Spinnehalko - Liberate tutame ex Tamias (IC)

[Marlowe]

Stories, as the Bards will tell you if you can pull them off the nearest pretty person of their gender preference long enough, don't really have the neat beginnings and ends a simple narrative can lead you to believe. Some stories--generally the older ones--begin with somebody being born and end with that same person being killed. Others--generally the newer ones--begin by somebody realising he can get paid for telling a whopper and end when somebody else realises he's not going to stop until he stops getting paid for it. But there's always other places where another teller could have started, and different places where they could have finished.

This part of this story, however, began for you all the previous morning a little before noon. When you were gathering at Spinnehalko's oddly luxurious and well-appointed local inn--The Disemboweling Thrust--for your semi-regular gripe session about what in the name of Orcus is going on around here. While kibbitzing into your ale, you were approached by Rikael Scrya, a well-dressed (his clothes, and even more his rapier, are probably worth more than what most villages of this size) man with a hook for a right hand.

Rikael, as far as Spinnehalko seems to have anyone in charge of anything, seems to be more or less in charge of the village militia (a likewise surreal bunch), and is possessed of the sort of hyperpolite demeanor that suggests it would be a very bad sign indeed if he started acting otherwise. More to the point, he took time to inform you that a beast believed to be a Barghest (people around here seem very well-informed) was "irritating" hunters and rangers in the forest to the north-west of the village. That somebody might find it worth their while to deal with it, and that it might as well be you, since he was personally booked up until Wednesday.

You're not sure but that it might BE Wednesday. But you took the job (because I say so); got the standard warning to avoid the area directly north of town wherein apparently dwells a mysterious individual referred to as "Mother Gabriel" (and described as "Challenging", "Moody" and "Sarcastic"), and went off to "deal with it".

Late yesterday afternoon you reached a "hunter's croft" occupied by a "woodsman"--who gave his name as Gundred Carbella, to your amusement, and enjoyed his hospitality and that of his family. Gundred seems a little rich, in both word and possessions, for a simple woodsman. His wife--whose name was given as Fhairoa and yes, that's with the "h"--keeps a supernaturally clean house and looks like a librarian. His son looks a little mature to be the child of the couple. His daughter stayed in her room--yes, she had her own room--and was not seen. The "Croft" itself was a rather larger structure than seemed necessary for a family of this size.

The days are running long and bright in Spinnehalko, if indeed they ever get shorter, so you went after the Barghest, and found it--in the time honoured way of amateur adventurers everywhere--when it attacked your camp that night. The beast fought like a thing possessed, showing little of the tricksyness and sense of self-preservation Barghests are usually known for. And after a tense fight it would take super long to describe in detail you jointly succeeded in getting the hits in to bring it low.

A bit of poking at brushes brought you to its lair. A strangely still ruined temple of smoothed flint and exposed hematite, devoted to an unfamiliar god--who appears, from the iconography, to have had the form of a young woman with long hair, sensible armour, and a bloody great scythe--in the middle of a grove of oaks. The entire place was filled with a strange and menacing silence, and though you helped yourself the Barghests "horde", you did not tarry.

It is now the next morning. You are returning to Gundred's croft, now barely half-a-mile away.

The forest is silent, and the sky, normally blue and strangely flat, has gone an odd grey.

EDIT: OOC here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?374422-Spinnehalko-Look-out-for-Stobour&p=18184063#post18184063)

Rikael Scrya.
http://th07.deviantart.net/fs26/PRE/f/2008/179/7/e/7e97afb39a77501572216e36514c76ca.jpg

[Illven]

Stephanie was still covered in half-healed bruises from the beast's vicious assault.

Apparently, music does not in fact soothe the savage beast... Who knew. She mused grimly to herself.

I wonder what's up with that family, and with the daughter that's apparently a shut in. Stephanie mused.

Maybe their hiding something embarrassing She chuckled.

[Cloud]

With morning after a good sleep, Mikal found himself feeling better and restored after the fight with the Barghest yesterday, his healing belt taking care of the worse of his injuries the night before. Hopefully while the rest of his companions were still getting up and ready, he'd slip away somewhere quiet to draw a seal. ...Or well secluded...or you know, out of the way of the camp at least, given that this entire place was already eerily quiet. After more than a month together he didn't really mind if the others watched him made a pact, but it was certainly easier without them gawking, and if he could get the pact done while Pilgarios, a...cleric, was praying, even better.

Simply inscribing the seal in a patch of bare earth, Mikal stood and intoned, "I beseech thee, Malphas the Turnfeather! With your name and title I humbly request your help, I need your ability to see unseen." Doves filled the seal and flew away, but he wasn't watching them, he was waiting for the elf male that would appear any moment now. (OOC: Binding Check Failed (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18185341&postcount=17).) Simply by appearing Malphas had agreed to be pacted already, however as usual the vestige barely moved, and seemingly not in the mood to put up with his own croaking, cracking voice, didn't speak. Despite the Mikal's best effects to strike a deal, the vestige simply wasn't interested in talking, just grinning to show off his black teeth after a minute or so and disappearing. The binder sighed as the sign and influence took hold, the effects of this particular vestige well known to him, Malphas was the second vestige he had ever called after all and remained a favourite. Teeth and tongue turned black, but having the powers he needed, he headed back to the camp to help pack things up before they all set off back to Gundred's croft, though making a deliberate effort to avoid smiling.

Closing in on their destination, Mikal nodded in agreement with Stephanie, "Yeah, the family struck me as strange too, I'd like to know what they, and the rest of the town, is hiding to be honest, one moment," pausing in his walking for a second he whistled, a raven appearing on his shoulder. Glancing towards and then nodding at the bird, it took flight in front of them, heading towards the croft. "Who knows, maybe we'll find out something interesting," as he started walking again, seemingly a little distracted now. The bird Malphas let him summon was unique and very handy in that Mikal could control its actions completely, and see and hear what it did. It was the main reason he liked this vestige so much (not that turning invisible was a bad perk either). Ideally he'd have the bird perch on a nearby tree and simply have it look into the croft, particularly on the shut-in daughter, but if there wasn't anywhere convenient nearby he'd settle for making the raven simply fly past the windows of the structure.

[Marlowe]

As the bird winds into the sky the view through its eyes puts you in mind, again, of the strangeness of the forest. Tree and clearing have sharp, obvious borders, as though somebody was going around uprooting trees from some areas and replanting them in others. The predominant tall, angular conifers are salted here and there with warmer clumps of deciduous trees with little mingling.

Even before Gundred's "croft" comes into sight you sense, through the bird's bright little mind, something off. A heavy, echoing, CLUMP. CLUMP. CLUMP. echoing through the still.

The croft comes into view. It sits on the corner of a stretch of high, treeless ground, built out of some grey-weathered hardwood that looks like nothing that grows locally. It is a surprisingly large compound laid out around a central open courtyard; and accessed from the south through a double gate:
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........................-
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X=well, I/-=slopes, \=doors (you've already been here, so best get the map)
1=bedrooms
2=Stores
3=Kitchen
4=Dining area.

The CLUMP is coming from the main gate, which in defiance of Fhairoa's good housekeeping, is standing open and banging in the wind. The central courtyard is strewn with a mess of what look like scattered clothing items, much of it rent, tangled and torn. The doors accessing the rooms from the courtyard stand shut and silent.

Nothing moves, aside from the slow pounding of the gate.

[stanleyindraven]

Darius turns to his two companions and blinks. "Have you thought maybe the girl is a witch that is possessing creatures? I mean, that thing had little regard for itself. And if that is the case, then what animal is she going to take over next?"

His question seemed blurted out but to no one in particular.

[Aka-chan]

Adrimara glances at the black bear lumbering along beside her. "I certainly hope not!" After a few more minutes of walking, she says, "What I wonder about is why no one seemed more worried about that thing. Sure, Rikael asked us to kill it, but he didn't seem to think it was a big deal. I mean, if a barghest kills you, it can eat your soul. Most people tend to be more frightened when something like that is rampaging around near their homes."

[Illven]

Maybe they didn't know. I certainly didn't. Stephanie replied.

Hmm. She started musing out loud before breaking into a chrous. ~Lord Stephanie. Soul saver.

[stanleyindraven]

Darius inspects his scythe for any remnants of gore and steps deliberately alongside his companions. "Well, at any rate, they look like they have a good amount of coin and intend to keep it that way. Besides, unless we get paid for it, no reason to go looking.
Oh, how much did we net for this endeavor any way?" Darius looks around as he runs the numbers in his head, trying to divide up the shares.

[AquilaRift]

Iceni scoffs. "City folk are strange. Because she stays in her room and doesn't talk so much -- Here she shoots an amused glance at talkative Stephanie. "--you think she must be a witch." Her smile fades, and she begins to look more serious. "Still. You are right. It isn't just the town." She looks up. "The sky looks wrong here. And so many monsters in the forest. What are they eating?"

[stanleyindraven]

Darius looks over at Iceni, "Actually I thought she was a witch. She just assumed shut in."

[AquilaRift]

Iceni shrugs. "She would have to be a powerful one, to control a soul-eater like that. But everyone here is strange... "

[Cloud]

Mikal stopped in his tracks, as if what he was seeing surprised him despite there only being more of the oddly perfect forest in front of him, before catching up to the group and walking again, "520 gold," he said absently to answer Darius's question, "and I doubt she's a witch, but...we might want to hurry, the place has been...ransacked, or something...but they took the time to close the doors but not the main gate? Odd..." Half rambling to himself he almost managed to trip over his own feet, but didn't seem to notice as he continued to look through Malphas's raven. Figuring that trying to keep the bird inconspicuous might be pointless now, he sent it through the main gate and looking for signs of what happened. Was the family simply absent and something had come in here and made this mess, or had the family been here? If it was the latter there should be a sign of a struggle possibly.

[Illven]

Stephanie attempts to keep Mikal to his feet as he runs off.

Maybe if we save the hunters, they'll finally put up a statue of me in the town center. Stephanie replied bursting with energy.

[Alihandros]

"Hmmm, seems that the information we were given was oddly right."

He was slightly disturbed by the iconography of the beasts lair. As the night falls, and morning comes, while "sleeping" Cypher will use his touch to heal himself from injuries sustained during the fight. He will take the calm in the pre-dawn to mediate and prepare his mind for the day coming.

When they come upon the Croft, he seems shaken by the turn of events.

"While death is a way of life, it was extinguished too soon, especially for those of the kids, their potential was unreached, taht is a shame, and vengeance may be swiftly visited upon those who did this."



To try and remember who the long forgotten goddess is
Knowledge Religion:[roll0]
And if that's going to be my luck may as well, just shoot myself now :smalleek:

[Marlowe]

A closer examination of the mess in the courtyard shows definite signs of a struggle. Man of the clothes have been slashed deep and long, and there is a few broken arrows in evidence scattered stuck into the wood, or impaled in the clothing. The door to the north, leading from the courtyard to the dining area, shows signs of battering. The door, like the others, is shut, but sits oddly in it's frame.

You recognize the clothing items as these that looked like the belonged to the family. In particular, a wolfskin cloak that Gundred had had hanging against on a wall the previous afternoon is now lying rent in two pieces next to the well.

You look upon your knowledge of things undead and undying and draw a blank on dieties that are winsome young ladies with long cloaks, masterwork plate, and a scythe.

Come to think of it, the village priestess of Spinnehalko bears a Holy symbol (a bronze spear against a six-pointed star) that doesn't seem to match any faith you've heard of.

The party's route winds south-east, around the end of a ridge-line jagged with firs. Maybe Douglas Firs? Does it matter? The croft is now plainly visible to the east, across a stretch of treeless, rising ground.

The CLUMP...CLUMP...CLUMP of the gate is audible to all now.

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..#########\\##########--
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X=well, I/-=slopes, \=doors
1=bedrooms
2=Stores
3=Kitchen
4=Dining area.

[Malak'ai]

Well, let's test out all these fancy knowledge thingies...

Know: Religion: [roll0]
Know: The Plains: [roll1]
Know: Arcana: [roll2]
Know: History: [roll3]

Basically I'm trying to see if I know what the Icon in the Barghest's lair means.

Trundling along a few paces behind the rest, Pilgarios takes in the sights on the forest, trying to remember the landmarks and other features of this part of the trail, hoping to be able to sketch out a map of it later on.
"Friends! Come now. Just because the girl seemed to be a recluse doesn't naught mean she is a purveyor of vile curses or evil magics.

Celestain knows I've meet some very private people in my travels. Some who were far more curious that the girl."

[AquilaRift]

When Mikal reaches the word "ransacked," Iceni speeds up to follow him. She sucks air through her teeth at first sight of the croft. "What happened here?"

[Marlowe]

You've seen a few evil temples in your time. This one was lacking the usual signs such as leering demonic carvings, a large grooved altar, a Quasit asking you to sign the guestbook. That sort of thing.

This one didn't have any of that. In fact, it was conspicuously lacking in depictions of any transplanar beings of extreme alignment--no devil's horns or angels wings. The altar looked like a carven pinth, about big enough to place a book.It did have multiple depictions of the goddess in question with a variety of large, bladed martial weapons, and many motifs that seem to be inspired by lightning, wind, and weather.

Then there's that strange silence. Felt like the atmosphere right before a storm.

You also have seen a few ruined temples in your time. This one was almost too picturesque. Looked almost built ruined.

Mikal's bird flies up to the party and gives a harsh Squawk, which somehow manages to communicate: "I don't know! If only there was someone here with opposable thumbs!"

[Malak'ai]

So I don't have any inkling about who it might be?

Finally taking notice of the rest of his companions, Pilgarios speeds up a little, scanning the landscape for signs of anything hostile.

Spot Check: [roll0]

[Marlowe]

No god that you recognise. Although you do remember that you've seen a certain Scythe-And-Lightning motif on some of the decor and jewellery of the folks in Spinnehalko.

Spinnehalko has a Priestess who tends to not seek your company. Her Holy symbol has a Spear and Six-pointed star.

Also, there's a chipmunk in a nearby tree that's looking rather belligerent.

[Alihandros]

"Seems our hosts had drawn somethings ire. Though based on what appears to be the damages, it was a humanoid, not animal attack."


To try to notice anything out of the ordinary.
Spot:[roll0]

[Illven]

Stephanie starts excitingly tumbling to let the slower people keep up. Her tumbling has far more enthusiasm then skill. In fact it's all enthusiasm and no skill.

Maybe it was orcs. She marveled. I hope it was Orcs, then we can save them.

[Marlowe]

You see a wooden compound, built of grey hardwood quite different from the ruddy hues of the local timber, standing deserted on a slight rise before you. Furs are drawn across the windows behind the glass. Its single set of doors CLUMPS fitfully in the wind. And trees. Lots of green, pointy trees. Lots of them. Trees. Green. Pointy. Lots.

A chipmunk in a green, pointy tree is eyeing you aggressively.

[Alihandros]

"If anyone can, the chipmunk over there has been tracking us rather intelligently for a minute. If you can speak or communicate with it, it may be wise."

[AquilaRift]

"Be careful what you wish for," Iceni tells Stephanie. "You'll eat your words if you see a horde coming over the hill. Still... orcs would be better than barghests."

She scans the rise, reaching out with senses natural and unnatural.

Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]
Detect spirits: 60-foot range; picks up fey, elementals, incorporeal undead, anything with the (spirit) subtype, and anything else the DM decrees to be a 'spirit'.

[Cloud]

Despite himself he managed a quick smile as Stephanie helped him while his vision was split and switching between two locations, though it left just as quickly as it became evident that the croft had been attacked, or something similar at least as he spoke half to Iceni half to the group at large. "Your guess is as good as mine, but lets find out what did happen here," Mikal stopping just before the courtyard and mentally commanding the raven to fly a circle around and above the croft to keep a look out, "aside from the obvious that is, which is some sort of attack happening and the hunters struggling." Pointing out the north door he continued, "that one's been battered, don't mind the disappearing act now," the binder concentrating for a few seconds and then disappearing from sight.

Invisible thanks to the powers of Malphas, though not for long, Mikal made his way through the courtyard and towards the battered northern door, stopping to take in his surroundings and check for danger [spot check], before putting his ear against the door and seeing if he could hear anything [listen check].

- Malphas lets a binder go invisible as per the spell as a full round action with a duration of 1 round per binder level, or 4 rounds.
- Spot Check: [roll0]
- Listen Check: [roll1]

[Illven]

Stephanie smiles back at Mikel, as she enters the property listening for the tiniest signs of something going wrong, her ears twitching like a rabbit.


Listen [roll0]
Spot [roll1]

[Marlowe]

The courtyard, as previously mentioned, is strewn with slashed and punctured clothing items, some of which you recognize as being the possessions of the family you met yesterday. Some broken longbow arrows (some black-fletched, some brown) are in evidence and also some similarly broken crossbow bolts.

No intact ammunition and no blood.

**ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXY 1=Knife-wielding Skankwear...thing.
01IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII////// @=Cypher (INIT 13)
02.IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII//// @=Stephanie (INIT 12)
03..#####################// @=Adrimara (INIT 6)
04..#4.............#2...#/- B=Ursine Minion (INIT 6)
05..#..............\....#-- @=Iceni (INIT 10)
06..#..............######-- @=Darius (INIT 13)
07..#..............######-- @=Mikal (invisible) (INIT 13)
08..#..............######-- @=Pigarius (INIT 15)
09..#\####\\#############--
10..#3...#........#1....#--
11..#....#........#.....#--
12..#....#........\.....#--
13..#....#....X...#######--
14..#....#.@......#1....#--
15..#....#........#.....#--
16..#....#........#.....#--
17..#....#........\.....#--
18..##\####1#.B#\########--
19..#2......#@@#1.......#--
20..#.......#..#........#--
21..#.......#@.#........#--
22..#.......#@.#........#--
23..#########\@##########--
[email protected]
25.........................

Suddenly, the door at 18-J swings open and reveals....

A set of brown studded-leather clothing, standing without a wearer.

Well, by "clothing", we mean a brief halter-top, brazenly-curved armbands, and tight, short trousers that look as though they'd be quite revealing if there was anyone in them to reveal.

Where hands should be, there is only empty space, and yet two heavy-duty knives gleam there.

[Initiative! Please place yourselves in the RED area. Mikal should be the furthest forward]

You hear faint movement through the wall to the right of the entrance, which you vaguely remember is the master bedroom.

[Alihandros]

Cypher will sit at 22-L with his bow drawn, and still keep an absent eye on the blasted chipmunk.


Initiative:[roll0]

[Illven]

Stephanie chuckles as the clothes start to attack.

Well the daughter was probably a sorcerer. Only Sorceress and Bards dress like that. On that note dibs on the outfit if it'll fit. She joked.

Also sounds in the master bedroom. She states on a serious note.


Init [roll0]


She starts at L21

[Aka-chan]

"If anyone can, the chipmunk over there has been tracking us rather intelligently for a minute. If you can speak or communicate with it, it may be wise."

"I can--" Adrimara starts to say, but is cut off as the door swings open to reveal the suit of clothing. She takes up a position at M19, and as Rauthyr (her bear) lumbers in front of her (M18), she casts Magic Fang on him.

[roll0]

[AquilaRift]

Iceni speaks the words of a spell, casually, as if saying them to someone just behind her right shoulder. Her skin seems to ripple, growing tough and reptilian, and she steps up to stand beside the druid.

Casting Barkskin, moving to L19.
I have to drop my concentration on Detect Spirits in order to cast, but I'm assuming it did not reveal this thing as a spirit. Is that correct?

[stanleyindraven]

M23

Darius pulls his scythe to ready.

[roll0]

[Marlowe]

**ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXY 1=Knife-wielding Skankwear...thing.(INIT 3)
01IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII////// @=Cypher (INIT 13)
02.IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII//// @=Stephanie (INIT 12)
03..#####################// @=Adrimara (INIT 6)
04..#4.............#2...#/- B=Ursine Minion (INIT 6)
05..#..............\....#-- @=Iceni (INIT 10)
06..#..............######-- @=Darius (INIT 13)
07..#..............######-- @=Mikal (invisible) (INIT 13)
08..#..............######-- @=Pigarius (INIT 15)
09..#\####\\#############--
10..#3...#........#1....#--
11..#....#........#.....#--
12..#....#........\.....#--
13..#....#....X...#######--
14..#....#.@......#1....#--
15..#....#........#.....#--
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18..##\####1#.B#\########--
19..#2......#@@#1.......#--
20..#.......#..#........#--
21..#.......#@.#........#--
22..#.......#@.#........#--
23..#########\@##########--
[email protected]
25.........................

Party has Initiative, this time.

[Illven]

Stephanie breaks out into song.

~It's time to do the laundry, it's time to do the laundry. It's time to do the laundry. Break it over the weapon board.


Casting Inspirational boost, along with Inspire courage. Everyone gets a +3 morale bonus to attack, damage, and saves against fear.

[Cloud]

Cursing to himself in his head, Mikal wished he had Paimon or Focalor bound, or even Amon, something more useful in combat. At least when the enemy was lacking any apparent anatomy. Still the creature seemingly couldn't see through his invisibility, and maybe he could prove his worth to the wonderful Stephanie with the enchanting voice while he was at. Closing in on the...skankwear thing, he drew his morningstar, and breaking his invisibility attempted to attack the foe.

- Mikal moves to J-17, drawing his morningstar as a free action as part of his move action.
- As a standard action he attacks the skankwear (which I'm hoping is denied dexterity to AC).
- Malphas's invisibility ends, 5 round cool down.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
Sudden Strike (if for some reason it's vulnerable): [roll2]

On sudden strike technically by the RAW in ToM the anatomy clause isn't present for Malphas's sudden strike...though I personally think it's just an oversight and functions as sudden strike/precision damage should.

[stanleyindraven]

Darius holds his position, in hopes his companions will move forward and do what they need to do as the better fighters than him.

[Aka-chan]

Rauthyr moves up next to Mikal (K17), and swipes at the skankwear thing with a claw.

[roll0]
[roll1]

Spikes grow from Adrimara's quarterstaff as she casts Brambles on it, and she moves around to the other side of Mikal (going through row 16 so she doesn't take an AoO), ending up in I17.

[Marlowe]

Mikal's morningstar passes right through the gap between haltertop and pants, but there's a definite feeling of resistance, and the ...thing staggers as if struck hard. Then the bears claw tears down it's side, splitting the leather to provide an inadvertant 80s look.

The ...thing silently drops briefly to non-existent knees before rising to a guard position; the knives aren't being held nearly so boldly as before.


**ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXY 1=Knife-wielding Skankwear...thing.(INIT 3)(DAM 22)
01IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII////// @=Cypher (INIT 13)*
02.IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII//// @=Stephanie (INIT 12)*
03..#####################// @=Adrimara (INIT 6)*
04..#4.............#2...#/- B=Ursine Minion (INIT 6)*
05..#..............\....#-- @=Iceni (INIT 10)*
06..#..............######-- @=Darius (INIT 13)*
07..#..............######-- @=Mikal (invisible) (INIT 13)*
08..#..............######-- @=Pigarius (INIT 15)*
09..#\####\\#############--
10..#3...#........#1....#--
11..#....#........#.....#--
12..#....#........\.....#--
13..#....#....X...#######--
14..#....#........#1....#--
15..#....#........#.....#--
16..#....#........#.....#--
17..#....#@@B.....\.....#--
18..##\####1#..#\########--
19..#2......#@.#1.......#--
20..#.......#..#........#--
21..#.......#@.#........#--
22..#.......#@.#........#--
23..#########\@##########--
[email protected]
25.........................

Waiting on Iceni? I'll just check.

[Marlowe]

The...thing with the knives, cartwheeling smoothly, abruptly tumbles off to its left, back inside the building.

SUDDENLY!...

There's a creak of wood and hinges, and doors open at q12, q17, and O18

The figure at q12 is a set of half-rusted, half-polished half-plate armour topped with a visored helm. Greaves and bracers outline the places where its arms and legs aren't. It has a shield in one ...place where a hand should be, and a heavy woodsmans axe in the other.

The q13 figure seems to be made up of a black, loose robe over the slighter bulk of leather armour. It holds a shield and a club.

The figure in the door at O18 is comprised of an extremely fetishistic black velvet bodysuit held together with brass clasps right up one side from where ankle should be to where neck isn't. One leg and the opposite arm are missing, their places being taken with a long, high-heeled black boot and a long leather glove. It holds a staff before it.

2:[roll0]
3:[roll1]
4[roll2]


**ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXY 1=Knife-wielding Skankwear...thing.(INIT 3)(DAM 22)
01IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII////// @=Cypher (INIT 13)
02.IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII//// @=Stephanie (INIT 12)
03..#####################// @=Adrimara (INIT 6)
04..#4.............#2...#/- B=Ursine Minion (INIT 6)
05..#..............\....#-- @=Iceni (INIT 10)
06..#..............######-- @=Darius (INIT 13)
07..#..............######-- @=Mikal (invisible) (INIT 13)
08..#..............######-- @=Pigarius (INIT 15)
09..#\####\\#############-- 2 Axe wielding...thing (INIT4)
10..#3...#........#1....#-- 3 Clubby...thing (INIT13)
11..#....#........#.....#-- 4Black Velvet...thing (INIT20)
12..#....#........2.....#--
13..#....#....X.4.#######--
14..#....#........#1....#--
15..#....#........#.....#--
16..#....#........#.....#--
17..#1...#@@B.....3.....#--
18..##\####.#..#/########--
19..#2......#@.#1.......#--
20..#.......#..#........#--
21..#.......#@.#........#--
22..#.......#@.#........#--
23..#########\@##########--
[email protected]
25.........................

But wait! There's MORE!

[Marlowe]

The thing in the black velvet. Or the thing that is the black velvet. Or whatever. Moving with an eerie quietude, it slinks to p13, raises a hand sleeve, and fires a sudden blast of flame at [roll0] 1=Mikal, 2=Adrimara, 3=the bear.

[roll1] Ranged touch
[roll2] Damage.

Rauthy looks confused as the Scorching ray scorches the hair along his back, but is otherwise uninjured.

Pilgarius, Cypher, Mikal and Darius are UP!:smallsmile:

[Malak'ai]

Pilgarios weaves his way forwards through the door and his companions (moving to L-19 if possible), stearing intently at the black velvet outfit.
Stretching his arm out, index and middle finger extended towards the animated clothing and call out in loud voice.

"Hear me creature! In the name of Celestain approach! Come to me now!"

Casting Command and using the Approach Command. Will Save DC 16 to negate. If successful, the taget must, on its turn, move toward you as quickly and directly as possible for 1 round. The creature may do nothing but move during its turn, and it provokes attacks of opportunity for this movement as normal.

[stanleyindraven]

Darius moves up to M17 to enter the room proper.

[Cloud]

Not confident in his ability to chase down the skankwear being on his own through a building with possibly more enemies (and hoping that the velvet wear thing fails its save), with the appearance of the other creatures Mikal will move to help stop his allies getting surrounded and getting another attack off, against the clubby thing this time.

- Mikal moves to P17.
- Mikal attacks with his morningstar against clubby thing.

Attack Roll: [roll0]
Damage Roll: [roll1]

[Alihandros]

Still wondering exactly what these things are, Cypher will trust his instincts and stay back. He doesn't know if its that chipmunk giving him the uneasy feeling or what, but that then these clothes, something is not adding up here. Something is very very wrong. So to keep his distance he will shoot at the blackvelvetthing.


Attack:[roll0]
Critical Confirmation:[roll1]
Damage:[roll2]
Critical Damage:[roll3]

[Marlowe]

**ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXY 1=Knife-wielding Skankwear...thing.(INIT 3)(DAM 22)
01IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII////// @=Cypher (INIT 13)
02.IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII//// @=Stephanie (INIT 12)
03..#####################// @=Adrimara (INIT 6) (DAM 4)(STUNNED)
04..#4.............#2...#/- B=Ursine Minion (INIT 6) (DAM 3)
05..#..............\....#-- @=Iceni (INIT 10) (DAM 1)(STUNNED)
06..#..............######-- @=Darius (INIT 13) (DAM 7)
07..#..............######-- @=Mikal (INIT 13)
08..#..............######-- @=Pigarius (INIT 15)(DAM 1)
09..#\####\\#############-- 2 Axe wielding...thing (INIT4)
10..#3...#........#1....#-- 3 Clubby...thing (INIT13) (DAM 13)
11..#....#........#.....#-- 4Black Velvet...thing (INIT20)
12..#....#........2.....#--
13..#....#....X.4.#######--
14..#....#........#1....#--
15..#....#........#.....#--
16..#....#........#.....#--
17..#1...#@.B.@..@/3....#--
18..##\####.#..#/########--
19..#2......#@@#1.......#--
20..#.......#..#........#--
21..#.......#@.#........#--
22..#.......#@.#........#--
23..#########\\##########--
24........................-
25.........................

Mikal feels yet again that strange, spongy feeling of resistance as his morningstar comes crashing down onto the "chest" of Blackrobeclubbything, setting it to staggering nearly half-way to the ground in a bizarre way that doesn't involve bending at the knees. It reforms itself, and raises his shield to face him.

Cypher's arrow flies wide and high, clacking off the slates of the opposite roof.

Blackrobeclubbything steps back into the room, away from Mikal, and spreads its arms in a gesture of malediction. Adrimara, Adrimara's Better Half, and Iceni (EDIT: And Darius) pretty much the whole party that isn't Mikal is suddenly assailed by a dreadful spectral cacophony!

TECH: SONIC: SOUND BURST
"You Spin Me Right Round Baby Right Round Like A Record Baby Right Right Round Round..."
Adrimara takes: [roll0] Damage! Fort DC14 [roll1]
The Bear takes: [roll2] Damage! Fort DC14 [roll3]
Iceni takes: [roll4] Damage! Fort DC14 [roll5]
Pilgarius takes 1 damage!
Darius takes 7 damage!


Adrimara is STUNNED!
Iceni is STUNNED!

[OOC: Sorry Guys.:smallfrown:]

[Marlowe]

Pilgarius: Damage [roll0] Fort DC14[roll1]
Darius: Damage [roll2] Fort DC14[roll3]

[Illven]

Stephanie let out a cheer as Skanky mcknife play tumbled out of reach of the combatants.

You go girl! Rock those curves. She said for the sake of speaking and singing, bopping to her own self-supplied music.

As the Blackfetishwear lets out a ruby red ray of flame, Stephanie wolf-whistles.

Brings a whole new meaning to the word hot. She teased.

She then started stomping the ground returning to her chrous.

Let's rock. Put our hands up and rock, put our hands up and rock! She says as stone upon stone appears in I14 and I15 to P of those numbers making a wall of stone 20 feet high.


Stephanie is using the conceal spellcasting skill check and casting Silent image (Hopefully they'll think it's a real stone wall.)

Sleight of hand check [roll0]

Due to Melodic casting, I still have Inspire courage up.

[Marlowe]

**ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXY
01IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII////// @=Cypher (INIT 13)
02.IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII//// @=Stephanie (INIT 12)
03..#####################// @=Adrimara (INIT 6) (DAM 4)
04..#4.............#2...#/- B=Ursine Minion (INIT 6) (DAM 3)
05..#..............\....#-- @=Iceni (INIT 10) (DAM 1)
06..#..............######-- @=Darius (INIT 13) (DAM 7)
07..#..............######-- @=Mikal (INIT 13)
08..#..............######-- @=Pigarius (INIT 15)(DAM 1)
09..#\####\\#############-- 2 Axe wielding...thing (INIT4)
10..#3...#........#1....#-- 3 Clubby...thing (INIT13) (DAM 13)
11..#....#........#.....#-- 4Black Velvet...thing (INIT20)
12..#....#......../.....#-- =Illusionary wall
13..#....#....X...#######--
14..#....#========#1....#--
15..#....#========#.....#--
16..#....#.......2#.....#--
17..#....#@.B.@..@/3....#--
18..##\####.#.4#/########--
19..#2......#@@#1.......#--
20..#.......#..#........#--
21..#.......#@.#........#--
22..#.......#@.#........#--
23..#########\\##########--
24........................-
25.........................

Rauthyr, seeing his mistress come over all vague and staggery, remains where he is, guarding her against enemies foreign and domestic.

Axeandboardthing advances to Stephanie's illusionary wall, and hesitates for a brief second before clanking through to swing its axe at Mikal.

Attack: Damage [roll1]
CCR:[roll] 1d20+8

but just puts another notch in the wall.

Blackvelvetfetishthing placidly trots straight through the wall, right between Rauthyr and Darius to stand before Pilgarius.

[AoEs from Rauthyr and Darius! Adrimara and Iceni are no longer Stunned! Cypher! Pilgarius! Mikal! Darius! All up!]

[Aka-chan]

Rauthyr takes his Claw of Opportunity as the black velvet thing glides past.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[stanleyindraven]

Darius Spins and slices at the Velvety One.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Marlowe]

You got sneak attack damage there.

And once again, bear's claws and slinky velvet prove incompatible. Flayed by Rauthyr and Darius at the same moment, Blackvelvetfetishthing is simply shredded, the shreds of material falling abruptly to earth as whatever force was animating them vanishes.

From out of the scraps, a tiny flicker of burnt-orange-coloured energy flies away into the sky like a wayward insect, and is gone.

[Blackvelvet is Down. Repeat. Down.]

[Malak'ai]

Moving up next to Mikal, Pilgarios raises his shield before him while striking at the thing carrying the axe with an underhand thrust of his spear.

Shortspear Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
Crit Confirm (if required): [roll2]
Crit Damage (if required): [roll3]

[Marlowe]

The shortspear screeches off the patchy Half-Plate, but the Axething is obviously ineffected by it.

The empty helm swivels to look at Pilgarios reprovingly.

[Cloud]

Seeing the effect of whatever the blackrobeclubby thing did had on his companions, despite the attempted axe swing at him Mikal stepped up towards the club-thing and took another attack at it, hoping to end that threat.

- Mikal 5 ft. steps to Q17, next to number 3.
- Mikal attacks with his morningstar.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Marlowe]

The Clubbyrobething collapses in a swirl of leather and linen, the shield and club bouncing on the planked floor with some surprisingly musical DOINKS. A tiny flash of orange radiance flits out of the wreckage and flies out the door, past Pilgarios, and into the sky.


**ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXY
01IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII////// @=Cypher (INIT 13)
02.IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII//// @=Stephanie (INIT 12)
03..#####################// @=Adrimara (INIT 6) (DAM 4)
04..#4.............#2...#/- B=Ursine Minion (INIT 6) (DAM 3)
05..#..............\....#-- @=Iceni (INIT 10) (DAM 1)
06..#..............######-- @=Darius (INIT 13) (DAM 7)
07..#..............######-- @=Mikal (INIT 13)
08..#..............######-- @=Pigarius (INIT 15)(DAM 1)
09..#\####\\#############-- 2 Axe wielding...thing (INIT4)
10..#3...#........#1....#-- 3 Clubby...thing (INIT13) (DAM 13)
11..#....#........#.....#-- 4Black Velvet...thing (INIT20)
12..#....#......../.....#-- =Illusionary wall
13..#....#....X...#######--
14..#....#========#1....#--
15..#....#========#.....#--
16..#....#.......2#.....#--
17..#....#@.B.@.@.@.....#--
18..##\####.#..#/########--
19..#2......#@.#1.......#--
20..#.......#..#........#--
21..#.......#@.#........#--
22..#.......#@.#........#--
23..#########\\##########--
24........................-
25.........................

[All other PCs are UP!]

On the opposite wall of the room you're now in is a small shrine; including not only a small black metallic statue of the same goddess from the barghest's lair, but also a couple of wooden scythe-and-lightning holy symbols.

[Illven]

Stephanie moves up, continuing her epic song.


She moves in-between the bear and Darius.


~When you stub your toe,and it hurts you know. Friends are there to help you. She states gesturing for Darius to sing along.

[Alihandros]

Cypher will move to get a clear shot (hopefully). Moving inwards in the croft, away from that psychotic chipmunk that had been watching them for this entire fight.


Move to L,16
Attack:[roll0]
Critical Confirmation:[roll1]
Damage:[roll2]
Critical Damage:[roll3]

[Marlowe]

The arrow flies wide of axething's shoulder and thrums into the dining room door.

Behind you, you hear the chipmunk chitter snickeringly.

[stanleyindraven]

Darius passes a look at Stephanie before advancing to O16 to attack the axe weilder.

Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1]

[Aka-chan]

After Cypher takes his shot, Adrimara steps up next to Darius (M17, I think?). A small flame appears in her palm, and she flings it at the axe-thing. Rauthyr then moves up to what looks like O16 (in front of axe-thing and next to Pilgarius) and has a go with a claw.

Ranged touch attack from Produce Flame: [roll0]
Produce Flame damage: [roll1]
*I didn't forget the attack bonus from Steph's song; it's just canceled out exactly by the penalty for firing into melee. I did add in the damage bonus.*
Remaining duration on Produce Flame: 3 minutes (or 3 more attacks)

Rauthyr's claw attack: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

[AquilaRift]

Iceni shakes off the effects of the spell like a dog emerging from water. Without pausing to talk, she moves past Pilgarios and takes a swing at the last remaining empty set of clothes.

Move to P17, attack with quarterstaff.
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Marlowe]

Darius's sickle CLANGS of metal and Adrimara's flamebolt flies wide, but the flailing claw of Rauthyr scourges the thing down one arm, and Iceni's staff strikes against something unseen, not-quite solid under the armpit.

Axething seems to stagger, then swings its axe again at Pilgarius.

Attack
Damage [roll]18+2

[Marlowe]

Let's try that again.

[roll0]

Pilgarios takes 3 damage!
Pilgarios is slightly bruised!
All PCs are up again!

[Cloud]

With the club sound-using thing dead, Mikal got a good look of the shine in the room. While admittedly curious about the fact that the statue seemed to match the one from when they fought the Barghest, he for now was more concerned about the last of the visible animated sets of clothing, an axe wielding one (not to mention the 'skankwear' that was injured and possibly still here somewhere, and who knows what else). Shifting his weight on his feet he swung an attack at the creature, though given the awkward angle he'd have to be fortunate for a blow to connect.

- Mikal attacks the Axe wielding...thing, it benefiting from cover (+4 AC).
- Invisibility 2 round cool down.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Marlowe]

The morningstar's chain hits the rim of Axethings shield and the spiked head swings down viciously to strike the figure where the chin should be. Axething collapses in a clatter of sub-par ironmongery; a tiny spark of burnt orange energy shooting off into the sky from the remains.

The chipmunk makes a loud chitter.

[Illven]

Stephanie walks up to Mikal beaming.

You did great. You were like a one man wrecking squad. She stated.

I'd give a pat on the shoulder.... But I'm not sure I can reach.

[Alihandros]

"Adrimara, there's a chipmunk in the tree by the entrance, it has been watching us this entire time, and getting more excited as we went on it seems. It's just odd that an animal like that would take such keen interest in those like us."

[AquilaRift]

"The thing with the knife fled, back into the building. It may be lying in wait. We should make sure it is dead before seeing to this... chipmunk." Iceni looks at Mikal and Stephanie; though her mouth barely twitches, she somehow gives the impression of suppressing a gag reflex. "Mikal. Can you vanish again?"

[Aka-chan]

"You're right, that's not normal behavior for a chipmunk--all the shouting and singing and clanging should have sent it running for cover. But I agree with Iceni; we should deal with that...leather-knife thing...first. If <hunter's name> and his family are holed up in the house somewhere, they could be in danger from it."

[Cloud]

"Thanks," returning the broad smile he received from the bard with one of his own, the influence of the pact making him forget; at least for a moment; all about the sign of the same vestige. "Though I think it was largely luck, and of course your uplifting, inspiring song." Though he was about to continue, looking rather relaxed and happy when there was still fighting to do, a shrine to investigate, and a family; quite possibly the remains of one; to find, the words of Iceni seemed to snap him out of something, looking away from Stephine and towards the door of the room the knife-wielding animated clothing thing had retreated into.

"No, not yet, I need to...rest, a bit longer, soon though," while that wasn't strictly true, in that using the abilities of vestiges didn't wear himself out in any way, it was simplest way to explain it, particularly when he didn't know the actual answer himself (though he hypothesized that vestiges not being part of this universe anymore could only overtly interfere with it so frequently, regardless of a pact to open the way for them). "Maybe we should split up and go through the door it fled through and the north door, catching it in a flank? If we do, I should probably stick with you, Stephine." Mikal glancing back at the shrine quickly spoke up again, "Also after we deal with the knife one and the ah...chipmunk, there is a shrine in there that is like the one we found after slaying the Barghest."

[Illven]

Stephanie nods. We'll split into two packs? Me, Mikal, and Adrimara in one group, the rest of you into a second group? She suggested, calling Adrimara over, and standing close to Mikal.

[Aka-chan]

"That sounds like a good idea to me," Adrimara says, and she and Rauthyr walk over to join Stephanie and Mikal.

[Marlowe]

Iceni, Cypher, Darius, and Pilgarios discover that the double doors (at 09IJ) are barricaded from the opposite side. They show marks of a number of axe-blows, but the wood is both hard and thick. There's a bit of give, and it feels like a decent shoving by enough people could probably get them open in time.

Passing through the doorway at 18J, the others find themselves in a room full of barrels, foodbins, meathooks and other indications that this probably isn't the library. The place is a mess, with artfully slashed/damaged clothing items and foodstuffs lying everywhere as though a major brawl occurred. No bodies or blood. The remains of a black lace body-stocking, looking half-eaten away as if by acid, is a particular eye-opener.

A door is swinging open at 18E, from memory that should be the kitchen.

[Illven]

Stephanie chuckles at the black lacing.

Damn, Apparently it's a whole family of sorceress. She joked, listening at the kitchen door.


Listen [roll0]

[Marlowe]

Stephanie hears a faint scritch, as though leather scraping over wood.

It seems to have come from the kitchen, very close, and above the doorjamb.

[Illven]

Something, above and behind the door. Stephanie stated, pointing to the door.

[AquilaRift]

Iceni raps her knuckles on the barricaded door. "Huh. We should have brought the bear. Help me with this." She sets her shoulder against it and heaves, though to no effect.

Strength check to force the door: [roll0]

[Cloud]

As he entered the room and heard Stephaine's joke, Mikal couldn't help but to let out a quiet laugh, only not replying or being more boisterous given the fact they were tracking down an injured enemy. Nodding as she pointed out a source of noise, if he couldn't go invisible he'd just have to rely on Malphas's other ability to see unseen, a raven appearing perched on his shoulder (the previous one flying around the croft vanishing) and seemingly without command it took flight and went into the kitchen. Under her advice he was looking and listening through the bird, and having it fly so he could check behind and above the door.

[Marlowe]

As the raven flaps through the portal, a humanoid shape of leather and metal studs leaps down from on top of the doorframe, knives drawn to strike.

Fortunately, the Skankything had obviously been expecting to strike at a humanoid figure, not a small flying bundle of feathers, and misses the tiny creature entirely. Landing in the middle of the doorway, it whirls to face Mikal, Stephanie, and Adrimara.

[ And we'll just keep using the initiative from before]

[Illven]

Stephanie groaned in disappointment.

Damnation, that outfit won't fit me. The chest is about right. She starts gesturing to the skank-wear's chest area.

But the shorts are all wrong, and the outfit is too big for me. Wouldn't be nearly as enticing if I wore it. She continued, waving her hand over the rest of the creature.

Ah well, let's put it down. She says shooting up with energy again.


Stephanie will move up and attack

[roll0]
[roll1]
If threat, rolling for confirm.
[roll2]
[roll3]

[Alihandros]

"Here, let me try."


Strength Check:[roll0]

[Marlowe]

The longsword tears into the leather, bisecting the skimpy top and sending the bizarre thing collapsing to the floor. A tiny mote of orange energy flies from the pile past Stephanie, out the door, and into the sky. You all feel a great disturbance in the force, as though a million jokes around the word "cleavage" cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.

Beyond, the kitchen is less of a mess than the storeroom, but still looks as though somebody was interrupted in the process of doing something. Mikal's raven is helping itself to a mess of half-cooked bacon on the stove, there's a large metal fork stuck into the doorframe leading to the storeroom, and assorted ingredients and cooking utensils have not been put away. Very different from Fhairoa's style as you saw it yesterday.

Although now you mention it, you never actually saw her doing any cleaning. Everything just was.

At the double doors, Cypher's shove sends the door groaning inward painfully slowly, with a rumble and crash from the other side as things shift around. Looks like a bit more backs in it will get the things open.

[Illven]

Stephanie jumps up.

Woo! Got one. She cheered.

Wonder what happened here. She mused as she walked over to the other side of the kitchen to open the door.

[Marlowe]

And Stephanie promptly finds that the kitchen's northern door is barricaded from the other side, and will not open.

[Illven]

Stephanie pounds the door,

Take down the barricades. She orders.

[Illven]

Stephanie starts to try to break open the door herself.


[roll0]


And winces. Ah! My wrist. She complains shaking her hand.

[Aka-chan]

"You okay?" Upon confirming that Stephanie isn't hurt, Adrimara steps back and lets Rauthyr try to bash the door in.

[roll0]

[Marlowe]

Rauthyr adopts a quizzical look, as though it's just occurred to him the oddness of people who live in a forest making doorframes large enough to allow a bear easy access, but rams himself into the door obediently.

On the other side, a collection of smoothed pine furniture groans and shifts, and then topples down with a clatter. The door swings open, and Rauthyr enters the dining room. Nothing spring out at him.

To the right, you can hear Cypher and the rest pounding on the main double doors. The pile of chairs and tables blocking the doors from the north side seems about to collapse.

The room itself is a bit raddled. Most of the furniture you dined at the previous evening has been piled up to form the improvised barricades. The furs that covered the walls have been dislodged in many places.

A pretty blue summer dress is stuck to the left wall, impaled by longbow arrows.

On the wall opposite the main entrance, some words have been chalked in large, angular letters. They read "I COULD HAVE PREPARED EXPLOSIVE RUNES THIS MORNING".

In the near right corner of the room, a wolfskin has been torn from the wall to reveal a rather strange metalwork fixture that had been hidden the previous evening. It resembles a cluster of snakes, cast in a bronze-looking alloy, radiating widdershins out from a central eye.

Sorry for rushing things a little. I wanted to end this business with the doors pretty quickly. Also, yes it is odd that Rauthyr can fit through the doors, but it would pose too many problems if he couldn't.

[Illven]

Stephanie wanders over to the blue summer dress. Pulling the arrows off the wall, and the dress along with it.

Think this would look good on me? She asks her two companions holding it up to herself.

[Cloud]

If the bird had any real intelligence of its own it might have been annoyed at nearly getting stabbed, but instead it just landed nearby as Mikal went back to focusing on his own vision as the Skankwear got ready for a fight...and immediately destroyed by the energetic bard. For now he didn't need the birds' eyes so he let it be, instead smiling and patting Stephanie on the shoulder, though quickly got out of the way to let the bear do its thing.

The barricade out of the way the room beyond truly was bizarre at a customary glance...so it probably would help to have the others in here. First though the most pressing; grinning Mikal answered, "I think you'd look divine in anything, but that one might have one too many arrow holes. We should see about letting the others in." The binder moving over towards the barricade and taking apart would he could from this end, his mind racing as he worked to see if he remembered if the cluster of snakes held a special meaning.

- Mikal can turn invisible again, whoo.
- Knowledge Religion on the "cluster of snakes, cast in a bronze-looking alloy, radiating widdershins out from a central eye": [roll0]
- I'm not sure if taking down bits of the barricade from this side actually needs a check, but just in case it does, strength check: [roll1]

[Illven]

Stephanie beamed.

Thank you, Mikal. You're so sweet. She stated, putting the sundress over her shoulder as she helped Mikal with the barricade.

[Marlowe]

There's no great difficulty in removing the furniture blocking the main doors, and in a couple of seconds they burst open under the shoulders of the other group, leaving Mikal and Stephanie face-to-face with Cypher if that's anyones idea of a good time.

The tables and chairs, now that you're seeing them not covered in cloth and skins as they were yesterday, have an oddly uniform look. They're all smoothly curved and identically styled pieces of smoothed but unpolished red pine held together by bright brass studs. They look like the sort of thing you'd see in a comfortable urban merchant's parlor rather than in a "hunters croft" in a forest infested by Spiders and Barghests and Things.

You don't recognise the symbol, although you've seen the same device before. On a ring worn by one of the Disemboweling Thrust's younger barmaids/entertainers.

In the distance, there's a distant crash. As if a tree falling in the forest. Does it make a sound? Well, yes. You just heard it. So there.

[Illven]

Should we investigate that crash. Or the house, first? Stephanie asked the group, blue dress still slung over the shoulder.

[Aka-chan]

"We should do at least a cursory search to see if the family's still here and make sure there aren't any more hostiles. And Steph, I can cast Mending on that dress later if you really want it."

I wondered about Rauthyr getting through the kitchen doorway too, but you didn't say anything about it, and I figured it might just be another weird thing about Spinnehalko.

[Illven]

Stephanie cheered, and lunged at Adrimara hugging her.

That would be great. Thanks She beamed.

[Alihandros]

Cypher will try and see what he knows, if he knows anything, the weird things lately are starting to get to him.


Knowledge Arcana:[roll0]
Knowledge Religion:[roll1]

Sense Motive:[roll2]<---on the chipmunk

[Illven]

After the hug, Stephanie starts looking around the cleared rooms.

Think I should sing the searching song? She asks the group


Search [roll0]

[AquilaRift]

"We should find the family first. Alive or dead. If whatever made that noise is dangerous, it'll probably find us."
In response to Stephanie's question, Iceni gives her a long look before saying "...If you must."

[Marlowe]

"...SEARCH, SEARCH, SEARCH THE POSSIBLY HAUNTED BUILDING!"

The boys bedroom, from which Clubbyrobething had come, contains a small shrine to the aforesaid unknown sensibly-armoured, dramatically-cloaked, scythe-wielding goddess. The shrine itself is little more than a stand for a small silver idol, on the sides of which are rather businesslike iron clasps that look as though they might have held weapons. There's also a number of undyed leather clothing items such as might have been worn by the young woodsman, now predictably bearing severe cuts and rents. There's a copy of "The Art of Wayne England" fixed to the wall. It appears to have been used for knife-throwing practice.

The large, master bedroom, from which Blackvelvetthing emerged, is dominated by a surprisingly ornate four-poster double bed, its posts and headboard carved with Fey-looking creatures doing PG-rated things to each other and R-rated things to other things. There's a small hearth, filled with black paper remains as though some letters have been recently burned. Beneath a large and shuttered window is a very large bird's perch, as though someone was keeping a rather large bird. Some feathers are in evidence. Again, damaged clothing is much strewn about. Including some items of feminine underwear that appear to have been missing some important structural elements even before they were damaged.

The third and smallest bedroom -- the girls, you were told -- is dominated by a large armour stand and a bench filled with wire brushes, oily rags, oil flasks, brass wire and other implements of a mystifying nature. The actual bed is a loft arrangement a good seven feet off the floor, just under the ceiling, with no obvious ladder. A punching bag hangs beneath it. It appears to have been used with utmost brutality. A copy of "Girly Boys and Boyish Girls Go Mad in Sigil" is lying on the floor, while a copy of "Girly Boys and Boyish Girls Kill Kender" is soaking up oil on the bench.

[Illven]

Not much interesting. Stephanie replies after the search.

Besides that fey picture. She chuckles.

[Marlowe]

Oh, yes.

You do not recognise the snaky-eye thing as anything relating to religion, but you do think you've seen a variation on it on a ring that one of the younger barmaids in the village wears.

You also get the feeling that as you look at the snaky-eye thing, the snaky eye thing also looks at you.

The chipmunk is far too smooth for you to discern its motives. It's cunning malignity is obviously of a diabolical level

[Aka-chan]

"This is really strange," Adrimara says. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we haven't found any bodies--but if the family managed to flee, who barricaded these doors from the inside?" Thinking for a moment, she adds, "Do any of you know what to look for regarding secret trapdoors and the like?"

More out of curiosity than anything else, she examines the feathers beneath that large bird perch, wondering what kind of avian they were keeping.

[roll0]

[Marlowe]

Golden Eagle feathers. Probably from a Golden Eagle, on which Golden Eagle feathers are most often found.

[AquilaRift]

"I could track them through a forest," Iceni says. "But here?" She shakes her head. "It's like they vanished into the air." She pokes at a couple of random points on the wall with her staff, to show willing, but she's clearly out of her element.

Search check: [roll0]

[Marlowe]

As Iceni's staff hits the apparently wooden wall next to the eye-and-snake thing, the result is a metallic CLANG.

[Illven]

Perhaps we should tell the citizens of Spinnehalko? Stephanie suggests.

Maybe they have rumors that will help us track them down?

[Malak'ai]

"What ever path we take now, I suggest we take a few moments to get our barings." Pilgarios says while looking thoughtfully at the emblem on the wall. "While many of Lord Celestain's clerics and priests would urge you to rush headlong onto the unknown trail, I personally believe that to explore new paths the best, you must go slow, learn where to place ones foot before taking the next step."

Knowledge Religion: [roll0]

Once again, seeing if he knows anything about this symbol.

[Marlowe]

As Pilgarios stares in the snake-haloed eye, he doesn't recognise it as any holy or unholy symbol that he remembers. It does occur to him vaguely that CLANG is a funny sort of sound for wood to be making.

[Malak'ai]

"There's something not right about the wall behind this symbol, maybe someone who hasn't spent years staring into the sun should have a look." Pilgarios says, then starts chuckling, "Hells, I don't wear shirts with buttons anymore because I can never find the damned buttonholes."

[Illven]

Stephanie listens at the wall for any sounds.


Listen [roll0]

[Marlowe]

The wall is cold upon your ear, but you can hear two voices speaking low to each other, though many words are echoing and indistinct.

"....too long, why can't we.."

"Better...they do this themse..."

"No, no it..and...long enough. I can't believe they haven't..."

"...Not every....can do that all the time."

"They only...to do it once. Once. Time...not long."

This voice is female, and you haven't heard it before. This voice sounds a bit like Gundred and Fhairoa's son. Only he said all of two sentences last night.

[Illven]

Hollow crevice beyond. I think it's Fhairoa's son Stephanie whispered to the group.

[Marlowe]

"there...can hear us. Can we...now?"

"course they can hear us, acoustics in this place have...been nice. And you're not that quietest, sister dear.

"...sake of gleaming blood-soaked Silence, the door is right there! Why are we waiting on them?"

"It's probably one of those things that'll make sense when we're older."

"Really? Did you see Ensign Fhairoa rolling her eyes when..."

[Illven]

You can come on out. It's safe now. Stephanie said soothingly.


Diplomacy [roll0]

[Marlowe]

"Hear that, they think it's safe....going to be feeling silly in about twelve minutes"

"not going to be feeling...in about twelve minutes...Not going to work this out are they?"

"Not now they know we're here."

"Right".

Abruptly, the snake-eye thing revolves a quarter-turn counter-clockwise with a series of sharp metal ticks, then the wall behind it slides to the right with a metallic scream. Behind it is a tunnel winding down and to the right into darkn-

A voice shouts; "Lights!

...into dark, bloody redness like light soaked through bloo-

A voice shouts; "Other lights!"

...into dusky, twilight spirals of dressed stone and shadow.

There's a faint smell of oil and iron. From out of shadow to one side of the entrance, a young man in black studded leather armour steps quietly, a longbow held loosely. "You might as well come down." he says calmly. "Those things are all over the village. We got our orders half-an-hour ago and we're just waiting on you. Miss Fhairoa's going to detonate this place very soon."

[AquilaRift]

Iceni fixes the newcomer with a gaze like flint. "Explain what is happening first. I don't follow strangers under the earth without knowing why, not if every sock and rag-end in a hundred miles were acting like mad ghosts."

[Marlowe]

The newcomer shrugs and takes a step forward into the room. It's definitely Gundred's "son", Jurgen. But he looks rather different clad in the heavily sculptured black leather than he did in the homespun and furs last evening. A symbol of a scythe crossed with a lightning bolt, identical to some symbols in the Barghests lair, gleams like silver at his throat. "I really do not know much more than you. Clothes keep getting up and attacking. Started this morning. Apparently it's not just happening here. We pulled back to House Dogma to await orders. Got them, but Fhairoa decided to wait for you anyway."

He looks aslant behind him. "Gratha? You can stop that now."

A well-built Half-Orc girl, in leathers of the same style as his but noticably a tighter fit, drops down from above the newly-revealed entrance. "Gratha now, is it?" she purrs. "Not "sis"? So we're not pretending to be brother and sister anymore?" She moves next to him and sidles into his personal space. "So we're not pretending to be brother and sister anymore." She sounds suddenly throaty.

"I'm still gay and you're still fourteen", he says shortly. "Ladies? Gentlemen? Time presses, night gathers, and Ensi-Miss Fhairoa is not the sort you want to bet on not making a gigantic explosion."

[Alihandros]

"So what's going on here. This place is going to blow up, your whole "family" is dead? And why do you work with the witch Fhairoa? What does this have to do with the barghest we've slain, and why is that damnable chipmunk still observing us?"

[Illven]

And why were you pretending to be siblings? Stephanie replied.

[Aka-chan]

"My guess is, the chipmunk's someone's familiar or animal companion," Adrimara says. "And Jurgen called Fhiora 'ensign', so clearly this is some kind of militia."

[Marlowe]

The half-orc girl and the young man exchange a glance which manages to communicate "As much as you're a pain to be around, at least you're not these guys" and then proceed to start trying to explain everything at once.

"Who the frell said anything about my family being dea-"

"-if that's true, can I avoid having my cheeks pulled by Aunt Haman next-"

"-Mum is very much alive. Not Fhairoa Macksen, my real-"

""-Witch?", don't let hear you say that. Gratha's a Witch-"

""Female Eldritch Channeler!!!""

"-Mother Gabriel's a Witch-"

"-HEY!"

"Fhairoa's a seventh-class Schooled Arcanist-"

""L-7 S-Arc Spec. Necro." So there."

"-the Barghest's just routine, I think.You'd have to ask Gundred-"

"-If you're going to call me a Witch I'm going to wear the skimpy clothes-"

"Didn't we kill all the skimpy clothes?"

"I restrained the red leather number!"

"Sweet merciful Annihilation...Chipmunk?"

"Fuzzy the Terrible, Destroyer of Worlds!"

"Oh, right. Gundred uses such things as sensors. Again, ask him. Griffith is down in House Dogma."

"And we're pretending to be a family because that's the standard covert procedure!"

"Only somebody forgot to take into account Gratha's ethnicity. Awkwardness all round-"

"Mum wanted me close-"

"Most people around are in on it anyway, it only became an issue when you lot turned up-"

""Militia?" OK, that'll do."

"Does anyone have any more questions they consider asking more important than not dying?"

[Illven]

Ohh. Can I keep the red leather? Think it would fit me? Stephanie joked.

Then her face falls

But no seriously, in on what? Do you people just pretend to be families, why?

[Marlowe]

"--sure wish I was just pretending to be related to Haman "Kahn" Vavasour--"

"Suppose the fact that Gundred and Fhairoa have been going at it like weasels since she got seconded from the Fleet made people think it would be a workable cover," says the Half-Orc. "Also, no you may not have it. No, it wouldn't fit you. And I'd put away that little summerdress before my Mum sees you with it."

[AquilaRift]

"If there are going to be explosions, we should go with them," Iceni says. "I'll wait for my explanation till both of them can stop trying to talk at the same time." She gestures with her staff. "Lead on."

[Illven]

Stephanie put down the dress sulking.

I should totally get that. She said pointing to the outfit she killed.

Spoils of war. She pouted.

[Marlowe]

"I didn't say you couldn't have it. I said don't let my mum see you with it." Says the Half-Orc. "She did make it for me, even if she keeps underestimating my assets" She's sounding a little smug. "Anyway, if we're talking spoils of war, it should be Jurgen's."

"I don't have the legs for it." Jurgen sounds quite used to this sort of suggestion. "Anyway, your shaman has the right idea. We off?"

[Illven]

Yay! Stephanie now hugs the Half Orc. Thank you. She beams.

[Marlowe]

Hugging Gratha is a little like wrapping your arms around a sun-warmed rock, although there's a fair bit of bounce in the chest area if that's what Stephanie is into.

The Half-Orcs arms tense, and with a sound like steel on stone a set of foot-long claws extend from her hands, their blades a smoky, dull black that burns red at the core. She holds them away from Stephanie, her eyes half-closed and her jaw set as she apparently waits for the Bard to let go.

Jurgen looks around and down with a look of mild interest at the interchange, and then says brightly; "Well, isn't this nice and cute. I'm sure there's something clever I could be saying right now, but it's so hard to focus with all this cuteness around. I think we're done here. Rearguard, Gratha"
And steps back into the darkness of the steps behind with a snakelike swiftness. Either the shadows move to follow him or he's very good at finding where they are.

Gratha gets her claws under control and--very carefully--gives Stephanie a pat on the back with her left hand. It smells like metal and cleaning fluid and feels like getting slapped with a ham. "There, there. I can imagine how you must be feeling after hanging around with this lot; and I don't know what you've heard about my mum, but I prefer boys. Hurry up please, it's time."

[Cloud]

Not being particularly useful at the whole searching for trap doors and fake walls thing, his limited skill range being more useful for well, talking to people after his knowledge turned up nothing, he settled for instead lettings himself get distracted by Stephaine's song, a faint blush on his face from her kind words earlier; up until she apparently heard people behind a wall, his interest being piqued.

When those behind it finally made themselves known, well, there was plenty of questions to ask and even more weirdness, but beyond anything else Mikal had a strong imperative to not be anywhere near any place that was about to 'detonated'.

"As curious as I am about well...pretty much everything going on in this place, I tend to find explosives are counter-productive to successful conversation, can we please get the Hells out of here?" Mikal falling into place (next to the lovely Stephaine, of course) and ready to move off when everyone else was.

[Illven]

At first, on impulse after feeling Gratha's warm hard body, she sighs contently at the warmth somewhat like a cat. Her head absent mindly reaches for her breasts as the likely only soft spot on the half orc.

Seeing them jiggle, her face probably already in them, her conscious mind once again takes to the front, and blushes.


As they start to walk, Stephanie wraps an arm around the half orc's waist, like a salesman trying to make a sale.

You know, with a chest that big. You should try being a bard. She suggests.

[Marlowe]

Gratha looks down at Stephanie and pats her on the head. "You are very cute.", she smiles. What big teeth she has. "Maybe I should have you bronzed". And then she proceeds to climb up the wall and onto the ceiling with spiderlike speed, looking down on the party as they descend the stairs.

The dusky, shadowed, stairs that spiral down into autumnal twilight, the party preceded by a young man who flits from shadow to shadow like a shadowy flitting thing.

What could go wrong?

[Illven]

Yes, there should be more statues of me. Stephanie replied.

[Alihandros]

"Why again are we trusting these people?" Cypher wonders to himself. He will follow along cautiously hoping that this will not lead to something like when he had arrived at the city. Keeping his thoughts to himself, he will make sure to try and keep both of them within his field of vision.

[AquilaRift]

"We outnumber them," Iceni mutters. "Besides, if they're right, staying aboveground is far more dangerous. "

[Aka-chan]

Adrimara can't help but smile at Grautha and Stephanie as she and Rauthyr follow everyone else down into the darkness.

[Malak'ai]

Pilgarios follows his companions while wondering about the icons on the and in the cave. They appear religious, but he has no recolection of ever having seen or heard about them before.

[Marlowe]

The party winds through an atmospherically evocative though anticlimactically brief descent down several spirals of ruddy-lit stone steps, eventually disgorging into a similarly-built corridor running eastward, as far as you can tell. Gratha, from the shadows on the ceiling above and behind the party, keeps up a probably dismissible chatter; "The house was built by someone with at least a vague idea of the planned aesthetic, even if he went and used tropical woods that are completely wrong for the cool temperate biome, but Dogma was seconded out to some daft dabbler who likes granite with everything. A little embarrassing but you know what happens with bureaucracy, especially the sort of bureaucracy where nobody stands still long enough to write anything down--"

--until you emerge into a high-ceilinged, septahedral chamber lit by an oddly rippling light from above. Gundred is standing in the center before a large, faceted crystal glowing a pale green. He, at least, still looks like a woodsman. Although rather more tooled-up than you saw him last. A large golden eagle is perched on an armoured shoulderguard on his left side, and gives Rauthyr a steely glance as you enter.

Fhairoa's ensemble, dominated by a long, high-shouldered black coat with conspicuous brazen hourglass symbols on shoulders and cuffs, is a little more hard to reconcile. She has a rapier and a book at her belt, and a crossbow across her back. She is standing on the other side of the chamber, before a set of glowing lines of runes blazing across one of the wall faces. As you watch, a line at the top vanishes and a new line at the bottom appears, the other symbols moving up a line to match.

[OOC: Can anyone read Sylvan? Yup. Two of you can. I was leaving that as a surprise for myself.]

Gundred looks away from his crystal at you. "You made it. Congratulations." He says shortly.

[Marlowe]

The runes that Fhairoa is looking at are in Sylvan, and read as follows:

[Anachren Vincenza:Vicar of Destruction] Inn's cleared again. That was fun. No serious injuries, but how many sets of fetish underwear did those girls own?

[Rikael Scryra:Castillar]Too many, I did the approbations myself. Fall back to Citadel and don't get bogged down.

[Anachren Vincenza: Vicar of Destruction] More around the armoury. You sure I can't make them go boom?

[Bethlen Gabriel: Monitora] I'm sure you can. I won't let you. Fall back. We have weirder problems.

[Rikael Scrya: Castillar] What could be weirder than a sartorial pseudoconstruct apocalypse? Has the Elemental Plane of Chocolate Sprinkles declared war? I just had to kill my second-best clothes.

[Bethlen Gabriel: Monitora] Maze Local Genius just had an attempt to usurp it's higher command functions. Identication was Devadoris, Melana.

[Anachren Vincenza: Vicar of Destruction] HOW DOES SHE EVEN HAVE COMMAND PRIVILEGES?

[Bethlen Gabriel: Monitora] She doesn't. But the seniority of her name was never revoked. The Genius shut her out of Command Dogma but a lot of the lower functions were scrambled in the process. It's already dismissed most of the Shadows in case they went haywire.

[Rikael Scyra: Castillar] Well, that's just awkward.

[Anachren Vincenza: Vicar of Destruction] At least we know who to blame for this mess. That's always an excellent start.

[Fhairoa Macksen: Annex-Ensign] They're here. The outlanders.

[Bethlen Gabriel: Monitora] The who?

[Rikael Scrya: Castllar] Oh, THEM. Bring them to Ravelin or send them here. I'm in no mood to play simple country sheriff right now.

[Fhairoa Macksen: Annex-Ensign] Understood

And then the runes vanish, and she turns and faces you.

[Illven]

Stephanie had been enthusiastically talking with Gratha, trying to switch the topic to bard college and the wonders it held.

When they get to Fhairoa.

Stephanie, dress already stowed away smiles and waves at Fhairoa

Hey. How are you doing? Besides having the clothes attack.


Diplomacy to improve disposition [roll0]

[Marlowe]

[Of course, the problem with a diplomacy check is that once you've made one, everyone else clams up so not to get mud in the Face.

Also, we won't have a minute right now, so hold that roll]

Fhairoa gives you a pretty clear can-we-do-this-thing-later look and taps a segment of wall. Which abruptly isn't there anymore. A roomy corridor, well-lit by odd smokeless torches, opens up there instead.
Gratha and Jurgen, entirely without comment, pick up a couple of haversacks on the floor and shrug them onto their backs. Gundred, still not keeping his eyes off you, cups the crystal between his hands. It shrinks to minute dimensions, and he removes it from its iron stand and places it in a pocket.

You notice that the corners of the room are full of shelves and stands, currently cleared of obvious content except for a ragged copy of "Tome and Blood: A Guidebook for Wizards and Sorcerors" and a newer copy of "Hordes of the Abyss" with eyeglasses and a beard drawn on the Marilith.

"We", says Fhairoa with an air of someone thinking hard about making things as simple as possible. "Are going down that corridor, which exits to the forest about half-a-mile to the east. After that, we are under orders--which we shall follow--to proceed to Ravelin--to Mother Gabriel's residence. You are welcome to accompany us there, and chat on the way. Or you may attempt to get back to the village, which is currently ground zero for this--infestation. However you choose, I do suggest to leave with us now because we currently at ground zero for something else." She turns to Gundred, who's already moved to the corridor entrance, his longbow out, and nods.

Jurgen and Gundred promptly move off into the corridor. Gratha looks excited. "I want to watch".

"There won't be much to see, cadet, but you can take rearguard."

"Goody!" She draws herself up and attempts to look official. "All right. You all heard that officer of the Fleet. Let's move out before before we check out."

[AquilaRift]

Iceni looks around, but passes no comment on the unusual surroundings. She moves to follow the others and restricts herself to one question. "What fleet are you speaking of? We're," she struggles to recall Spinnehalko's geographic location, gives up, and settles for "...miles from any ocean I know."

[Marlowe]

"Astralfleet Baduila", says Gratha breathlessly. "Third Heavy Scouting Group. She was number three on a corvette, and at Blackmoor Gate, she rammed-"

"I invalidated myself into this posting after I crashed my temporary command into a Githyanki Carrack, my seniors being incapacitated. It seemed like a good idea at the time". Fhairoa sounds a little embarrassed.

"I have to say", says Gundred's voice up near the front. "For a service that prides itself on skilful tactics, careful husbandry of resources, and meticulous strategic analysis, you sure do spend a lot of time crashing things into other things."

"And making stuff blow up" says Jurgen from the shadows that seem to pop up wherever he walks.

"I think it's awesome." says Gratha, from the ceiling.

[Illven]

Will that roll be saved for later?


Stephanie nods.

Let's follow them. Spinnehalko sucks anyway. No statue or anything. She pouted.

[Aka-chan]

"I think we should follow them too," Adrimara says. "It seems like the best way to figure out what's going on."

[Alihandros]

"I concur, though I wonder when they are going to explain what had happened within the town, with us, and why the townsfolk were so interested in us." "And maybe one of them will know what happened to me" Cypher thought to himself.

[Illven]

"I concur, though I wonder when they are going to explain what had happened within the town, with us, and why the townsfolk were so interested in us." "And maybe one of them will know what happened to me" Cypher thought to himself.

You mean in you guys right? Stephanie replied. I mean. I do have a P.H.D. in being awesome.

[Alihandros]

"Right, and what can you remember before coming to the town 20 some days ago hmmm? Can you remember what your parents looked like or what they do? Can you remember the name of the tavern you sang at first upon your own? I cannot recall much of my past that I know, but I know though that this was not my home, as much as whatever they did wants it to seem to be. So that is a question I would love answered, and the sooner the better, and more likely I'll go along with whatever they're needing us for."

[Illven]

Stephanie's face instantly falls.

Aw.... That's so sad. She states pulling Cypher into a hug.

[AquilaRift]

"However 'sad' it may be, Cypher is right. I remember the smell of the trees where I came from, I remember every stream and rill so well I could walk through the forest blindfolded and never stumble. I remember every turf-roofed town I wandered through when I left. And I remember living here. But in between?" She holds out her hand, palm up, with spread fingers, and mimes sand draining through it. "Nothing."

Privately, she wonders what a Ph.D. is, but damned if she's going to look ignorant in front of Stephanie.

[Illven]

Really. I remember till about a month before coming here. Stephanie replied.

[AquilaRift]

"Aye, I think my memory is the same. I remember my childhood well enough, at least. Cypher seems to have lost more than the rest of us." Iceni raises an eyebrow in his direction. "It's hard to tell, though. When I don't think about it, I don't even realize there is a gap."

[Alihandros]

Looking uncomfortable with the embrace, and hoping his magic stays strong through this, he will try what he can.

"See, that's what I mean, I remember bits and pieces of my tutelage, and some other bits, but the majority is when I was hunting in the woods before I came upon the town."

Hearing Iceni talk, he ponders more, separating him from Stephanie's warm embrace thankful for the magic holding up.

"I have random flashes, never of the same things, yet always of the same thing if that makes sense. My tutelage was not easy, but some of what I am recalling is not things that I was taught, as well as things that have happened within that span, I don't know how or why they happened, but I would like to find out, and it seems that these people are the best bets that we have on finding out our past, and how to secure our future for the time being."

[Marlowe]

Fhairoa turns her head. "We did get a briefing of sorts about you, somewhat lacking in nouns and pronouns. A very brief briefing you could say--

"More of a thonging" says Gratha.

"Thank you for the underwear-related pun, young lady. I'm sure we won't be hearing too many of those toda-"

There's a disappointingly muted POP from behind you, followed by a very close crash of thunder and a rush of wind down the corridor past you. If you look back the way you've come; it seems you can now see daylight gleaming behind you, and hear a sudden rush of water.

Gundred looks annoyed. "You went and nicked the stream with the kill-radius didn't you?"

Fhairoa touches her forehead. "Deliberately, to cover up the evidence--"

"Yes, because perfectly hemispherical lakes are a totally natural thing", says Jurgen from somewhere dark.

[Illven]

See. Stephanie replied jumping up and patting Gratha on the shoulder

It's comments like those that make me think you'll be a wonderful bard.

[Marlowe]

"Anyway" says Fhairoa, getting the conversation back on track with an obvious effort of will. "It seems fairly simple. You people know something. Or you knew something but you don't know now. Some people want to know what you knew but don't know that you don't know now, and we know that they know that you knew what they want to know. We don't personally know what it was that you knew, at least not now, but we expect to know what you knew when we get some news from those in the know. It was hoped that putting you in here now, a place that few knew, would prevent those who want to know what it was you knew from finding out that you don't know now, and more importantly from getting their hands on you so they can bake what you knew from your brains.

"I suppose we could have killed you and trapped your souls, but that would have involved paperwork."

[Cloud]

Sure, follow the mysterious people into the dark tunnel. What could possible go wrong? "Well if they wanted us dead they could have killed us already," Mikal thought to himself and sighed. He didn't really like being in this position, but at the same time didn't, you know, want to die, so follow he did. The binder stayed quiet and did his best to stay alert, getting his raven to watch the entrance back in the croft. The chance of more of these animated clothing thing reaching this far out and following them seemed slim but it didn't hurt to be paranoid. Besides it was something to do between giving death stares to Gratha.

Still things got stranger, something about an astral fleet, but the choice was still basically the same, stay behind and get exploded, or follow them and who knows, perhaps get some answers. "Heh, of course they were interested in you, Stephanie, but still the point remains that the lot of us did rather stand out from the rest of them." Curiously though, Cypher seemed to be missing much more of his memory then the rest of them, "Really? I remember my parents still, Elizabeth and Brandis, and heck my childhood including where I grew up, and even adventuring before coming here, I just..." seeming to mentally pause as he tried to think about it, "...Yeah, I can't remember why I came here, or how I heard about it, or how I got here."

Alongside the popping sound he lost contact with the bird he had summoned, again had it been a truly alive creature he would have been concerned; but from the comments the...escorts were making, the cause was fairly obvious. More important was following Fhairoa's...conversation, if you could call it that. Mikal couldn't decide if that's just how she spoke or if was planning to be confusing...still he couldn't really complain when he managed to follow along, probably. "Right...now I know you don't know what we used to know, but do you know how we came to not know what we knew?" the binder not entirely sure if he was just falling into the madness or found it mildly amusing at this point.

[Aka-chan]

"I have most of my memories from the time before I came here too," Adrimara says. "I remember my parents and mentor, and how I met Rauthyr. I remember deciding to travel, and heading to a seaside town to get passage to Sembia...but after that, every thing gets a bit fuzzy." Looking over at the others, she adds, "What's the most recent place you all remember being before here? Were you all in port towns as well?"

[Marlowe]

Fhairoa look directly at Mikal. "The people I'm talking about are a radical group--some would call them pirates and terrorists--"

"They call themselves The Silly Hats!"

"A radical group within our...civilization. Who are a consistent nuisance in their attacks both upon us and other parties in their service of a long discredited agenda. You were, we were informed, employed severally from a number of places, and used by them as hired muscle by one of their senior leaders, for some plot the details of which--"

"Like, seriously. "The Silly Hats"."

"--the details of which are unclear to me. It seems that the plot failed. Your employer was killed, along with several dozen others with whom you worked, and you were taken prisoner by us. And by "us" I do not include anyone currently present or even anyone on the Spinnehalko demiplane. It seems that before the collapse of the plot, you were privy to certain important details of your employers' plan-"

"I mean; "Legion of Doom", "Society for Creative Enrichment", "Section Eleven", "W.R.A.I.T.H". Those might be names you could take seriously-"

"--Details that the REST of your employer's faction--now led by a certain Melana Devadoris--"

"She was my mum's babysitter. Are we surprised she turned out evil?"

--Details that the rest of them would like to discover, and which we believe would be for the best if they never do. So somebody apparently had your memories tampered with, and sent you here. A nice quiet place where nothing much ever happens--"

"Those nine words never turn out well."

"Yes. Thank you, Young Lady." Fhairoa gives Cypher a look. "I can't tell you whether it's us or the Hats that are responsible for your augmentation. We do have our own necropolitans, however generally the ritual has to be approved by letters of consent from the subject, the subjects family, the subject's closest associates, and the subject's last six sexual partners."

"And no. "Yourself" does not count."

"Young Lady, what have you been--fine. As for you being recruited at coastal towns, it's quite possible. We are islanders on our home world. And when we visit others we often find coastal and trading cities are the most accepting of foreigners, and the easiest in which to blend in".

The corridor is definitely slanting slightly upward now, a hint of daylight is visible ahead.

[Illven]

I'll tell you where she should be. Stephanie replied to Fhairoa. Bard college!

But, wait demiplane? How large is the demiplane?

[Malak'ai]

Pilgarios stays silent during the whole exchange, his mind still trying to come to grips with all the new information.

"Ma'am, I'm a simple priest of Celestain. I travel how and where my god leads me, and offer what advise or protection other traveller's I meet may need. This claim that I was hired on as a mercenary of some kind is terribly hard to blieve, even with my memories as fuzzy as a distant hill through a cloud of fog." he says, ignoring Stephanie and the Half-Orc for a moment... Come to think of it, he's been meaning to have a private little chat to the Bard about decorum, but looks like it'll have to wait a little while longer.

[Marlowe]

"I doubt they actually walked up to you and told you they were going to give you a lot of money if you'd knock some people on the head for them." says Fhairoa. "I've not tangled with them myself, but by all accounts they're very good at appealing to people's nobler instincts. Being as they work on noble instincts themselves. What could be nobler than ridding whole worlds of unauthorized evil and want? Of course, there'd have to be a certain amount of violence first, but at least you'd know it would all be in a good cause."

The corridor comes to a broad set of well-lit stone steps, ascending upward to a portal through which Spinnehalko's strange sky is visible. Gundred says simply, "Griffith", and gives his eagle wing. It flies up the steps, though the portal into the sky.

Gundred and Jurgen notch arrows to their bows, and Fhairoa shrugs her crossbow to the front and snaps in a bolt. "All clear for now, he says. But that's just for now"

Fhairoa stays back for a second as Gundred and Jurgen begin ascending the stairs. "I grant you, none of you seem especially the mercenary type. But I think it's a saying somewhere: The people who are easiest to buy are always those who think they can't be bought."

"Still. Bought, bribed, blackmailed. Deceived, deluded, driven. Fee'd or forced. Solicited or seduced. Here you are."

Fhairoa briefly look blank. "Seduced. This lot. Melana Devadoris. Excuse me" She shakes her head, as though getting rid of something she doesn't want to think about. "Young lady, when we see your mother. We are having a talk."

[Marlowe]

You can remember, years ago in the dusty margins of a dusty book on a dusty shelf being two out-of-date copies of the temple cleaning roster , encountering a list of obscure demiplanes known to have been created by Wizards and High-level Clerics in the past as a place to rest and retire. One was called "Spiderwood", which might be rendered as "Spinnehalko" if you mashed languages together and forced them to mate like a B-movie alien overlord with his human slaves.

[Illven]

I'm totally of worthy of being seduced. Stephanie said indicating herself offended.

She walks up and puts arms around Gratha and Mikel.

If you were bi, you'd try to seduced me, right? Stephanie replied.

And who would too, right? She said to Mikel, turning on doe eyes.

[AquilaRift]

"All those words mean only one thing," Iceni says. Her staff clacks against the stones with each step. "We've been used. Once, perhaps twice... " She casts a look at Fhairoa, not even bothering to hide her suspicion. "Perhaps three times. What do you want from us, now?"

[Alihandros]

"Ah, so that's what I am now, and I'm curious as to how you know, even these fine folks haven't breached the magic that cloaks me yet. I mean it's not infallible, but it is a decent general purpose re-skinning. And as to how or why, I mean this is suitable for me, it makes my talents more useful to me now, not just a minion or three, but still..."

"And I'm glad I'm not the only one that has not just bought into what they are saying Iceni. We may yet come out of this alive and in hopefully one piece."

[Marlowe]

Fhairoa gives Iceni an unblinking look. She has blue eyes in a dark-skinned face, and it does unblinking looks well. "I want you not to die. When your enemies include a high-level Cleric, I'm afraid dead men do tell tales." Again, she briefly looks uncertain. "In fact, the thing that confuses me is why Melana doesn't just find a way to get her hands on the soul of your former employer and get the secret out of him. Although it's known her powers have been a little glitchy these last few years."

"It's official. Her patron goddess thinks she's a nutjob--HEY! How can you even reach up here? I'm an innocent young girl!"

Fhairoa lifts her eyes to Gratha and sets her chin. Her Not-My-Problem-For-Much-Longer Field is briefly palpable. "My subordinates self-appraisal and your understandable suspicion notwithstanding, it does seem that Melana is behind todays unco events, and some other things. It is highly likely she's coming to get you. Don't let her get you. Don't die. Don't make things more difficult for us. That is what I want from you."

She eyes look up and meet Gundreds, who nods. Then he and Jurgen, bows at ready, step through the door into daylight, out of sight.

Fhairoa follows, pausing at the top of the steps. "You're not under anyone's orders here. And you've no reason to especially trust or follow us. But this corridor will fill with water in about an hour." And then she steps through the portal and out of sight. Gratha, springing across the ceiling, follows her with a leap, twisting as she does.

[AquilaRift]

Iceni nods stiffly, out of arguments but unwilling to look like she's backing down. "We can do that." She looks at Cypher. "...What did you say about what you are?"

[Illven]

Stephanie nods to Gratha, waiting for Mikel to answer the question as well.

[Alihandros]

"Something was done to me during my time there, I'm not sure what, though I believe Fhairoa called it Nerco-something, and let's just say that I am now metabolically challenged."

[Cloud]

Mikal scowled a bit, perhaps a little annoyed at the situation and having to follow complete strangers he had no reason to trust, "Ah good, you know that Somebody did it to us! Mystery solved, that dastardly Somebody! He's almost as bad as No-one and definitely worse then Anybody. And they tampered with out memories by tampering with them, I never would have guessed that!" the binder shrugged a little and shook his head, figuring that asking questions to get more specifics wasn't going to work as he answered Adrimara, "No, my hometown was kilometers from the nearest ocean, and I remember my last adventure before this...mess, being near a desert."

He probably should have been paying more attention to his companions and what they said, or listening to the people they were following, but the being riding shotgun on his soul had other ideas. Like for example that indulging Stephaine was massively more important then finding out one of his companions was a necro-whatever or that the corridor they were in would eventually flood. Mikal's cheeks flushed, putting an arm around the bard, gods she was so cute with those doe eyes, "Of course, my dear. Perhaps when we're not at risk of dying I'll have to give it a shot, you're more than worthy don't worry." Wait, why wasn't he doing it now? Right avoiding getting caught and killed by someone, or whatever, he supposed that might be actually important as they seemed to reach a way out, "After you," he said with a bit a bow to Stephaine, motioning to the portal.

[Malak'ai]

His usual smile slips from his face as Pilgarios looks at Fhairoa.

Turning to his companions he says "If this is the only road avaliable to us, then we must take it, but stay vigilant in the journey. These other concerns can be worked through later when we're out of immediate danger."

[Illven]

Stephanie curtsies.

Thank you, my dear sir. She says to Mikal as she steps out of the portal.

I'm sure everything will be fine. She says turning around to face the group.

[Marlowe]

On the other side of the portal, you find yourself stepping out of the side of a white rock outcropping n the crest of a treeless ridge. To the east lies a heavily-forested valley which eventually rises up to a bare, flat-topped hill that you've seen before from Spinnehalko village, albeit from a different angle. To the south, the ridge runs for about a mile before meeting a bare saddle of higher ground that connects it with another ridge leading up to the hill's summit.

The thing that bothers you most though, is the sky. Spinnehalko's sky has always had a strange two-dimensional quality to it, but it least it's always had convincing patterns of clear and cloud. Now it is an undifferentiated blue-grey haze that fizzes and speckles and hurts the eye to look at. Crossing the vault from horizon to horizon is a strange arc of autumnal shades, like a rainbow drawn by a child who only had orange to work with.

Gratha is standing by the rock-face from which you've stepped. She's staring up at the sky. "That. That's not good.

Jurgen, Gundred, and Fhairoa are fanned out into a three-person skirmish-line, their eyes fixed on the dark treeline of the valley below. Then Gundred turns to you, and gestures with his bow at the flat-topped hill. "That is Ravelin. Mother Gabriel's residence. Where we are headed. Now if we just head straight there across the valley--" The bow drops to indicate the place. "-you can pretty much guarantee we'll be up to our necks in Spiders. And we're all down a few spells and some of you are wounded. I've got a wand of Neutralise Poison and Mother Gabriel will probably be keeping an eye out, but I don't what her getting ascerbic on me for pointlessly endangering her daughter and being frelling silly.

"So what we'll do;" he indicates to the south, along the ridge. "Is keep to the ridgelines, go south along here, cross at Jockotha Side--" Indicates the saddle. "--And ascend from there. It'll take a bit longer but not as long as cutting people out of webs would take. We'll still probably run into spiders, but we'll be able to see them coming as opposed to walking straight into them. If you lot want to head back to the Citadel--the village instead, then you can part company with us on the Side. It's right on the way. You want a couple of minutes to heal yourselves up?"

[Aka-chan]

"I think we'll probably go with you to Ravelin--it seems like our best chance of finding out more about how we got here. Besides which, regardless of how we got here, we are here now, so if there's a major threat to this place, it would be in our own best interests to work against it." She looks around at the rest of the group. "What do you all think? And regarding healing, Rauthyr and I are both a little hurt, but only a little. I only have a little bit of straight-up healing prepared today, but I do also have a Lesser Restoration, which could come in handy if we run into these spiders Gundred mentioned--some kinds of poison can weaken you or stiffen your limbs."

[Marlowe]

Gundred looks at the seven of you in turn, and narrows his eyes. Not frowning, just looking appraising. "You can't use it...You can't use it...You'll be singing...You'll be shooting...You can't use it and you'll be shooting...Right. One of you two." He indicates Pilgarios and Adrimara, and produces a simple ash wand from his belt. "Better to have this on somebody before they get bitten, but it doesn't last long enough to make it worthwhile right now. One of you hold this" He hands the wand to you. "And start zapping people if we see Spiders. Everyone else here either can't use it--"

"HEY!"

"--Reliably, Or would be better served firing on the move. Because we won't be holding still to reload if we see them coming for us. Savvy?"

[Cloud]

A wide, sheepish grin on his face Mikal followed Stephanie through the portal afterwards. If he teeth weren't completely back at the moment it might have been almost cute, but it just came off as unsettling. Though it quickly faded as he spotted the sky, looking away before it could hurt and spoke towards Gratha, "Don't suppose you know what that's about?"

Regardless of the answer, at the mention of healing people up the binder nodded, "Sure, I can help with that, give me a moment," moving to touch Pilgarios and then Darius on the shoulder, two of the three moonstones on his belt darkened and cracked as his touch passed positive energy through the cleric and rogue. "Sorry, I'd heal everyone but I'd like to keep at least one charge in case someone gets more severely wounded, still I thought this was more effect then wasting spells."

That business taken cared of he moved back to staying close to Stephanie, looking at Gundred, "If nothing else I want some answers, I really don't like that someone messed around with my memories. Following you to Ravelin seems like the best option for now, so as reluctant as I am," Mikal preparing his crossbow and keeping it ready, while a dove appeared on his shoulder before taking to the sky to circle above the group to look for spiders, "I suppose we should be off."

[Illven]

Let's sing the traveling song. Stephanie suggested happily.

[Malak'ai]

"I think it's best we travel in silence young one, we do not wish to attract the attention of these spiders." Pilgarios says in a kind but firm manner.

[Aka-chan]

Adrimara steps forward and takes the wand from Gundred. "Thanks, sounds like a plan."

[Marlowe]

Gratha looks at Mikal as though she's seeing him for the first time. "I don't know. Really don't." She throws a look at Fhairoa, who gives a slow shake of her head. "But that orange halo thing--it's the same colour as the--sparks that come out of the Things when they--they--"

"--fall down?" suggests Fhairoa. "Ensign Carbella?" She turns to Gundred with an inquiring look.

"'sright. We need to move on." Gundred starts moving south. "Whatever's going tits up with this place, seems Citadel and Ravelin are uneffected. And the Monitora needs soldiers. That's us. Maybe not you--" he looks around the party again. "But certainly us. Cadet Kronseide, you're up front with me".

Jurgen gives a start, and moves to keep pace with him. Overhead, the eagle lets out a resonating scream as it stops circling and wings south. Fhairoa and Gratha fall in behind, keep an eye on right and left as they go.

[well, if you're following, how about some Spot, listen, and--Ooooh!--Survival checks?:smallsmile:]

[Illven]

Listen [roll0]
Spot [roll1]
Survival [roll2]

[Malak'ai]

Pilgarios unslings his crossbow and loads it. He looks strange carrying it, but this doesn't seem to deter him.

Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]
Survival: [roll2]

[Aka-chan]

Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]
Survival: [roll2]

[Alihandros]

Cypher will ready an arrow and follow the lead of the others.


Spot:[roll0]
Listen:[roll1]
Survival:[roll2]

[Cloud]

Spot Check: [roll0]
Listen Check: [roll1]
Survival Check: [roll2]

[Marlowe]

As you away from the quartzite outcropping* from which you have emerged, you see the former site of the "family" home down to your right. It appears to have been replaced by a perfectly circular crater, now slowly filling with water as the stream from the north flows into it.

The "Family" press on quickly, without sparing much of a look back at you. Jurgen, who has a very quick step, gets ahead a few times and gets called back by a gesture from Gundred.

They don't seem like a family that have lost their homes, as they thread onward warily with weapons at ready. They seem like people who are falling back into old routines after a break.

After about half-way to the saddle, you think you can hear faint metallic clanging from the dense forest downhill to the left. Fhairoa and Gundred also seem to be aware of it, judging from some silent mugging and head-wriggling that passes between them.

Also, on three occasions, you hear trees fall. They go CREEEEEAAAAA-groan-CRASH in case you're curious.

A few times, you see gleaming sets of eyes, in sets of eight, peering from the dark beneath and in the trees to the left, but they vanish quickly when arrows turn in their direction.

From the direction of the village, beyond the saddle, a tiny white dot rises into the sky and flies at a considerable height toward the flat-topped hill. You can see the eagle rising to investigate it, then drop back down again.

OK, trees do not fall in forests this often normally.

It's not really something you hear, or anything you see. It's a feeling in your bones, a scrabbling in the back of your head. A pressure in the air.

The chipmunk lives. And it is watching you.

As the saddle comes closer, you see a large black shape lying inert on the white rock. Something metallic glitters next to it.

* the DM is contractually obliged to tell you the precise minerals involved in the situation. Unless, of course, it's something I'd rather not tell you or if I forget.

[Illven]

What do we do? Stephanie whisper asks Fhairoa and Gundred. Indicting the small noises.

[Aka-chan]

Adrimara moves up toward Fhaoira and Gundred. "There are spiders watching from the forest to the left, but they seem to not consider us suitable prey so far." Her brow furrows. "And I hear a lot more trees falling than I would expect. I doubt it's the spiders doing it because one, whatever's causing it sounds metallic, and two, I really hope your local spiders aren't quite that big."

[Alihandros]

Muttering under his breath....."That chipmunk will die....."

[Marlowe]

Gratha looks a very embarrassed. "Mum takes a funny interest in collecting and diversifying them--Jurgen was calling her "mother-in-lolth" for a while--Not all of them are technically "spiders" or even technically "local". But pushing over trees is not something--what is it with this--man--and chipmunks?"

[Cloud]

Mikal may have been a little distracted by Stephaine visually (and hey who wouldn't be), but he still managed to hear the trees falling and the metallic sounds, "Ignoring chipmunks, Gratha what might make those sounds or knock down trees then?"

At the same time he also sent Malphas's dove towards the source of the sound, having it look around and try to spot something.

Spot check for the bird: [roll0]

[Marlowe]

Gratha looks distracted; "A dire termite swarm. Transplanar cow-tippers. Foreign tourists--"

"Or the Demiplane's breaking down" says Fhairoa.

"--or the Demiplane's breaking down. Wait. WHAT?"

"We'll talk about that later cadet. Right now, we've got something dead ahead."

Gratha and Fhairoa move forward with a quicker pace, closing in with Gundred and Jurgen on the black shape on the rocks ahead.

The Raven winds past branches and a positively alarming amount of sticky webs. Some black things with too many legs give it minatory looks as it flies past. The wooded valley is large, dense, and dark. Finding the source of he now-fading clanging might take a while.

[AquilaRift]

Iceni keeps her mouth shut. There's no way to seem mysterious when mysteries are popping out of the woodwork and everyone else seems to know more than you.

Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]
Survival: [roll2]

[Illven]

Stephanie pulls out her blade. More to look cool, then to actually do anything with. She hoped.

She continued to follow the group, hoping Gratha would see the awesomeness of the bard.

[Marlowe]

You see the black shape sprawled on the rocks ahead, and even from this distance you can see it has too many legs. You can hear the crash of the trees falling in the valley to the left, and the occasional ring of steel from the same direction. And you can see the white speck high in the sky, too large to be a bird, passing overhead and heading toward the hill that is your destination. And what surprises you a little is that you companions seem to have noticed only two of these things.

[Cloud]

Right, so the plane might be falling apart. Just one of those days apparently. Mikal quirked an eyebrow, looking at the black shape ahead and asked, "So, what exactly do we have ahead then? Preferable Fhairoa answering, no offense Gratha but I wasn't exactly impressed with your answers before."

As for the dove it was better it try to find the source of the sound instead of the rest of them getting eaten by spiders, so the binder had it continue its search.

[AquilaRift]

"Also, what is that thing above us?" Iceni stabs upward with a finger. "It's not a bird I know."

[Illven]

Hmmm? Stephanie questioned looking up into the sky. What bird?

[Marlowe]

Gratha gets a look like a kitten that's just been hit in the face by a ball of yarn, and Fhairoa makes a production of drawing her rapier--an old, ornate, and well-used looking weapon--and sighting along its blade as she walks. When she replies, it's without turning around.

"The thing in the sky is Anachren Vincenza, the Vicar of Destruction--the priestess from the village. Rikael must have asked her to go to Ravelin to reinforce the Monitora. Or more likely, convinced her that doing so was her own idea. She doesn't follow well, but she can be easily led.

"The thing dead ahead--well, you've got eyes and so do I, I see no more than you, and it wasn't here last time I passed. Shall we look at it more closely before we ask silly questions? By the way." And now she does turn her head. "I'm a rank seven arcanist, and I'm not sure what's going on. Gratha Bellonen is a teenage Cadet. If you're disappointed in her answers, I'm confused as to why you keep asking her the questions".

OK, moving along.

The saddle is only a few minutes further, Gundred and Jurgen standing over a large, ten-legged spiky black shape sprawled in death across it exactly like a large, ten-legged spiky black shape sprawled in death. Next to it lies a mismatched set of armour--mail shirt, spaulders, gorget, greaves and somewhat bafflingly, two masterwork light flails.

Spinnehalko village, from this point, is visible a few miles to the south. Only last time you saw it it wasn't covered by a thin pall of smoke.

Actually, last time you saw it it didn't have a towering, blank, black monolith in the town square either.

Fhairoa gives the view a quick look. "Looks like Rikael's deployed the Gatehouse." She snaps a spyglass out her coat and hands it behind her, as if to nobody in particular. "Someone get a look if you like. See who's in the streets".

EDIT: K/Dungeoneering anyone?

[Illven]

Stephanie pulls Gratha into a hug.

There, there. I still think you're awesome.

[Aka-chan]

"I'll take a look," Adrimara says, and takes the spyglass. Whatever the creature on the ground is, it doesn't look like something natural that she'd be able to identify.

[roll0]

[Alihandros]

"Any of you mind if I grab that equipment? Never know when it will come in handy."

If no one objects Cypher will toss all the gear into his Haversack.


Where I can get fun, what are the stats-ish of the creature? HD is what I would like to know. Will make a check to see if I could figure that out IC'ly, just want to try and make myself semi-useful.

[Marlowe]

5(five) hit dice and boy are you about to open a can of !!!FUN!!!.

The monolith in the center of town rises higher than any of the timbered houses, and soaks up the light in a way that makes it hard to tell precise shape or dimensions.

Most of the smoke appears to be coming from a fitful smolder in the top level of the village inn, The Disemboweling Thrust, although another fire is burning in the street. A group of figures stand next to this second blaze. As you watch, one turns around and you recognize a striking set of blonde braids belonging to one of the Thrust's...barmaids. Although if it's her she seems to have acquired a set of black leather armour and a longsword since the last time you saw her. ,

As you watch, she picks up a ragged piece of material from a pile in the street and throws it on the fire.

The rest of the figures are obscured by smoke, but you get the impression of weapon and a sudden profusion of angular black garments.

Gratha doesn't shrink back from Stephanie's hug, but does say, a little panicky; "That's nice miss, but I do prefer boys--oh frell--"

Fhairoa spins around. "How long as that been happening; young lady?". Gratha looks blank, but Gundred chuckles. "Leave her alone, Fharie, you're not her real mum--"

"That's what worries me! Her real mum did her tactical combat final in a leather corset and thigh-highs!"

Gundred chuckles again, and looks everywhere else.

[Illven]

Hugs are still nice though right? Stephanie questioned.

I mean I appreciate a nice hug, even if I'm not attracted to the person in question.

[Aka-chan]

Adrimara hands the spyglass back to Fhaiora. There's something odd about the light around that obelisk--I can't tell exactly how big it is. I assume that's the 'Gatehouse' you spoke of. The top floor of The Disembowling Thrust looks like it was on fire, but it seems to have been put out and I don't see any bodies or injured people. There's another fire going in the town square, and people seem to be burning the 'corpses' of those animated clothing items. I recognize <name of barmaid>, and she doesn't look hurt."

[Marlowe]

Gundred is prodding with an arrow at the spiky ten-legged thing, but gives a distracted look. "Sounds as though Rikael is in control of things then. Toccata Veronne, and the rest of those bargirls, are part of his cadre from the 307th Mobile Division." He looks up suddenly, as if conscious of having said something nonsensical. "They're older than they look." He says defensively.

"Can't last." says Gratha. "How long do you think any of our people are going to manage without taking their clothes off?" Then immediately clams up as Fhairoa gives her a look that could pierce DR/Adamantium. Jurgen pretends to be very interested in the distant mountains.

"Harpoon Spider", says Gundred, mercifully. "Not really a spider at all. Not a natural animal. Normally live underground. But Bethlen Gabriel has always had to go the extra mile." He straightens up. "Some Things went into the forest, and came out running. This--creature was chasing them. They managed to take it down--" He gives the tree-line a look. "--and they went back in again. I'm beginning to think we may be dealing with some very silly people, if I might use the word loosely."

[Illven]

Stephanie giggles at Gratha's comment, but lets professionals discuss where to go from here.

[Malak'ai]

"I don't mean to sound like a disapproving father my girl, but maybe we should concentraite on getting to something resembling relative saftey before we think about cuddling." Pilgarios says, patting Stephanie on the back before turning to Gundred and asking, "What sort of creatures could have killed this... Thing? Are they something we should be wary of?"

He keeps his crossbow at the ready, as he scans the horizon, watching for movement in the trees, and seeing if he can spot a reasonably clear path to their destination.

Spot Check: [roll0]
Listen Check: [roll1]
Search Check: [roll2]

Know: The Planes: [roll3]
To see if he has a clue about the 'Harpoon Spider' and what might be able to kill it.

Know: Geography: [roll4]
Seeing if he can work out a trail around/through the forest/over hills.

Know: Nature: [roll5]
To see if can think of any of the more 'normal' challanges that they might encounter on the march.

EDIT: Well... Those sucked... Guessing the Dice Roller doesn't like me today :smallfrown:.

[Illven]

Oh hey, I know Toccata. How's she doing? She being awesome? Stephanie asked Adriamara.

[AquilaRift]

"The priest is right." Iceni shoots a disdainful look at the eerie spider corpse. "These woods are full of unnatural beasts. Who knows what could have killed it?"

[Alihandros]

"Why not just use a little magic and ask it? The dead can tell no tells if you phrase your inquiry correctly. That bit of magic is out of my reach now it seems though. But perhaps our ranking arcanist can."

[Aka-chan]

"Yeah, she's doing pretty well." Adrimara answers Stephanie, then turns to Cypher. "I would assume you need to share a language with the deceased for Speak with Dead to work. Do these harpoon spider things even speak at all?"

[Marlowe]

[And I just realised that Wizards don't even get Speak With Dead]

"They speak Undercommon. And Common, with appalling accents and lots of random insults." says Gundred, thoughtfully. "Don't think any of us are equipped to do that right now."

"Indeed. And I am in no mood to be addressed as "el loco puta" by a corpse. Again."

"I blame society. Anyway, it's no great mystery what killed it. Looks like some heavy bits with a greataxe." Gundred indicates some traumatic rents in the corpse's carapace, brimming with thick black blood. "Some scorching and tissue damage that looks magical as well. These things aren't incredibly hard to kill. You just don't want to fight them mano-e-mano, as they'd put it".

[Illven]

Shall we go and save the town? Stephanie suggested pointing in the direction of the town with the tip of her sword.

[Cloud]

"I thought me asking you was doing exactly that, Fhairoa," Mikal said a little darkly, deciding that asking questions in general just wasn't worth it at the moment and staying quiet, which had the bonus of hiding his current Sign. "Good idea, Cypher," the binder nodding in approval as his companion gathered up the gear, "let me know if you run out of room in yours, I have the same bag...seriously do they mass produce these things or what?" Mikal half mumbling to himself at the end.

Turning back to the newly found...allies, they were following, "So, Fhairoa, what do you and your companions plan to do now? While we're free to do what we want, I know personally I'm interested in finding out what happened to my memories, so for now that means sticking with you."

[Marlowe]

Since Mikal is responding to something said several minutes and a few subject changes ago, there's a bit of exchanging of glances and shrugging and one little whisper of "Do you suppose that's the visage talking?". Then Fhairoa shakes her head, like a horse shaking off a fly, and says slowly. "We, as we discussed earlier, are headed for Ravelin. Maybe an hour away" There's a scritch and a flash as she points at the flat-topped hill with her rapier. "You're welcome to join us, or head for the village, or explode convincingly in a flaming inferno if you like."

[Illven]

Okay team. Huddle up. Stephanie replied gesturing for them to form a group circle.

Okay, I admit I'm biased as hell for saving the town. But my rational mind is saying we should keep with the spellcaster that can probably plane shift us out, if this goes to Battor in a breadbasket. She stated.

[Marlowe]

Fhairoa says quietly; "If it makes your choice any easier, we've had no fatalities in the village; and everyone's down in Citadel now. Ravelin, on the other hand, only has a permanent garrison of two...or three...people" Bit of uncertainty in the tone there. "And would probably appreciate your presence quite a bit more."

[Illven]

Stephanie leans up from the group huddle.

Any cute girls besides you two at Ravelin? She teased.

Nah. It's probably for the best we help you Ravelin.

[Alihandros]

Cypher shakes his head, wondering when Stephanie's shameless flirting is going to get them into trouble.

"Perhaps you would know better then I, but would the spider be worth making into a minion? I feel that a few of my skills are being woefully underutilized at the moment, and that may help increase my usefulness."

"As for garrisoning a town, why would that be of such importance to those whom are hopping around the planes at your own whim?"

[Aka-chan]

"I vote for heading to Ravelin as well. If there are only two or three people there, they may be having a lot more trouble with those animated pieces of clothing than the town did."

[Malak'ai]

"I also second making for this Ravelin. Unless this place plays tricks on the eyes, I'm guessing it'll take us about an hour to reach there, and almost three hours to make it back to the town." Pilgarios says into the huddle.
"And Adrimara is correct. Those already at Revelin may require our assisstance more desperately than the townsfolk."

[AquilaRift]

"Then we make for Ravelin," Iceni says. "Hold -- Cypher? Minion? What are you talking about?"

[Cloud]

Joining the group huddle Mikal says, "Ravelin gives us a chance to meet this 'Mother Gabriel' later on, and gives us a chance to act as big damn heroes and swoop in and save the day, so I vote for Ravelin. As for making the spider into a minion, anything you can do to help should be done I believe. Minion in what sense?" The last question with a tone of pure academic interest, not judgement.

[Marlowe]

"He means turn the Abberant monstrosity against nature into an Undead monstrosity against nature." shrugs Fhairoa. "No-one's going to complain who matters. Hope you brought your own black onyx."

"He can borrow some of mine" says Gratha brightly.

Fhairoa just looks at her with a blank expression and a tilt to the head. "Young lady, how long have you been--"

"I'm almost an adult. I can make my own decisions and take my own precautions."

"You're far too young to be messing with--"

"You always say to be prepared--"

"Oh yes? What would your mother say if I let you come home with a My-Little-Army-of-Darkness starter pack--"

"Actually, I have some as well." say Jurgen. Not helpfully.

[Alihandros]

"Basically what they've said, I prefer to have a minion or two around for my wellbeing, they also make great expendable resources should I eventually regain the ability to animate them once again."

"And where would I go about getting one of those "My-Little-Army-of-Darkness starter packs at? They sound highly useful to one such as myself."

[Marlowe]

Gratha looks pleased to be making a contribution. "Oh! I don't think there's such a place in this Command, but some of our strongholds have ossuary levels where we keep--"

"Gratha Bellonen! The first rule of the Campbell Initiative is that we do not tell Outlander necromancers about the Cam--"

"Actually, there is such a level close. It's in The Maze." says Jurgen.

"You are not helping, young man."

[Illven]

Stephanie tugs on Gratha's arm. But I wanted you to be a bard.... She jokingly whined.

But yeah, re-animate and lets get moving. And make sure it doesn't stink by the way. I don't want my appearance attached to rotting corpses unless I'm killing said corpses. Stephanie mentioned.

[Cloud]

Mikal shrugged, "Mindless undead are just tools, and intelligent undead are only as monstrous as their actions, nothing more, nothing less. Still if you intend to reanimate it, Cypher, if you have some way to hide its undead nature that would be preferable, I know most people take problem with them." Readying his weapon again and moving closer to Stephanie in a vaguely protective gesture, he recalled a raven to his shoulder with a thought (the previous dove disappearing), he sent it flying ahead of them in the general direction of Ravelin, "Can we be off now? I'd take the lead and all but I hardly have the build for front line combat, and no knowledge of the terrain."

[AquilaRift]

Iceni shrugs. "Do as you will. Just don't turn my corpse into your puppet, and we will have no problems." To Mikal, she says, "I'll take the lead. Without our guides, we will need woodcraft."

[Aka-chan]

Adrimara sighs. "Normally I would say that creating undead is a perversion of nature--when something that's died returns to the earth, it allows other creatures to live. If it weren't for that cycle, none of us would be able to exist. But this creature is already unnatural...and I'm not even really clear on what 'natural' means on an artificially created demiplane."

[Alihandros]

"That's where most people's beliefs on animating the dead go completely off the bases of what happens. Animating the corpse does not bind the spirit to the construct, nor does it force one's essence to remain with the construct. Also it is pure energy that animates the construct, and will alone that drives it, again no original inhabitant required. Then we get into the intelligent ones, then we start having problems as they start breeding, and then you have to worry about overpopulation, then seasons start happening, then an apocalypse occurs, then some idiot makes a Wraith, then another apocalypse occurs, and rinse and repeat indefinitely."

"But I don't think that this spider will be adequate use of the finite resources I have at my command currently, so if we are going to head for the town, we should either keep going, or rest, some of us are going to need it."

[Marlowe]

Gratha blows out her breath. And Fhairoa clucks her tongue. "Count yourself lucky you've never had to deal with Melana Devadoris's Patented Semi-Awakened Undead. Well, enough time gawping and debating.We are headed up the ridge for Ravelin. You are welcome to follow, or head for the town. Or start a nudist colony. But we are moving." Although she noticably waits for Gundred and Jurgen to take the lead, moving up the bare ridge toward the flat hilltop to the north-east. "Be aware that if you wish to enter Ravelin later, it might be difficult to enter without guidance. And be aware also that this demiplane no longer seems entirely stable."

"And I'll be needing that wand back, if you're not coming now." adds Gundred. A tree falls somewhere in the valley.

[Cloud]

"Unstable demiplane, trees randomly falling, and we might not even be able to enter Ravelin later. Even if I didn't want to check out this town, it'd be smart to stick with the people that know there way around, and as is I actually do want to go to Ravelin and hopefully find out something about this mess, so, lead on," Mikal following after the three after taking a moment to see if Malphas's raven could spot anything obvious ahead.

[Illven]

Let's go! Stephanie cheered following into step next to Mikal.

[Aka-chan]

Adrimara and Rauthyr follow along.

[AquilaRift]

Iceni -- who did not grasp that the mysterious planar folk were going to Ravelin as well -- looks a mite chagrined. But she takes a place near the vanguard of the group in any case.

[Marlowe]

The party--or pair of parties--moves up and along the ridge-line slowly and cautiously, the forested valleys spreading shadowy below and on either side like dense collections of coniferous foliage.

Order of march is a little complicated, with multiple people seeming determined to take the lead, and the Addams Carbella Family keeping to their own order with little regard for yours. Gundred takes the lead, Jurgen--fast and a little less practiced--backing him up, Fhairoa further back and Gratha taking the rear and frequently casting looks behind her. Over a period of the first few minutes an unspoken compromised seems to be reached with the adventurers slightly to the left of the ridge-crest, the Family on the right, and your own leaders slightly behind Gundred. Just enough to make it plain that you're absolutely not following him, just going the same way.

This leaves Jurgen walking side by side with Iceni. "The Ensign could just have told you how to get into Ravelin." He says quietly. "However, I see her point in not bothering. A set of instructions that go: "Tap on the Stone of Midnight, state your numbers, and pass between Silence and Destruction" would probably just raise further questions. More than we really have time for". He looks up at the bizarrely distorted sky.

Your raven, as it ascends into the sky, allows you to gradually note that the "flat top" of Ravelin is in fact an unnaturally regular circular depression. Like a very neat volcanic crater with no vent. Around the center is a set of ten standing odalisques arranged in a circle.

After about half an hour, you're about half-way to the hill-top ahead. The white dot has long since descended out of sight, a couple more trees have been heard to fall.

And you all hear a clanking coming closer out of the woods to the left.

[Illven]

Is that something we should be worried about? Stephanie asks pointing in the direction of the clanking sound.

[Malak'ai]

"If it is, we should get as much distance between it and us as possible before facing it." Pilgarios says, urging Stephanie on.

[Marlowe]

Fhairoa gives Pilgarios what looks like a look of thanks as she hustles on. But anything she has to say is overshadowed by a shout of "Company! Stay sharp!" from Gundred.

From out of the trees down the slope to your left, maybe a hundred feet off, a strange figure appears from the trees with a clank. It appears to consist of an elaborately gilded metal bikini, a pair of sandles, a jaunty winged helmet, a large axe, and no obvious fleshy substance. As it breaks the treeline the helmet swivels around wildly, then turns toward the party.

Behind it, some muted jinglings and crashings and movements in the underbrush seem to herald the appearance of more such figures.

Roll Initiative please. If not done by tomorrow I'll do it for everyone.

[Illven]

Valkyrie, Nymph, or Succubus clothing? Stephanie asked the party.


Init [roll0]

[Marlowe]

"Surely you of all people would not underestimate the ability of mere mortals to likewise dress like imbeciles" says Fhairoa in her only slightly pretentious longcoat , a little tartly.

Fhairoa Macksen: [roll0]
Jurgen Kronseide: [roll1]
Gratha Bellonen: [roll2]
Gundred Carbella: [roll3]

[I'll give you guys a surprise round as well, since you all heard it coming. Some spot checks might help.]

[AquilaRift]

"City folk." Disgust and amusement war in Iceni's voice. "You have so much good steel and you use it for things like this."

Initiative in OOC. Spot: [roll0]

[Cloud]

"Hey, I'm city folk," Mikal half smiling and speaking in a joking, friendly tone, "and I think...that," vaguely motioning at the animated...metal, "is, well, a waste of steel is one way to put it."

Initiative: [roll0]
Spot: [roll1]

[Aka-chan]

Initiative: [roll0]
Spot: [roll1]

[Alihandros]

"Hmmm, this may be fun."


Initiative:[roll0]
Spot:[roll1]

[Marlowe]

All of you can see the outlandishly-armoured...thing on the edge of the forest. Initiative for surprise round.
Pilgarious!-24
Fhairoa Macksen-23
Darius-19
Mikal-19
Stephanie-19
Cypher-18
Jurgen Kronseide-13
Gundred Carbella-11
Iceni-10
Gratha-10
Adrimara-6

The angle of view makes it hard to see far into the treeline, but it's hard to not see the hulking outline of a figure in Plate Armour just to the right and behind the first, still amongst the trees. It has partial cover.

A couple of other figures are a little further to the left and still further back. Indistinct except for the curve of a longbow and a flash of orange cloth. Again, partial cover applies.

All are headed in your direction.

Jurgen is swinging his bow on the move. "In truth, I think Flirty McTights has a point. That does look Gloryborn." He sounds quite disinterested.

Gundred coughs. "Actually. That's the costume Toccata wore last winter for the local production of "The Tragical and Sapphical Romance of Pyramia and That Other Chick". She played the Prince of the South."

"Really? Was she any good?"

"Ask Gudrun. She played That Other Chick".

[Illven]

Stephanie wolf whistles.

Damn. Toccata is hot. Alot people here are hot. No wonder adventurers retire here.