Cultists! [IC]

[Jormengand]

"I don't like it."
"You don't have to like it, Sian, you only have to do what I tell you to. Now, fetch me Joshua and his sister."
"Y...Yes sir..."

You feel that, if you are about to be looked for, now would be a good time to enter. Lord Voth turns around as Sian stutters at your entrance.

"You've remarkable timing. Sit."

Voth indicates the table and chairs nearby, and you move to become seated. Voth takes the chair opposite; Sian stands.

"We've found what you're after. The gate between worlds. Closed, of course. The godess Azra saw to that one, not that she was so good and pure. Anyway, the point is that you should be able to open it. It's under the Iron Mountains, but Sian will show you exactly.

Anyhow, I think that it could be an interesting source of power, wouldn't you agree? One of the ancient artifacts, as well as a means of travel to the Otherworld. And, more importantly, a way to bring things back from the Otherworld. Now, Sian is one of the few people who we have who can open the gate. No-one but you two has a cat in Nessus' chance of knowing how to use its power when it's open. If you have any questions, ask Sian."

Sian sighs, and moves out of the corner. She's young and pretty, but seems to have a serious edge to her. "Well, it's one hell of a good day to die. Let's get going."

Voth sighs.

[Tiny]

"The gate has been found?" Julia laughed and clapped her hands in excitement. "Norgash chu'thag chaltex, raktach!"* She did not even notice the switch of tongue. Truly this is a remarkably happy occasion. As Sian spoke she turned in her seat and smiled at the girl. "Every day is a grand day and closer to meeting the children. Is that not right brother mine?" Never letting the smile diminish. Instead it took on a weird motherly complexion. "Do not worry Sian." What a pretty and well mannered little girl.. I hope she will not try to put her dirty hands on brother. She sighed. In that case I would have to open her pretty belly and fill it with stones.. So much work... To find the right size of the stones.. And it would be hard to drag her to the gate.. Her expression grew thoughtful and sour before her face brightened. Thats right! "If you ascend we will just cut of your head and ask your shell for the details if you forget anything important."


"Soon the children will enter this world, rejoice!"

[Yarn]

The man named Joshua sits almost completely still while Voth speaks, calmly listening with an expressionless face. He’s dressed in dark-copper colored wool clothing hanging loosely around his thin frame. When Voth has finished, Joshua inhales sharply as he stands
“Marvelous!” He comments with sudden intensity.
“Truly grand, sister! 4:34: ’Each day is a blessing for the pious man and for the sweat of his brow he shall be justly rewarded’”
The last few words he cited with closed eyes, one hand lightly resting on one of the two books strapped to his belt.
“I’m sure this one will serve us well, Voth”
He says with a nod.
“Won't you, young one?”
Joshua adds to Sian after Julias comment.

[Tiny]

"Lord Voth?" Julia rose and her chair fell over as she did. The red and black riding dress almost caught on one of the armrests but the chair incredulously spun away at the last minute . "Is there anything else? I am itching to get to know little Sian and.." Stopping mid sentence and looking over her shoulder. "Yes children.. I should pack a sack just in case.." She spoke directly towards the fallen piece of furniture and nodded as if she heard a reply. Looking over at Sian she did not notice or did not care that the chair slowly started to slide away. Proppeled across the floor carpet as if pulled by invisible strings. "Stop that!" Julia had apparently noticed the strange behavior of the furniture after all and a hint of annoyance was clear in her tone. "I said a sack. Not a chair.. The nerve of you children sometimes..." She shock her head. Her black eyes shone with delight as the massive oaken chair trembled and then fell still. "Don't worry.. Me and brother will let you all out to play whence we reach the Iron mountains."

At that a gust of wind blew through the room and Julia's long white hair started braiding itself in intricate patterns accompanied by muffled sounds like that of cats being strangled slowly. Julia laughed lightly. "I am glad you are happy!"

[Jormengand]

Sian looks completely perplexed. "All three of you are insane," she concludes. "Anyway, unless you've anything else you need to do, shall we be off? I am eager not to be here."

[Yarn]

Joshua observes Julias argument with her surroundings with a hint of a smile creeping a cross his face, the first warm expression to grace his grave features since he entered to room. His attention and gaze snaps from Julia to Sian with a twitching motion of his neck as Sian speaks up. “Excellent. ’Those lost, always linger’. Unless you know of anything which would complicate our journey…” Joshua pauses and glances at Julia “we’ve prepared enough.” He adds with renewed excitement in his voice. No more torturous waiting. And to have a witness such as you, full of doubts and fears. Delightful!

[Tiny]

Showing no signs of hearing the comment about her mental health. Possibly because she actually had a different outlook in the concept of sanity. "I agree brother mine! Let us be on our way." She spun around and walked towards the door. "Sian? You will tell us what you know of these Iron mountains as we walk. You will tell us everything.." The smile on her lips might have been comforting if not for her unblinking stare.

[Jormengand]

"All right, giddy up. Let's be on our way. Don't have all day. Well, we do, but that's besides the point."

You start following Sian, and she begins lecturing you, not really caring whether or not you're listening.

"Right, like Voth said, I know how to open the damn gate and you know what to do when it's open, I hope. It's a portal to the fifty-seventh sphere of the Otherworld, so it's pretty dangerous. As you probably know, the closer you get to the first, the more dangerous it is, but even the last one, the two hundred and fifteenth, is not exactly somewhere you want to go for a holiday. Or perhaps you do.

Anyway, what you really want to know is that the Otherworld contains scarily-powerful versions of real people and creatures, and also a ton of magical energy to service them. We want to use the magical energy, which I figure is your thing, and we want to avoid the creatures because they can kill us, savvy?

Anyway, so far, this is the only gate we've found, and of course it had to be on the other end of the mountain range. So, basically what happens is we have to take a ship from the Eisenhafen docks, which is why it's just as well that they're about half an hour's walk away. That will take us three weeks to get to Nach'Nava, on the other end of the Iron Mountains. So, sorry if you thought it was on this end.

Anyway, we can then go into the caves inside the mountains, and go to where Voth thinks the gate is. Then, I open it, and you use your greater magic mojo to do whatever you were after with the gate. That work for you?

[Tiny]

"That will work just fine. Just fine indeed..." It will give us time to get to know you child... "Did you or Voth already arrange for the ship? Or will we have to sweep in like a gust of redemption and commandeer one for the sake of the children?" She licked the top of her finger and gave the horizon a excited longing look.

[Jormengand]

"Ships are leaving for everywhere all the time. It was just a matter of checking when the next one is, and it'll be in twenty minutes' time." You are aware you've been walking about twenty minutes already, so Sian must intend to arrive early in case anything goes wrong.

Figures.

[Yarn]

Joshua followed with his normal stiff gait, listening to the women with a collected and calm expression. All signs of his previous excitement were gone.

"Then let us walk this carefully prepared and paved road of yours, it'd be a shame to waste your efforts"

Yes, a very well prepared road indeed. So easy, with everything fitting so perfectly. Whose scheme is this? Yours, perhaps? What more could a little pretty schemer full of doubts come up with, hmm? We will see, oh yesyesyes we will

[Jormengand]

You arrive with Sian at the docks. As you may have expected, it's about ten minutes until the next ship leaves to Nach'Nava. "Well, here we are, and that's our ship. Let's make ourselves comfortable on the ship before it goes."

She strides purposefully up to the guard, and pays for three. The guard looks down, and then up at you two. "Sorry, Ma'am, but it's against regulations to..." He doesn't get to the end of the sentence, and Sian takes a small device out of the guard's pocket, flicks a switch on it, and waves it in your direction. You glow green for a moment. "Not. Undead. I almost wonder why they issue these, if no-one ever uses them." She flicks it off and throws it back to the guard.

"Come on you two, in you come." She walks past the bashful-looking guard, and onto the ship.

[Tiny]

"My, my.. Aren't you the forceful one, Child?" Julia chuckles as Sian demostrates a surprising lack of patience for someone who had worked with the likes of Lord Voth.

She gives the guard a beaming smile. What a curious device! Can it see the children to I wonder. "Do not be sad young one. Had we been walking shells then this town would have already ascended. But there might still come a time when it could. Is that not written in the holy scripture by Agnamon the sacred, brother mine?" Julia gives a laugh as she passes the guard and enters the ship. "Come children lest we be late for our imminent meeting with destiny." As she walks onto the boat a cold wind follows her and sends her hair into a tussle.

Well on board, she looks around to get her bearings. I do not remember if I ever have traveled upon the great hungerer before... She looks out to the calm waters of the sea. "It does not seem to be that hungry for the moment." Her eyes scanning the decks for anything interesting. "Brother. There is supposed to be a higher being capable of moving these vessels upon the skin of the great devoured. A 'Captain' I believe it's called. Perhaps we should pay this being a visit and show our respect?"

She will try too identify what that device was and try then get her bearings on the ship. A description of the layout and such as I think we will spend some time here. :smallwink:

Rolls:

Some knowledge checks for the item perhaps?
Dungeneering [roll0]
history [roll1]
Planes [roll2]
religion [roll3]

Perception:[roll4]
then take ten if she was blinded by the beauty of the sea

[Yarn]

“You are of course correct, sister. ‘…The blind will bask in the light of the unseen star, the deaf will hear the song of the children, the lame will feel the burn of holy fire, by the hand of a single faithful: the road to ascension can be unbarred.’ A favorite of mine.”
Joshua follows Julia on board the ship, meeting the suspicious gaze of one of the guards with his pale eyes.
“Then we shall see it, for it ought to know that it has a mission most holy. We shall not endure a day more than necessary.”

[Tiny]

"Let us seek it out immediately then brother mine!" Julia turned to Sian. "Child. Would you be so kind as to lead us to this 'Captain'? We are most eager to travel the great devourer."

It was a wonderful day after all and perhaps she would go down to the bowels of this vessel later and seek out one of those handy things that could sense the ascended. "You have indeed made a most useful decision in choosing this mode of transportation my child. The children are satisfied and have graciously approved of your presence. You should be honored." Julia laughed as something that might have been the sounds of small fotsteps creacked all around them on the deck. "Listen! They are playing. How wonderful this trip will be." She clapped her hands and gave Sian a quizzing look. "Well? The Captain? Remember?" She sighed. "You are so forgetful and easily distracted my child.." Her smile was all innocence.

[Jormengand]

Sian sighs. "The ship is about to leave. If you wish, you may speak with the captain once we are well underway, at which point it requires less concentration to maintain control of the vessel.

In any case, what the captain does is nothing special, nor is it magical. The ship is simply a machine, much as a clockwork or a hand-drill, albeit orders of magnitude larger."

The ship starts moving, and Sian smiles. "And soon, we will be where we need to be, you can claim your portal, and I can go home and forget this ever happened over a few beers in Jon's bar."

Jon's bar is an establishment in Eisenhafen, known for its cheap drinks and cheaper women, as well as the latter's indiscriminacy and confidentiality.

[Yarn]

Joshua doesn’t look very amused. Well, less so than usual –“merry” or “amused” were not his prominent features. The young human seemed determined to take every opportunity to sour the glorious day with her doubts. How clever to be so obvious about her lack of resolve! Surely she thought he’d consider her harmless…
“Oh, this will not do young one. A blessing can be a mundane thing, besides, you should relax…”
His face lightens slightly
“This is a time for celebration. We should seize this moment and marvel at our luck.”
He starts heading down below deck, walking with his hands locked behind his back.
“Come, sister! We’ll indulge young Sian and tour the lower regions of this ship, before our meeting with the Captain.”

[Tiny]

"At once brother mine! This is such an marvelous exciting day!" Julia follows her brother as he leaves for the lover regions of the deck. "Come now children. Let us explore and make ourselves comfortable on this fine 'machine'." She looks at Sian mirthfully as she says the last word. "You do know that beer dulls your senses and blinds you to the wonderful sights that the children whishes us to see my girl? She pauses and lays a hand lightly on Sians shoulder. "Besides that particular establishment is full with those who have seen the blessings of the children but try to reject it. A pity that. There is no way to avoid the truth of their joyous return after all." Julia smiles motherly at their companion and then walks up to her brother speaking out aloud without realizing it..

"She will learn in time.. All will learn in time. This would be such a glorious trip after all."

A groaning moan and a chilling echoing laughter seems to emanate from somewhere enormously far away. Quickly followed by a shadowy flicker that seems to momentarily reach for everyone present just at the corner of the eye. "I know you want to play. But we should wait until after the tour. Then we have the whole trip to enjoy ourselves." Julia smiled earnestly. "How about a lovely game of hide and seek?"

[Jormengand]

A bell rings, and a minute later the ship begins moving. Sian sighs, and lets you on your way, though in honesty there is not much to see. A guard, bored from his lacklustre job, is all too happy to show you about, but it's mostly cabins and store-rooms. Like Sian, he decides that you should wait a few minutes before venturing onto the top deck, but he shares with you his limited knowledge of the mechanics of the ship in the mean time.

Then, a wail comes from somewhere. Not a human wail, nor that of any creature of which you've heard, but a high-pitched, artificial cry which echoes throughout the entire ship. Then a loud voice emanates from no-where.

"Attention, everyone! There is a fire in cabins 17, 18 and 19. Everyone needs to go to the top deck immediately, except for guards who have been sent to put the fire out. Everyone else, please come to the top deck the fastest way possible!"

Cabin 18 is your cabin, though. Sian's there - fortunately, you didn't leave anything, but Sian... you're about 200, maybe 300 feet away? You don't know what exactly is on fire or why, but you doubt it's just that Sian got bored and decided to set the ship on fire. Either you need to get up to the top deck and hope Sian follows, or you need to go and see for yourself if she's okay.

[Tiny]

"I wonder what all the noise is about brother? It is nothing worse than a small fire after all.." Then she catches herself. Wait a minute. A fire. The guide... There is something about fire.. Yes, that's it! "This could be problematic.. Brother! If the girl burns to ashes there won't be a shell left to ask for directions to the gate!" She taps her lower lip a few times. "I suppose we will have to go down there and see to it that her shell is intact and ready for the childrens blessings or this might ruin everything!" Julia starts running. Heading down to the cabin with her ordinary smile replaced by a look of fierce determination.

[Yarn]

Joshua stopped in his tracks when the commotion broke out, listening warily to the wail, message and his sister. “This can be no accident!“ He clenches his teeth and mutters while sprinting after Julia “…strife at each and every turn… in vigilance, there is rest.” Is this her scheme? Could it be someone else? No-no-no, she’s a schemer, this is too blatant, whatever it is. “In their name we shall claim her, before the flames get her!"

[Jormengand]

You rush up towards the cabin, and see that the entire section of the boat is by this point ablaze. Large parts of the deck have collapsed. Sian is lying on her back on the hull, which is fortunately not alight. She's not looking at you.

"Trianna... I thought you might follow us."
"No, you didn't, otherwise you wouldn't have let those chumps walk off by themselves.
"Oh, wouldn't I? I think I know more about them than you, Anna, and I knew one thing."

It is at this point that the floor underneath you breaks, dropping you unceremoniously but unharmed onto the hull.

"I knew that they would come back."
"So did I."

As if seeking to outdo you, another three assassins leap into the room. "I'm sorry, Sian, but I'll be taking my leave." Trianna smiles, and jumps back up onto the deck.

You're on a deck which, because of the wooden beams that go across it, is actually essentially flat. The hull is divided by walls which also act as supports for the deck, so you're essentially in a 80 ft by 20 ft rectangular room. You're standing pretty much in the centre of the room, with one assassin 20 ft in front of you, and two more 20 ft behind you.

Trianna has jumped out, but you can try to go after her if you have a way out of the "Room," such as being able to jump up 10 feet.

[Tiny]

"O dear me..There are three of them" Julia looks around at the gathered assassins. "I only brought material for two heads.. Pity that.." She shakes her head, draws her blade and points at one of them hopefully. "Do you mind if your husk stays useless or do you happen to have some of the sacred stone on you?"

Then she turns to her brother. "Brother dear? Perhaps you have use for some new shells?" Smiling widely at the would-be-assassins. "But where are my manners. You even started this cozy fire to make sure we would find you. Children? These people would like to play with us." A tendril of mist seems to reach up from the deck. It twists and splits and seems to grasp at the very air around it. "Don't be shy. Come out my dear."

Suddenly a crack appears and the tendrils reach inside and tears it open and.. Something exits. Something tentacled and amorphous whose only unchanging feature is a pale cracked face. No. Not a face. An attempt at a face that would most closely be to described looking akin to a porcelain mask. A frozen face of a young child with long matted dark hair. A giggle is herd somewhere from behind the porcelain facade.

Ok! Julia draws her weapon as a move action and summons a offensive spirit beside her as a standard action.

Initiative? [roll0]

[Yarn]

”So the snake finally reveals itself.” Joshua hisses with teeth and hands clenched. His gaze jumps between the present assassins with quick, twitching motions. “Your offer is most kind, sister. But no, the unfortunate third will feed the great hungerer, its soul forever lost.” He takes a deep breath and turns to the two assassins behind him, his expression still tensed with frustration and eyes now shining with zeal. “Rejoice! For in your last quaking moments of existence, the divine will finally pay attention to your putrid minds. Rejoice! For the last shall be your best. Let the chorus of screams greet this messenger and bring blessings to our journey!” Accompanied by the sound of a being climbing out from a hole torn in reality itself, the robed man places his left hand on a green-tinted stone idol strapped to his belt and lifts his other arm towards the sky while chanting with fervor

“Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn, Cthulhu fhtagn, Cthulhu fhtagn, Cthulhu fhtagn!”

Thick strands of web-like material suddenly materialize horizontally between the walls in a cylindrical arrangement, with the current location of the two assassins located in the middle of the cylinder. As the being from the other side emerges, he lowers his arms and takes two steps backwards, placing himself in front of the being, with the two potentially trapped assassins on the other side.
“We pray.”

Standard action: Cast spell
Web (witch spell list)
DC: 10 + 2 + 6 = 18
Move action: Places himself with the offensive spirit between him and the two assassins he attempted to trap using web

[Jormengand]

Well, it's been a while. Time's up; let's do this! LEEEEROOOOOOOOY!

You cast your respective spells, and the assassins leap towards you. One stands on each side of Julia, and strikes at her with a short but nasty-looking blade and the third, caught up in the web, still manages to hurl some kind of explosive with poison in towards Joshua

Julia takes 10 damage from the hits, and Joshua needs to take fortitude DC 16.

[Yarn]

[roll0]

Rawr, lets do this!


The small package explodes in mid-air, creating a prismatic cloud around Joshua who quickly bolts to the side, protecting his face with the cloth from his robe while holding his breath.
Joshuas face is set in a mask of grim determination as he starts to circle the two assassins and his sister, placing himself and the trio between himself and the last assassin caught in the web. He walks with his head bowed down and eyes set on the assassin standing behind Julia
"Hear your servants earnest plea, words of one forever sworn to thee!"
His words mix up with loud mumbles and words incomprehensible to those without knowledge of the arcane.
"I long for the moonless night eternal, the burn of the unseen star infernal."
The thin man raises his hand to shoulder height, palms facing upwards. His speech is still mixed up with smatterings of the other language.
"I lay my offering upon this wretched, broken altar!"
Joshua snarls and bares his teeth while lifting his hands higher, looking as if carrying a heavy load.
"In your name, let the lights of their eyes falter!"
His voice trembles with anger as he lowers his right arm, pointing at the assassin he has been staring at.



Standards action: Casting Blindness (witch spell list), targets the assassin behind Julia
DC: 10 + Spell level + Int modifier
10+2+6= 18
Move action: Places himself with the the two assassins, Julia and the spirit between himself and the assassin caught in the web

[Tiny]

Once again Julia starts spluttering in a language sounding something like old rattling bones and forgotten memories. [Aklo] "Oh deary!" Feeling the two swords slide in between gaps in her armor. "You sure like to play rough! Just do your best to remember that those who join in the play will then forever stay. The children are so possessive of their toys." The blood gushes forth when the blades are pulled back yet the woman is unmoved. She calmly dips a finger in the fluid and gently places it on her tongue. The pool of blood reverses direction and in a manner clearly defying gravity it begins to flow backwards into the wound again.

Smiling a bit to wide to be reassuring she then turns toward the assassin standing between her and the masked abomination. "We shall play with you first my dear. Oh how we will play.."


As if on cue, the thing behind the assassin reaches up with two long shadowy tendrils and slowly removes the mask revealing... Nothing behind it. It places the mask back on with the previous outside facing inward and strangely enough the features of the mask have changed into one of pure elation. The lips of the old porcelain face is now parted in a huge gaping mouth and something is stirring inside.


Suddenly five arms shoots out of the mouth and right at the assassin. Long cherubic all to human arms but with a growing number of elbows snake forward and grabs at the attacker. That is when Julia strikes with great force from the other side.


Julia uses a swift action to use touch of corruption on herself to heal back some hp. The Offensive spirit flanking with julia makes its touch attack to damage the assassin and julia strikes with her sword at the same enemy from the other side with a flank bonus.

Hp regained [roll0]
Spirit attack, touch attack [roll1], Damage [roll2], Flanking
Julia attack, [roll3], Damage [roll4] , Flanking + power attack

[Jormengand]

One Assassin is struck blind, and flails ineffectually. Another is struck dead by Julia, and the third is stuck in the web and, uh, flails ineffectually.

[Tiny]

Flicking the blood of her blade Julia starts to hum a marry tune. Soon she jovially sings in a loud but clear voice as she looks towards the struggling killer.
Continuing despite the unlikelihood of the assassins being able to comprehend her words.

"Oh my, little fly. Are you stuck in the spiders web?

Fear not little fly, for soon you're both free and dead.

No need to trouble your mind with fears, no need to dry those tears.

The children wait beyond the veil, with open arms and cheers."

The masked 'child' once more reaches out in its horrid embrace. Hundreds of hands crawling out from the mouth of the mask and along the ground, up along the strands of the web like a swarm of spiders closing in on its victim.

Meanwhile Julia uses the opportunity to try and smack the poor blind and flailing assassin in the back of his head with the flat of her blade.

Spirit attack against the webbed one, touch attack [roll0], Damage [roll1]
Julia attack against the blind one, [roll2], Damage [roll3] , Power attack, Non-lethal

[Yarn]

The pale man shoots forward as soon as the spell connects, his robes billowing around him while he unsheathe his rapier. Over the screams and cursing of the blinded man and the drumming of his feet against the deck, the jovial tones of his sister singing could be heard - a welcome, if unorthodox prayer.

"Struggle, fight and rejoice! For screams are their prayer of choice!"

For a brief moment he meets the gaze of the man caught in the web, whom frantically keeps struggling against the web as the robed figure and the seemingly ever-growing number of arms shoots forward towards him. He can almost see in clearly, the sweet victory before him - a small grin almost graces his stern face as he bridges the last few feet while preparing his sword for a thrust.


Free action: Unsheathe rapier
Move action: Move within 5 feet of the assassin caught in the web (it should be less than 30 feet if I'm not mistaken)
Standards action: Attack with rapier (P), crit-range 18–20/×2
Attack: [roll0]
Crit: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2]