is Sasha!

[Kymme]

Sasha doubles over as the half-elf's bolt strikes her. She reaches down and brushes the fletching, the blood welling around it coating her fingertips. The brawler's gaze snaps back to the half-elf as she slams the final gem on her belt. The white healing energies cloak her midsection as she rushes forward in an odd, rolling charge. Ducking past Aleister, Sasha makes a short hop towards her adversary before feinting to one side and leaping upwards into a high axe kick aimed directly for his shoulder.

HP: 22
Tumbe: 11, moving to O12.
16 to hit with a Mountain Hammer, 17 nonlethal damage.

Also, Sasha gains a 20% miss chance this round from Child of Shadow.

[Piggy Knowles]

Sasha attempts to slide past the human, but he demonstrates a proficiency with the guisarme that he did not show with the crossbow. He adroitly reaches his guisarme forward to hook one of Sasha's legs. However, she seems to sense his approach, and manages to baffle the dim-witted man.

The half-elf watches, first in amusement, then in frustration and Sasha approaches him, her leg pistoning into him with the force of a hammer. The kick catches him solidly and he reels back in obvious pain.

Scowling, he takes a careful step backwards onto the small boat. Once safely out of reach of Sasha's punishing kicks and the sharp point of Aleister's sword-cane, he uses his free hand to rummage around for a small flask. He knocks it back, swallowing the amber liquid in two quick gulps. Once down, he visibly relaxes, and stops wincing at the pains in his shoulder or his side.


OOC: With Baffling Defense, Sasha manages to avoid the human's trip attack, allowing her to make it to the half-elf. Her mountain hammer connects, and the half-elf seems almost at the brink of unconsciousness. However, he takes a five foot step back onto the boat, draws and uses a potion, and now seems back in fighting form.

Up next is Siegfried, followed by Aleister!

[Amidus Drexel]

Siegfried slowly walks across the bottom of the river. He stops just below the surface of the water on the other side.



Double-move to N12

[Venger]

Aleister leans back and unleashes a torrent of acidic mist towards the human in front of him.


he has a guisarme, so no need for a ffs.

swift: reallocate essentia:
spit: 3
dice: 1
belt: 2
lenses: 0
atk: 8
dmg: 16

ain't that always the way?

[Piggy Knowles]

Despite the close range, the man has no trouble ducking under the acidic spittle spewing from Aleister's mouth. Flecks of foamy acid land on his armor and sizzle slightly, but the bulk of it sails over his head completely to land on the bank behind him.

The halfling takes another step further down the bank, and holds out his hands. Aleister can feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Then lightning crackles from the outstretched hands, striking Aleister low and forcing him backwards.

Back on the other side of the river, the guard continues rolling down the steep bank, but bumps into the small form of Natsu. Looking down, he appears to be unconscious.


OOC: That will miss, sorry. The halfling moves to T13 and uses the same psionic power that he previously used on Sasha, this time against Aleister. Aleister takes 3 points of damage (Reflex DC 16 half), and must make a DC 16 Strength check or be pushed back five feet.

The guard stops rolling downhill, and on closer inspection is unconscious and bleeding.

Up next is Alexei!

[The Viscount]

A solid mist quickly builds up on the surface of the river, rising above to become a solid cloud. It darkens quickly, building up with an audible rumble. After brief flashes inside the cloud, a bolt makes its sudden pathway down to the human's guisarme with a smell of ozone.Lightning deals 14 damage to the human, reflex 15 half.

[Piggy Knowles]

Eyes wide at the approaching storm, the human manages to move his body out of the way of the brunt of the lightning blast. Still, what does manage to strike him is enough to make him look ragged, his many injuries beginning to tell. He makes one more desperate lunge toward Sasha with his guisarme, but he is sluggish, and she avoids him easily. Then he steps backwards, looking around anxiously. There is a definite limp to his walk.

"By the Dreamers, Leo," he grunts. "I din't sign on to get myself killed. These furs ain't worth enough for all that. I'm out of here."

The half-elf scowls. "Coward," he hisses. "Let them drag you off to jail, then. See how you like spending your days in Sankwen Cliffs."

"Better that than be dead, which is where you're gonna end up!" he shouts back.


OOC: The human makes his saving throw, but even so, the lightning combined with his previous injuries is enough to leave him very wounded. He attempts to trip Sasha once more, but misses, and takes a 5-foot step to R11.

Next up is Desmond, and then we roll back around to Natsu and Sasha!

[OMG PONIES]

"Is he moving?" Desmond asks Natsu. Before even waiting for a reply, he draws his guisarme and begins to make his way down the steep bank towards the kitsune and the bound guard. As he makes his way down the steep incline, Dez uses the haft of his weapon as a walking stick to aid his balance. As he moves, he mutters a spell under his breath.
Draw guisarme while moving to E12 (costs 30 ft due to difficult terrain), cast True Strike.

[Piggy Knowles]

OOC: That will bring us around to Natsu, followed by Sasha!

[Morcleon]

"No..." Natsu crouches down beside the guard, trying to staunch the blood flow. "He's unconscious, but he's bleeding out again. This happens every few hours for some reason..."

Heal check result of 9, which fails. T_T

[Piggy Knowles]

OOC: Indeed, he does not stabilize. Sasha, you're up.

[Kymme]

Oh puh~lease! Sasha swings her leg up and plants her heel on the pile of furs. The filthy hides let out a dry poof and send up a small plume of dust. You're the one swinging around that knife-on-a-stick! I'm gonna leave you with a couple broken ribs, at most.

The brawler hefts herself up onto the ragged mound, addressing all three of the smugglers. A thin vial of an electric blue liquid appears in her hand.

Listen up! I, and by extension we, she acknowledges her companions with a sweep of her free arm, don't want to fight you guys. You can just step back, leave us alone, and we'll all pretend this never happened. How's that sound?

Five foot stepping to P11.
Move action to draw potion of cat's grace.
Standard action to ready an action to kick the helf if anyone tries anything funny.

[Piggy Knowles]

The halfling and human make nervous glances at each other, as though considering Sasha's offer. The half-elf looks around in disgust, catching the uncertainty of his companions. "So what, we just drop our weapons and walk away?" he calls to them. "Let them head off and inform the guards that we are coming? Shall we fit our necks for nooses, then, to save them the effort?" He laughs. "Drop your weapons, then, cowards. Drop your weapons and walk away. I've got no use for yellow men. There are no smugglers who can ride the Milk like I can, and I'll only ride with men I can trust."

"I have been riding this river for fifteen years, girl," he says, turning back to Sasha. "You are not about to be the one who stops me."

He levels his small crossbow at Sasha and begins to take a step backwards, to give himself room. Sasha's leg strikes out at him as he backs away, but he manages to avoid it. Then he lets his quarrel fly, and again it hits with surprising force, catching her on the upper arm.


OOC: The half-elf takes a five foot step back and fires his crossbow at Sasha. This triggers Sasha's readied action, which misses. The crossbow bolt threatens a crit, but the half-elf does not confirm the critical. He deals 5 damage to Sasha.

Siegfried, you're up!

[Amidus Drexel]

Siegfried steps out of the river and eldritch blasts the half elf squarely in the chest.

"How convenient for her to have allies that can do that for her, then. If only yours were as competent."


Moving to O12.

To hit: 27
Damage: 6

crit confirm: 17
Crit damage: 5

[Piggy Knowles]

Still focused on Sasha, the half-elf completely fails to notice the metal man emerging from the Milk River. The blast catches him unexpectedly, almost pushing him off the boat. He windmills his arms for an instant, but planting his feet, he manages to stay upright.


OOC: That is indeed a crit! Nice shot. Aleister is up next.

[Venger]

Aleister focuses on the half-elf and blows a cloud of acid towards him.


atk: 23
dmg: 17

[Piggy Knowles]

The half-elf barely has time to regain his balance when the torrent of acid flies from Aleister. He collapses as if boneless onto the small boat, slumped and unconscious.

The halfling and human exchange glances. The halfling quietly curses under his breath. "You're on your own, Greyhand. I'm out of here," he says. Electricity sputters from his hands once more, arcing toward Aleister and forcing him backwards toward the rushing waters. Then, without another word, he turns to the bank and dives into the Milk, cutting through the water like a fish.


OOC: The halfling fires another of his psionic lightning powers at Aleister, hitting for 9 points of damage (Reflex DC 16 half). Aleister must also make a DC 16 Strength check or be pushed backwards 10'. Then the halfling jumps into the water and begins swimming through the Milk, moving to T9.

Alexei is up next!

[The Viscount]

Alexei pops his head above the water to take stock of the battlefield, then curses with a stream of bubbles as he realizes his targets are all too far.

Uprooting his spear from the river bottom he makes his way toward the bank, moving closer to the fray. Seeing the half elf fallen and the halfling fleeing down the river, he focuses his glare on the human still standing.Swim to L11, blast the human for 7 damage, ref 15 half.

[Piggy Knowles]

The human looks up to see the sudden stormclouds brewing once more. His eyes grow wide, and for a brief instant he can clearly see that trouble is coming for him. Then his world disintegrates into sparks, and he knows no more. He falls heavily onto the riverbank, still breathing but clearly unconscious.


OOC: That will put the human into the negatives. Nice work. Desmond, you're up!

[OMG PONIES]

Satisfied that the tide has turned in the fight across the water, Desmond nods and turns his attention to Shass. He sheathes the guisarme on his back as he kneels next to the unconscious guard. Dez draws a potion from his belt, uncorks it with his teeth, and spits the stopper over his shoulder. The warrior is ready to begin the slow and arduous process of force-feeding it to the dying man. "Not on my watch, ya sonofa..." he mutters.

Move action to sheathe weapon while moving to E11, another move action to draw a potion of Cure Light Wounds.

[Piggy Knowles]

OOC: Very good. That concludes this round. All enemies are currently fleeing or unconscious, and it looks like the guard won't be able to bleed out before Desmond's potion takes effect. So, with that, we can go ahead and move out of initiative sequence. That said, if anyone is interested in pursuing the fleeing halfling, please let me know and we can fall back into initiative.

[Kymme]

Sasha jolts backwards as the bolt enters her upper arm. She stands dumbstruck as Siegfried and Aleister attack the half-elf. Only after the man slumps into his boat do her senses return.

Sasha steps off the pile of ratty furs, bringing her left hand up to her right bicep. Her fingers curl around the bolt and she rips it from her arm with a quick, numb motion. Then she stops, reaching down to grasp the bolt in her stomach. The second she touches the bolt's fletchings her entire midsection erupts in bright, searing pain.

Arching her back, Sasha contorts in pain as she digs her fingers into the wound, seizing the quarrel and yanking it from her stomach. She holds the now-crimson bolt in her hand, observing it closely.

You know, she thinks aloud, they say the gut is the worst place to shoot someone, because it cuts through their guts and they bleed out in horrific pain.

She snaps the bolt over her knee and flings the two halves aside.

They weren't lying. Sasha turns to her sopping wet companions. Thanks for the help, guys.

[The Viscount]

Alexei slowly emerges from the Milk, oddly with no spluttering or catching of his breath.

Another victory like that and we are ruined. Do you need help, Sasha? We can ask Mr. Blackstone to check the other healing belt.

[OMG PONIES]

Desmond is otherwise engaged, and doesn't even respond at the mention of his own name. Instead, he has one hand clamped over the guard's nostrils and is using the other to coax the potion down the unconscious man's throat, massaging it as one would do with a sick dog. His touch is hardly gentle, and though he's massaging the guard's throat it seems more like choking to the untrained eye.

[Piggy Knowles]

Shortly after the potion is forced down the guard's throat, he begins coughing and his eyelids start to flutter. He opens them, seeing Desmond looming over him. They flash left and right, trying to make out his surroundings.

"Well damn," he says. "I was hoping to at least roll down to the river before one of you stopped me. Good evening, Desmond. It's touching to see how much you care."

[Venger]

Aleister is able to staunch the worst of the bleeding from the human and the half elf.

hit the DCs with the first two checks. they're A-OK

[Kymme]

I'll be fine. Just a flesh-wound, honestly. I think I've got something for it... Sasha turns away from the men (and one machine), tucking the blue vial away securely (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/VictoriasSecretCompartment). The brawler turns on her heel and digs through her belt pouches for a few moments before removing a small egg-yolk colored vial.

Encircling the vial is a carving of a dragon in a typical horse stance. A small copper dragon head makes up the bottle's cork, which Sasha promptly removes. She gives the liquid a sniff, furrowing her brow at the scent. I bought this a couple weeks ago, and I have no idea whether or not these things go stale.

Sasha looks up and turns to her companions. Do any of you guys know?