View Full Version : In Darkness, Unity (Evil Pathfinder, IC)
Maugan Ra
2015-01-01, 04:12 PM
http://cdn.obsidianportal.com/assets/188080/Branderscar_Prison.png
Act One: Prison Break
Branderscar Prison. An infamous place, to be sure - every native of Talingarde seems convinced that the place is an inescapable fortress, meant to hold only the very worst kind of villainous scum. Should you be flattered, that they thought you worthy of incarceration in such a place? It will not be a long stay, if your jailers have their way - your executions are scheduled for three days hence, to be carried out in the courtyard you can see through the bars of your cell's only window.
You arrived yesterday, brought by wagon over the long bridge that connects this barren island to the mainland, escorted by grim-faced soldiers with hard eyes. Even then, you could tell that escape was going to be difficult, perhaps even impossible - the walls are high, the bridge long and exposed, and the waters beneath cold and violent. Still, at least there aren't as many guards as you might have expected - though in truth, how could you tell? Maybe this is all they need to defend something as well-fortified as this.
Everything you own has been stripped from you, from your weapons to the clothes on your back. You have been given filthy rags to wear, and your hands and feet are bound by iron manacles. Your right forearm still aches from the branding that was applied to it shortly after arrival - a runic 'F', seared into your flesh by a rather overweight guard sergeant with greasy black hair. He seemed to enjoy it.
Now you sit in your cell, your hands held above your head by your chains and your feet firmly secured to the floor by a stout spike driven into the stone. It is cold, and damp, and the only light comes from a flickering torch in the corridor outside. You are alone here, no one but each other for company, although the distant sounds of slow movement suggest that maybe at least one other cell is still occupied.
Inside the cell a pair of unfortunate souls awaited their execution. A man and a woman that resembled each other to much not to share a common ancestry. During different circumstance they would most likely have been thrilled to see each other and talk at length of the years apart. But for the moment the silence was like a heavy wet blanket over the duo.
The thin dark haired woman was shivering and her hair hung lifeless and dull around her shoulders. Julia had a bitter taste in her mouth and her otherwise beautiful angular face was marked by tears. Tears that were still silently falling from her dark eyes. Perhaps due to the throbbing dull pain of the branding iron or the hopelessness of the situation. Tiny droplets found the floor again and again. Oh, the bitter taste of irony. Sitting here chained by hands and feet awaiting death. And for what? For seeking to give life and for letting another prisoner free. She pondered the resent development with increasing feelings of resentment towards her captors. She had felt the connection as the being had forced itself out of the well, and the joyous terror of seeing the impossible. The worst part was not the capture itself. No. The worst part was that she would die at the stake, with her brother soon to follow. They would die on the same day, screaming together as they left this world, like the day they came out of the same womb thirty years ago. Then, only ashes would remain of the last of the Ardent line, and their ancestors would have no love for her in any afterlife because of her failure... No! She refused to think about it like that! Refused to follow through with the train of thoughts. For that way lay only the numbing madness of apathy. She had felt it keenly in her core that day. It had worked and her child was waiting for a chance at life! The beasts would not rob her of her moment of triumph now that it was so close!
Turning her gaze from her own thoughts to the reality of the situation. They had to escape somehow. Trying to get her bearings in the room and searching for anything that might help them. Perhaps a guard had dropped a key? She knew it was a silly notion but it was not impossible.
Perception:[roll0]
She opened her dry mouth and spoke for the first time since their capture. "Brother?" The words sounded dry due to her parched throat as they pierced the silence. When he did not immediately answer she felt a growing lump in her chest and she lanced to the side. What if he had abandoned her again and passed on without her? She felt the panic surging throughout her body and it threatened to choke her. "Joshua?! Are you alive?"
A few feet away, a man resembling Julia down to the long brown hair hangs listlessly from his chains. The womans worries are not unfounded - her brother has the look of a long time inmate rather than that of a wealthy man in the middle of his life. His frame is thin, he has deep dark circle under his eyes and a rough stubble framing his serious face. On his chest, uncovered by the filthy rags he's wearing, fresh scars in the shapes of circles can be seen.
In a way, he had thought it would have been easier than this. His final failure should have been the end of all that was him, his work and the last fragments he once held dear. That way, the last few days of his existence would have been mere transportation to his inevitable fate. Instead, shame seared him, mocking him for loosing one last time. Instead, he was painfully aware that his sister was still alive, but that he was unable to help her. The pyre of curiosity still lived, asking why and how things had turned out like this, constantly making him remember the terrible events of the last month. Hate still burned within him, kept alive by the thoughts of the fools whom in their fear and prejudice had caused all this. And the dread fear of death, of the things he had seen at the graveyard a month ago. Thus he had kept his silence, tortured by the last things he was about to loose, knowing he had completely and utterly failed. He could hear his sister cry silently. He was a lot of things, but not a humorous man. Still, he almost laughed at the perfect symmetry of the work of art that was their cruel end. Him being the centerpiece of it. Oh, if I had another chance, if I could turn back time...
Julias voice breaks the silence and interrupts his brooding. He had dreaded the moment for hours. Thunk. The back of his head softly hits the stone wall behind him as he raises his head and opens his eyes. "I'm alive." His hoarse voice rings out. Silence again. It was good to hear her voice, in a way. "For what little good that will do us. We did it this time, didn't we?"
As Joshua answered Julia was feeling incredibly relived. Even so, that relief was accompanied by a pang of annoyance that her brother had upset her again. Where had he been these last years? He had no right to come home in shambles and complain abut how unfair life had turned out. "Yes!" She said with a bit more fire in her voice than she had intended. "We did, and have! Did you not feel it?" She was looking at her brother intently now as she uttered what she felt in her heart was true. "We succeeded! Even though not in the way we might have planed." She looked down towards the stinking rags that covered her belly. She wanted to gently place a hand on the surface of it and stroke as if she expected to feel hidden movements underneath the skin. "I can feel it reaching out to me from inside." She looked up again and shot a beaming smile towards her ragged sibling. "Don't you get it Josh?" She had not called him that since they where but children and even though she knew he hated the nickname she did not remember or care at the moment. Her dark eyes where shining. "I'm finally going to be a mother!" Her grin then faded as she came down to earth and felt the chafing of the chains. Now that the situation once more dawned upon her she continued to speak solemnly. Her voice was barely more than a whisper. "But it won't happen if you sit there listless and do nothing. If we do not find a way to flee this place then we will burn all three."
Maugan Ra
2015-01-04, 06:41 AM
OK, quick request - Tiny, could you please use a different text colour? I can barely read that one against the white background.
"That would be a tragedy."
Barely a moment ago the rest of your cell was unoccupied, chains that could have held half a dozen men hanging empty. Now, suddenly, there is a woman in the cell with you, watching you both with eyes the colour of rich emeralds. She is tall and slender, her hair so platinum that it might almost be white, and her dress seems more suited to a funeral than anything else.
"To have come so far, and yet be denied here at the last, once you have finally made some progress? A shame."
He had expected resentment. What he got was better, albeit it did not change their situation. Feel it reaching out... They would die. Could it be the shock? At least she would not die hating him. No, it could very well have worked, I have no information supporting either result save her word. Or maybe that was worse, to die believing he could still save them. The bastards, they'd burn us either way. His chest clenched painfully as he let out a stuttering gasp, or maybe laughter, just about to tell Julia the truth. That hope would avail to nothing. The woman interrupted him.
"You are not with them." He speaks slowly, thinking while his surprise subsides. "They would never appear like this." Why would someone... a relative seeking revenge? Someone interested in his work? It seemed unlikely, but on the other hand, he had seen many unlikely things lately. "Who are you? What do you want? Gold, lands? Knowledge? Whatever they paid you, whatever you want, it can all be arranged." The words came quickly and eagerly with an underlying tone of desperation.
Julia squinted to shield her eyes from the glowing mane of the new arrival. She had a hard time concealing the uncertainty of her voice. "Are you... a friend of Joshua?" Her brothers surprised words made her doubt that. But how could she know anything about the ritual otherwise? Perhaps she had been eavesdropping. Yet another horrible set of possibilities made her break out in cold sweat. "..or perhaps you are here to take us to the pyre? I thought we would have a couple of days at least." Something was wrong about that too. No. There are no guards present to escort us.
By now Joshua had begun to bargain with the stranger and the words where definitely not those spoken to an acquaintance. If she wants to kill us, she have us both on silver platters right now. I need to use this time to figure out what's going on. Come on! Focus! Using one of the tricks she had learnt from Amadeus old manuscript. Julia reached inwards and opened her third eye to the hidden energies of the ether.
Is this green color better? Also, detect magic on this strange suddenly-appearing-lady.
Maugan Ra
2015-01-06, 01:53 PM
The mysterious woman chuckles. "My, but aren't you eager?" She says to Joshua, her lips curving into an amused smile. "My name is Tiadora, and I am here to make you an offer."
To Julia's eyes, the mysterious woman is covered in a faint veil of magic, both active effects and the lingering auras of previous invocations. Illusion, enchantment, conjuration, alteration... she's obviously a wizard of some kind, or perhaps innately magical.
Was this a last trick being played on him? A cruel jest ending in his final demise, a promise of escape left unfulfilled. He couldn't really believe it. The thin and ragged man chained to the wall pauses and stares intently at Tiadora. "Don't play games." His voice trembles slightly. "I'm sure you're aware you have our full attention, lady Tiadora. Out with it." Still staring at the woman in black he reaches out with his mind, seeing, feeling.
Joshua uses detect magic och Tiadora.
Her eyes widened as she saw the extent of the magic permeating their visitor. A wizard or something far worse. Julia paled visibly as her brother bluntly answered their guest. "Joshua! Please do not antagonize the lady." A series of strange sounding curse words escaped her lips. Aklo: "Careful! She reeks of magic!"
She turned her eyes to the stranger and added with a pleasant but strained expression. "I apology for my brothers bluntness. We have been under a lot of stress recently but you do have our full attention. What is this offer you mentioned?" Despite her best efforts at maintaining a seemingly calm exterior her inside was a chaotic mess. Thoughts were screaming at each other in order to be heard over the raging emotions. Offer? Here is an offer! LET US OUT OF HERE!! Fear and hope was intertwined in an unholy alliance. I cant die here! Not yet! Not before my daughter is born. The desperation was now quite visible in her eyes.
Julia is trying to use bluff to make the warning sound like mere cursing. [roll0]
Maugan Ra
2015-01-07, 04:09 PM
Your words earn you a sharp-edged smile from the blond woman. "What else? I come to offer you freedom, from this place and from the sorrows that have befallen your most noble lineage of late." She says easily, apparently relishing the emotions her words bring. "I have a patron who is most interested in your work to date, one who would see you free to pursue it further. Since doing so from inside a jail cell would obviously be rather difficult, he has sent me to secure your release."
Joshua looked sideways at his sister as she attempted to warn him in aklo. His chest was heaving as if he had been running. Annoyance from being patronized soured the moment, but the feeling was soon washed away by Tiadoras next words.
He was by now sure they'd never get a straight word out of the woman in front of them, not a word of payment or whom this patron of her was. Then again, what she offered was beyond all and every expectation. "We'd be greatly indebted to this patron of yours." He says with controlled voice lacking warmth, acknowledging the situation. "Well?" His eyes wander to Julia. "I expect we're leaving right away." Excitement has once again crept into his voice.
Maugan Ra
2015-01-09, 07:29 AM
"It's not quite that easy, I'm afraid." Tiadora says, but her expression is far from apologetic. "For you see, while my patron has ordered me to see you released, he neglected to specify how. I think I shall take the opportunity to see what you are made of."
She raises one slender hand and makes a cutting motion in the air. With a faint chime, the manacles binding your hands and feet fall away. Another gesture and a small sack materialises out of the air between you.
"There. You are released from your bindings, and you have ample supplies. If you are worth our interest, that will be more than enough." Tiadora explains with a smirk. "I'll be watching what happens next with some interest, dear ones. Try not to disappoint."
With that, she is gone, leaving you alone in the cell once more.
Julia was stunned by this unexpected turn of their fortune. This is slightly better then a dropped key. She almost laughed at the thought. Things were looking increasingly good! A patron had taken interest in their work! A patron with power enough to just have a servant appear inside the supposedly most secure prison in the land. A servant that in turn had just removed most of their troubles with a wave of her hand. This is almost to good to be true. She was absentmindedly rubbing her sore wrists and ankles to remove the lingering chafing feeling and to get some warmth back into her limbs.
Then her eyes went to the small bag and she eagerly reached for it to examine its contents. Her earlier caution completely washed away by Tiadoras actions. Taking some time to rummage through whatever secret supplies their new patron deemed was 'enough' to leave this cell behind. They would escape, and the Ardents would not end in a pile of ash after all. And when we are finally out. She mused. Then the animals that put us here will regret getting our way.. Her smile was both wide and genuine.
Halfway through the examination of the bag she suddenly felt movement in her abdomen. A small kick? She dropped the bag and scrambled to her feet with wild eyes. "Joshua!" She wheezed. "I think the.. I think the baby is coming!" Wonder and panic competed for the spotlight in her face and voice. In her wildest dreams she had imagined this day many times but never in the thousands of thousands of different scenarios had she been in a cold damp prison cell. Breathing rapidly in small gasps, she looked to her one point of comfort left in this world. "Wha.. What do I do Joshua?" If she had looked afraid before. She now looked utterly terrified. Her eyes begun to glaze over and she sat down with her back against the cold wall. Her knees apart in something akin to a meditative pose. "I'm going to be a mother." She whispered in quiet awe. Tears where once more rolling down her cheeks. Then a jolt of energy went through her. A shape much like a human hand traced a line from under the skin of her belly. A belly that seemed to visibly swell for each passing moment. She bit her lip to silence an emerging scream. The shadows in the room seemed to darken and pulsate with the rhythm of her ragged breathing, and misty wisps of utter blackness snaked their way out from between her thighs. By this time Julia did neither see nor hear anything, having entered into a catatonic state.
The darkness poured fourth for almost a full minute and it seemed to slowly congeal into a corporeal form in front of Julia. Her bloated abdomen shrunk back towards its usual size as the entity grew. Leaving no sign her belly had ever expanded in the first place. Julia was woken from her stupor by a burning cold kiss on her forehead. "Mama." The voice was felt as mush as it was heard. "Wake up Mama."
Julia opens her eyes only to see a smiling little girl in a white dress sitting in her lap. A pair of dark purple lips the only feature visible in the girls face. Everything else was hidden by the long raven black hair. She hugged the little thing. "I am awake my sweet Alessa. I am finally awake." She looked over towards her brother with intense joy in her eyes hardly able to take her gaze from the miracle in her arms. "I told you it worked!" Then she hugged the girl again.
Joshua stumbled forward in a vain attempt to rush forward on his cold and numb legs. He landed hard, scraping his hands against the cold stone floor where Tiadora had stood only moments earlier. She was gone without a trace, no sounds or small movements of dust from an invisibility spell, nothing. He stared at his hands for a few seconds, feeling increasingly foolish, as if it matter how the woman had travelled here. Still, she had left them, even though she could most likely have helped them further. What sort of a patron would risk their health after bothering to help them? Stranger still, if Tiadora had brought them using her own strange mode of locomotation, they would be bound even tighter to what or whoever was interested in their work. Yet she had not, but instead mocked him - them. He slowly quenched the flames of anger in his chest fueled by confusion, deeming them unreasonable and uproductive. This was a new chance, that was what mattered.
The man absentmindedly stands up while rubbing his wrists, his thoughts wandering, trying to make sense of the situation. He is still free, that bastard. And soon, I am too. He turns around with arched eyebrows as Julia calls out, a tensed expression on his face. "I don't think..." The next few moments convinces him. The tall man lifts his arm and focuses, attempting to discern what or if his sister is affected by magic. After failing miserably, hes down by her side, standing on one knee, resting one hand on her shoulder. "Easy. Easy. I'll fix this." His voice is firm, but his eyes betray his own emergin panic. Hells, whatever this is... I know nothing of it. For everything I know, it could be a curse killing her. When Julia appears to pass out, Joshua is litterally tearing his hair. Think, THINK.
As Julia wakes up again, Joshua is eyeing the being suspiciously, never letting his gaze wander away from it. He places the back of his hand against Julias forehead, while once again reaching out, attempting to sense the magic in the being. "I... Yes, yes it did. How are you feeling?" He almost stutters at first, but makes a conscious effort not to sound too worried. Still, his words come off as less than thrilled.
Detect magic on Alessa
As Joshua strokes away her matted hair to feel her forehead a strange mark is revealed on her skin. It looks like a slightly asymmetrical five pointed star with an eye-like image in the center.
The mark is cool to the touch and seems to draw the gaze. Julia smiles weakly but with blissfully. "A bit tired. But otherwise I feel wonderful." She sighs happily as she gently strokes the dark hair of the being in her lap. "My little Alessa almost makes me forget we are still far from out of the woods. Strange saying that. Out of the woods.. " An seemingly identical mark to the one decorating Julia is seen among the black curls as Julias hand moves over them.
Joshua can not shake the feeling that something other than the girls in front of him might be staring back out of the central eyes of the symbols. "Joshua." She looked up at her brother with a delighted expression. "Is it not a beautiful name? I thought it would be fitting that my daughter be named after grandmother."
She absentmindedly tickles Alessa during the conversation. The little girl giggles at her mothers touch but soon she starts to squirm in her lap as if inpatient. "I want to go outside and play." She turns her hair cowered "face" towards Julia. "Can I go and play? Can I?"
Julia lifts up the girl and place her on her feet before getting up herself. "Of course you can little one. Mother and uncle will get you out of here sweetling. Don't you worry about a thing." Julia goes back to the bag that she dropped during the "birth" and picked it up again to finish her examination of the contents. "Let's see what Lady Tiadora left us."
Alessa stayed near her. In fact she silently stood right behind her in silence and watched her mother work.
Looking through that bag for real now!
The mark/Elder sign:
http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140228020702/cosmic-horror-rp/images/f/f1/Elder_Sign_clip_art_hight.png
I find it fitting as it is easily mistaken for that of Asmodeus.
Maugan Ra
2015-01-14, 09:58 AM
The bag contains the following items:
- Two daggers
- A set of clothes in each of your sizes
- A bullseye lantern, with the flint to light it.
- A small pouch containing 100gp
- Another pouch containing numerous common spell components
- A delicate bottle wrapped in cloth, which appears to be a healing potion
- 50ft of hemp rope
- A set of masterwork thieves tools
- A silver icon, deceptively similar to the marks on Julia's skin, one known to all Talireans as being a common symbol of Asmodeus.
- A small wooden square. Magical analysis confirms that it is a portable window - lay it on a flat surface and it will create a hole straight through, but it is a one-use item.
Joshua follows Alessa and Julia like a shadow as they move, never standing far from either of them. The great relief he had felt when realizing his sister was alive and well was slowly making way for determination. His sister was alive. More. She was more at peace than he had seen her in a long while - not that he had care considerably up until only a few months ago. She was also utterly broken. Joshuas face was locked in a constant, calm smile as he cautiously followed his two only (to his knowledge) living relatives. And it was his fault. "It's a wonderful name, Julia." His voice almost contained a hint of warmth now. He'd have to work on that. "Hello, little one, can you tell uncle Joshua... what you'd like to play with?" Better. He had almost managed not to shake too. The man had placed himself between Alessa and Julia, lowering himself enough to look into Alessas eyes from eye height. I'll be damned. I don't care if it's wrong or what this 'Tiadora' requires me to pay. If she wants out and the thing to be her daughter, then that is what she'll have. Joshua ground his teeth underneath his smile. She'll have it all. Even this thing, whatever it is. The man tried to remember if he had seen the symbol somewhere before.
Knowledge check to identify the symbol
I don't know what's appropriate to use, but I'll use a "Arcane" knowledge check. If you'll let me, I'll also use other knowledge checks (religion and planes)
Arcane: [roll0]
Alessa lowered her head and shyed away from her uncles inquiring eyes and smile. She grabbed her mothers clothes and pulled herself close to her as if she tried to hide. In a quiet voice she answered. "I want to play with you and mother and the other warm moving things.."
In the meantime Julia rummaged through the bag while muttering to herself. She made something akin to a satisfied noise as she pulled out the clothes and the pair of daggers. "Crude.. But I guess they will do the trick.." Feeling the sharp edges of the daggers before offering one to her brother. Then she turned her back against him and unceremoniously undressed and dropped the rags she had spent so much time despairing in to the floor. A few arcane gestures and a couple of strange words later and Julia was as clean as if she had had a long bath. Then she proceeded to dress in the garments Tiadora had so generously provided. In an unguarded moment as her mother was distracted Alessa took a peek down into the bag and grabbed the first interesting item in reach. It happened to be the thieves tools.
"There, all done." Julia proclaimed with a satisfied smirk. "Your turn." She cringed her nose as she addressed Joshua. "You smell like an old badger, no wonder little Alessa tries to hide from you." Julia handed over the bag containing the rest of the clothes but not before she had emptied the the bag of gold into the sack after retrieving the spell component pouch. Spending some time dividing the contents between the pouches and then tossing one over to Joshua. Meanwhile the little girl had lost most of her interest in her uncle and mother and was rather busy moving around exploring the cell. After a moment when she was done with the immediate area Alessa found herself trying to silently open the cell door.
Basically Alessa is sneaking away on an adventure while her parents are busy. Perception:[roll0]
Stealth: [roll1] In case it is locked she will attempt to pick it and if not then she will head out to scout the surroundings.
Disable device: [roll2] including masterwork bonus
Maugan Ra
2015-01-21, 01:58 PM
Quietly as a night breeze, Alessa wanders over to the cell door and begins fiddling with the lock. The mechanism is old and crude, and under her dexterous touch yields easily, until the door swings open.
Intelligent enough to perceive and understand, yet not openly hostile. Good. That makes it less of a risk right now… although in the future… He couldn’t help but being amazed and awed. The being was incredible and terrible in equal measure, much like his current luck. He silently received the accessories and changed his clothes at his sister’s command. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he turned his back on Alessa. The mere thought of the thing and what it might be plotting was vaguely terrifying. “We need to move swiftly and leave before they realize what’s happening… get those bastards who stand in our way. Then you’ll be free. We’ll be free. The… Alessa will be free, with you.” Unlike his sister, Joshua was not ready to accept the current situation. He needed to hear her say it. “This is what you want. Correct?”
Julia answers eagerly and stoves the rest of the things in the bag and hangs it from her belt. "You are right of course Joshua. And well.. Getting out is the first step anyway." She seems a bit unsure. "I mean.. Our lands and goods must have been confiscated by now.." A small sigh escapes her lips and she shakes her head slowly before she once more looks back into his eyes with renewed determination. "So we have to figure out what we should do after we manage to leave." She arcs an eyebrow in a concerned maner. "What about yourself? Aren't you excited?" Looking at her brothers as if she is seeing him for the first time in years. He is so thin.. What happened to him during his travels? "Your research proved correct after all. Why are you being so gloomy?." She could not fathom why he was being so reserved now that they for the first time in so long had some hope.
------------------------------------
Alessa was very curious about the world outside her birthplace. The second the door swings open she heads trough and begins to take in the scene before her. Her gaze, strangely unobscured by her long curtain of hair, wanders around searching for anything interesting. Naturally as she is seeing most things for the first time in her "life" almost everything is new and exiting. Her attention is constantly challenged by the next thing that caches her "eyes".
Maugan Ra
2015-01-24, 07:02 PM
Alessa finds herself in a long corridor that runs between several cells rather like the one she was just in. Most of them seem to be empty, and a wooden door at the far end of the corridor seems to be the only way out of this level. But it is the one cell that is occupied that truly draws her attention.
There is a humanoid inside it. Not a human, even her inexperienced eyes can tell that much, but something of roughly the same proportions and bodily design. The humanoid is about twice the height of her mother, and perhaps three or four times as broad - the young girl herself barely comes up to his knee.
The big man stirs at the sight of her, lifting massive hands to rub against its glittering black eyes as though to clear them of illusion. It is dressed in the same rags as her mother was, though they are small enough that the figure essentially wears them as a loincloth, and his head is dominated by a shaggy mane and ragged beard of black hair.
He seems bemused by the presence of the young girl, as though not quite sure what to make of her.
Alessa is utterly fascinated with the creature before her. "Hello" She approaches the large mannish being without any hint that this might be dangerous in any way. "You are bigger than mommy and uncle!" She exclaimed in delight. "Are you a perhaps a... Teddy Bear?" She tilted her head impossibly far to the right side as if inspecting the man. Resulting in that her neck now was the highest point on her small body. "I always wanted to have a Teddy Bear I think.. That is what little girls want is it not?" She furrowed her brow underneath the long hair in contemplation. Her mind was a bit fuzzy regarding the details of what a Teddy Bear actually was but she was certain the Teddy Bear would tell her if it could speak at all. "Do you want to play with me mister Bear?" The question was followed by Alessa tilting her head all the way to the left in an owl-like fashion.
Maugan Ra
2015-01-28, 02:00 PM
The big man blinks, then takes a moment to consider the question. "Not a teddy bear." He says gruffly, in a deep voice. "But I would be happy to play with you. Can't do anything with this door locked, though."
Joshua silently gazed into his sisters eyes for a few seconds, before something aking to a smile graced his lips. She seems perfectly honest. This is all her. "No matter. Perhaps I should simply focus more on the merry side of our predicament. We're almost free, after all, and we got... what we wanted." They can't have her. Not now, not when when she finally think she's won. Not ever. The man relaxed and some of the heavy air around him lifted slightly as his eyes left his sister's. "Speaking of, this is no time to dally..." He broke off as he noticed the open celldoor behind him. Every hair on his body suddenly stood on end and his face froze in a tensed expression as he silently and with hurried steps approached the door. Joshua carefully peaked outside, looking for guards or the thing his sister called Alessa. "...Alessa?", he spoke softly, with his hand resting on the hilt of the dagger.
"Then I want to play hide and seek." It would be easy to find the big man and she would win. Then she would claim her prize.. She grinned beneath the hair and licked her teeth. An action that produced a rather unpleasant succulent sound. Having walked up almost to the cell containing the other prisoner with the lockpicks in hand.
Stopping in her tracks Alessa suddenly turns her head backwards towards the cell. A whisper distracting her from her planned course of action. "Yes uncle?" She fiddles with the lockpicks in her hands as if on a subconscious level she knows that she might have done something mother would not like.
True enough Julia appears behind her brother with a worried look on her face. "Just what were you about to do over there sweetykins?" She has her hand on her own dagger and as she sees the creature in the cell and her daughter in front of it she presses her lips together to a thin line.
Alessa protests weakly and points at the locked cell. "But.. He can't get out and we were about to play and.." Julia points straight down by her feet with her index finger. "Alessa.. Come back to mommy right now." Her words suffers no discussion. Alessas belly was rumbling and the small girl cast a final longing look at the creature before walking back toward her mother. Perhaps there is other warm things to play with in this place.
As the girl comes back, Julia hugs her tight and after ensuring she is completely unharmed she strolls up towards the other prisoner albeit she stays at a safe distance. What manner of being is this? She tried to recollect anything she had read in the family library. "So you wish to play with my daughter do you?" Looking him over with a critical eye and muttering strange phrases before a tug at her hand from Alessa makes her look down. "He says he is no Teddy Bear." Julia responds to Alessa with an undecipherable expression "Indeed." She looks back up with a what could be the beginning of a smile on her lips. Clearly amused by the absurdity of the statement.
Including guideance
K.Nature[roll0]
K.History[roll1]
K.Local[roll2]
K.Planes[roll3]
Maugan Ra
2015-01-29, 02:02 PM
After a moment's thought, Julia identifies the other prisoner with a fair degree of accuracy. It is an Ogre, a native of the far north, one of many species generally regarded as savage monsters by most humans. She can recall a handful of stories about them, all involving horrific acts of slaughter and cannibalism.
"Seemed fair." The Ogre says in a rumbling voice, shrugging his broad shoulders. "She lets me out, I play with her. Trade."
"You enjoy commerce then. Good. We've a commodity to trade you." Joshua strode past Alessa and Julia, racking his brain for information on the thing in front of him. "One I believe you'd kill to possess. In fact, I think we'd quite like you to." His voice trembled with excitement, the adrenaline pumping in his veins from the previous shock and the sudden opportunity which had presented itself. "What do you say Julia? What would be a suitable payment for its freedom?" His eyes slowly wandered over Alessa and Julia. He had realized the being was instrumental for his sisters well being, broken as she was. The closeness between the two was still unnerving.
Knowledge Religion [roll0]
Knowledge Nature (untrained) [roll1]
Knowledge Local (untrained) [roll2]
Maugan Ra
2015-01-30, 01:20 PM
Not much more to learn about the Ogre through knowledge checks, I'm afraid.
"'His'." The Ogre says firmly, looking down at you. "'His' freedom. Not 'it'. 'It' is an insult, and little men that insult Grumblejack end up dead men."
He pauses for a moment, to allow that to sink in. "Now, skip the fancy words and tell me what you want."
An ogre? Her mind screamed at her in disgust. The cannibalistic monster deserves to rot in here! And to think it wanted to play with Alessa? But a more insistent voice from within broke through and taunted her. Oh, but you know how sweet the flesh of others taste as well do you not? I wonder who is the bigger monster here? The thoughts cut into her being and laid her guilt on display for the rest of her to see. There was something on a slab and a knife in her hand.. "They all died screaming..." Julia whispered. The image faded into denial. No! Lies! All lies! She shouted to her inner self. They made it up to hurt me and brother! They are the monsters! They deserve to be put down for what they did! Her other self cackled in amusement. Then why don't let the cannibal out and get them? They fear it. They fear him! We can use that..
As the Ogre responded to her brother Julia was shaken from her thoughts and she boldly stepped forward. "Now, now, now.. My brother might not be much of a people person but I should think you would value your life more than your pride at the moment Grumblejack?" Julia locked eyes with the ogre and met his stare trying to read his intentions. She had seen the glory of the things beyond the veil. How could this shackled brute measure up to that. "Threatening someone seldom makes them open a door for you." The comment was half in jest half deadly serious. "As for what we want.. We want you to join us in a little game of whack-a-guard." Alessa looked up. "What game is that? Is it as fun as hide and seek?" "Yes dear, it is a very satisfying game." I would be especially glad to see him twist the head off of the bastard that burned this F into us. "Then I want to play that with mister Grumblejack!" Julia made an excusing gesture for the interruption. "It is a simple arrangement really. My newborn daughter have a way with locks and you seem to have a way with.. Your fists. You help us all break out of here and you get to come along and help kill anyone who stands in our way." Grumblejack was an impressive specimen she had to admit.
Julia: +1 modifier from guidance
Sense motive:[roll0] Is the ogre to be trusted?
Diplomacy:[roll1]
Alessa:
+1 modifier from guidance
Aid other Diplomacy: [roll2]
Maugan Ra
2015-02-01, 01:53 PM
Grumblejack considers for a moment, then nods his shaggy head. "Done. Let me out, and I will fight to get us out of here. Easy choice."
The Ogre seems reasonably sincere. What his broader motivations might be, or if he even has them, you cannot tell, but he seems perfectly willing to smash the guards to pieces and does not seem intent on harming any of you.
"It is settled then!" Julia smiles. Now with some muscle on our side the foolish guards will regret messing with us Ardents. "Alessa." She was stroking her daughter on the head as she crouched down at eye level with her. Speking gentle words full of affection to the gem of her life. "Be a good girl and let Grumblejack out of that cell pumpkin. He has agreed to play with us." Alessa nodded eagerly and went at the lock with the enthusiasm of an excited child. With Julia sporadically giving her nods of encouragement.
At the same time she talked with the other grownups about the layout and of the prison. "I must confess I don't remember much of our capture apart from being led into this cellblock. Does any of you two happen to know how big this place is and how many guards we have to dispose of before we are out of here?"
Alessa goes lockpicking! She will makes some rolls aided by guidance for +1 and the masterwork tools gives another +2 if I am not misstaken.
Alessa:
Disable device: [roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
And if it still is not enough she takes 10 or 20.
Maugan Ra
2015-02-02, 07:26 AM
Alessa fiddles with the locks for a few moments, then steps back as the door to Grumblejack's cell swings open. The Ogre emerges into the corridor with ponderous grace, smiling broadly in a way that reveals far too many of his oversized teeth.
"No idea." He says easily in answer to Julia's question. "Never bothered to count. We're upstairs, though, in the main keep. Saw that much through the window."
Joshua silently let his sister haggle, he saw little point in the social rituals surrounding the process of agreeing. A good deal would remain so, no matter how you presented it.
He was perceptive enough to realize it was a necessary evil though. "It's settled then, good." The man unconsciously backs away a step as the ogre is released, his hands locked behind his back and the dagger stashed away. "I don't know more than you, Julia." His eyes still had not left Grumblejack. "If this is all we know, there's no use planning further until a opportunity presents itself." Joshua starts walking down the corridor, looking for a way out. His eyes linger on the ogre and he almost regretfully turns his back on the being.
Maugan Ra
2015-02-06, 02:18 PM
It does not take long to determine that there is a single way out of the prison - a wooden door at one end of the corridor, from which you remember the guards emerging whenever they did their infrequent patrols. It must be some kind of watch station, a choke point guarding against any chance of escape.
You can hear the sound of quiet conversation beyond.
Julia follows her brother in the search for a way out. Eyeing the unyielding stone walls and different cells in hope there would be some less obvious way out. Perhaps a hole for waste or something similar. She was just about to suggest trying the window Grumblejack had mentioned when they heard the voices. Carefully she sneaks up towards the door and attempts to listen in to the conversation.
Joshua walks up to the door and listens, attempting to discern the number of people in the next room.
Perception:[roll0]
Maugan Ra
2015-02-09, 09:10 AM
Pressed close to the door, the two of you can just about make out the sounds of conversation on the far side.
"...going to the gatehouse tonight?"
"No, I can't afford it. That Blackerley is a damned thief."
"If you know that, why do you keep going?"
"...beer's decent."
The sound of laughter. "Mitra's name, but this place has gone down the sewer lately. Gambling, drinking on duty... old Captain Callidan would have had a fit if he could see us now."
"He left, what, three years ago now?"
"Yeah, and the replacement's done bugger all since. The old wizard just sits up in his tower, stroking his owl."
"Is that what they call it now?"
More laughter.
Joshua listened silently for a few seconds, before seeking his sister's attention and motioning away from the door. The laughter stirred something in him. These laughing louts, this trash of humanity, who would live out their worthless mundane lives without contributing to anything, were supposed to oversee his end. He quietly walked over to Grumblejack. "It's time to start making good of our agreement, Grumblejack. There are at least two guards behind that door. I'll cut off the path to the door..." The man paused and slowly exhaled, his next word were spoken flatly and scornfully. "Kill them. Try not to make too much of a mess, we don't want to alert anyone else."
Julia followed her brother back to the waiting cannibal they had just freed. Giving the creature a look of concern as his only protection seemed to be the rag he wore as a loincloth. The men in the other room where probably heavily armed and their new associate was may be big and strong but that only conjured the image of him dead on the floor cowered in dozens of arrows. That won't do.. " A moment Grumblejack. We can not have you just rushing in there and die on us when Alessa has taken such a liking to you." She produced a small piece of cured leather from the bag at her waist and proceeded to tie it around one of the giants fingers. Muttering otherworldly phrases and something about a door that was a key. A force sensed only as a ripple in the air spread from the leather encasing the ogres hand. The invisible barrier continued to expand until it enveloped the whole Ogre. Julia gave Grumblejack a great big smile as she examined her handiwork. "This protection will last about an hour so let us not waste any time beating the guards senseless. If possible we should take one alive for "questioning" but only if it is convenient."
Alessa was shocked at her uncles proposal and her mothers doting with Grumblejack. Why should Grumblejack be the only one who got to play? She had let him out and now he would steal her fun? It was plain not fair! I will show the cheaters! Trying her most innocent smile she approached her mother tugged at her skirt and said in a sweet voice. "Mama? Can I have an invisible blanket too?" Julia had not yet devised any defense against her daughters low cunning. "Of course you can pumpkin. I would not want anything to happen to my sweet treasure." She gave Alessa a kiss on the head and a small blessing just for good measure. Before turning her attention back to the other two adults and the coming battle
That was exactly what the little girl had planned. As her mother was distracted she quickly sneaked up to the guardroom door and silent as a mouse she opened it and sneaked inside thinking herself rather clever.
Julia casts Mage armor and guidance on Alessa and Grumblejack.
Alessa sneaks into the guardoom and looks around.
Stealth:[roll0]
Perception:[roll1]
Maugan Ra
2015-02-11, 04:02 PM
Grumblejack looks somewhat discomforted by the display of magic. While he does not reject the assistance or shy away, he is evidently uncomfortable with the discovery that you possess such gifts.
Alessa, cunning and curious, picks her moment well and opens the door when no-one is looking. Unfortunately, she is denied any option for stealthy observation - on the far side of the door are the two guards; large men in blue and white uniforms, on their feet and facing directly towards the door.
For a long moment, everyone just looks at each-other silently, the situation hanging in a fragile balance as minds both human and not take in the sudden change in situation.
"Oh... ****."
The guards draw their swords, and all hell breaks loose.
So... handy hint, for future reference. NPCs get to make perception checks as well. Joshua moved away from the door, true, but that alone is not enough to prevent the guards from overhearing your conversation to some extent.
And now, combat! You two get to act first, with Alessa. Then I will handle Grumblejack and the guards. Keeping things simple for the first combat of the game.
It all happens so fast.
Standing frozen in the open doorway looking in surprise at the two equally surprised guards with her mind going haywire. Whywhywhywhy?!? But I was so silent and so carfull and... Realizing all to late the obvious flaw of her master plan. Uncle and mother did not know to be silent because you did not tell them! Mommy is going to be so mad at me! Alessa then did what most little girls won't do when caught with their hands in the cookie jar.. Without any further hesitation she rushes forward like a bat out of hell! Throwing her tiny form straight at the closest guard. Clawing ferociously using tiny fingers bent in strange angles and slashing with hair flying wild in all directions. Mommy will be so mad at me!
The guards sound of surprise makes Julia turn from the conversation and all the color drains from her face in an instant as she sees her long awaited child throw herself against two armed opponents. "Al..!" Biting down on a scream. Her mind full of fear and confusion as the scene plays before her eyes as if in slow motion. Luckily her body acts on it's own. Sprinting forward with dagger in hand and throwing the blade with all force she can muster straight at the man that any moment from now could once more make her childless and doom her to a short life of despair.
Alessa charges +2 attack -2 Ac to next round
Attack:[roll0]
Damage:[roll1]
Julia moves close enough to throw her dagger at the same guard
Attack:[roll2]
Damage:[roll3]
Haha! Yeah, we might have been a smudgon optimistic about the guards being both blind and deaf up until now. :smallwink: I'm actually a bit surprised they did not hear us earlier during the bargain with Grumblejack. If they live through this then I believe Alessa is in for her first scolding and Julia and Joshua might learn to be more careful in the future.
The sudden harsh voice sent chills down his back, as he realized he stood with his back turned to what could only be a wide open door and a room populated by the crown's guard. He instantly pictured a grim, armored man with piercing eyes, taking aim with his crossbow and THUNK, his Louise -no, Julia- collapsed without a word with a crossbow bolt stuck beneath her chin. "NO!" The man turned around in a flurry and quickly moved to a position where he could see what was going on. No sir Balin to be seen, of course, but two armored men approached by his very much unarmored sister. The initial panic washes away and is replaced by determination fueled by fear. He reaches out to the vast darkness, his mind screaming and praying. The un-thing doesn't stir, yet it answers, and he can feel the power gathering at the tip of his fingers.
Move action: If needed, used to get within range of the guards.
Standard action: targeting the guard not attacked by Alessa with slumber.
DC: 10+witch level/2 + int modifier = 15
Maugan Ra
2015-02-14, 12:33 PM
Julia's blade, thrown with all the desperation and force of a mother fighting to defend her child, remains insufficient to overcome the guard's armour and deflects away without arm. He growls and steps forwards, hefting his sword, and then Alessa is on him.
The child's fingers look normal, her frame hardly suited to close quarters combat with a grown man twice her mass, but her wild strikes pass through his defenses as though by blind luck and her curled fingers slice through cloth and steel to draw thin trails of blood with supernatural ease.
Crying out in pain, the injured guard does what comes naturally and lashes out, striking at Alessa with his gleaming sword. The blow is true, but incredibly the cold steel fails to make a mark on the girl's skin, deflecting away as though it had encountered heavy armour rather than simple flesh.
The second guard moves in to assist his comrade, then falters as Joshua calls upon his magic. He sways, waves one hand as though attempting to clear his vision of some obstruction, then topples over as the magically induced slumber claims him.
Grumblejack moves into the room with a rolling, fluid gait that seems entirely out of place on such a monstrous brute. He eyes the developing situation with a dispassionate air, then slams a fist the size of a barrel into the guard attacking Alessa, who staggers backwards with a cry of pain.
Your turn(s) again. One guard badly injured, one temporarily asleep who will regain consciousness on his next turn.
Julia is still in a state of panic at her own ineffectual assault on the guard but she calms somewhat as the ogre shows why bigger he was put in an reinforced cell in the first place. Feeling very much like a damsel in distress and less than useful having thrown her only weapon away. She tries to get a grip on what she can do in the current situation. Metal gleaming in the light striking at her vulnerable little Alessa. The panic rises again and with it, determination. Swords! If i get rid of the swords! Finding the sword of the sleeping guard and reaching out with her mind in concentration. She points at the blade and wills it to rise. Beckoning it closer with her finger. Soon I will be the one with the sword you murderers!
Alessa feels the wind rush past as Grumblejacks fist pass above her head and connects to her prey. That was not fair! She had laid her claim on it with her fist strikes! That was when the other man toppled over and Alessa saw a chance that was to tempting to pass up.
Julia uses Mage hand to grab and move the sword of the sleeping guard away from him and towards herself.
As for hit-girl. Now this depends on if the guards are close enough together that Alessa could use a 5-foot step to get to the second guard. If that is the case then she will perform a coup de grace against the sleeping guard with her claws. Kick a dog when it's down and all that.
Coup de grace damage: [roll0] + crit [roll1]
If the distance is to big then she will perform a full attack against the first guard instead.
Attack:
Claw(s): [roll2], [roll3]
Damage: [roll4], [roll5]
Joshua winces as Julia ineffectually attacks the fully armed guard. "Thrice cursed bones, let Grumblejack handle the blunt end of things! " He starts to call upon the void, or whatever it is, again as he sees Alessa attack the guard with surprising fury. A part of him dearly wishes the small thing to die and disappear forever, if that would even be possible. The tall man raises his palm in the direction of the guard who's still standing, staring at him with grim eyes.
Standard action: Slumber on the guard who's still standing.
DC: 15
Maugan Ra
2015-02-20, 02:27 PM
Propelled by magic, the sword lifts into the air and flies towards Julia, easily caught out of the air by the noble woman's beckoning hand. The guard on the ground begins to stir, the magical slumber fading quickly... but he is not fast enough to rouse before Alessa reaches him. The child's fingers do deadly work, and the soldier perishes messily.
The second guard let's out a cry at the sight, expression utterly aghast. He turns and leaps for a signal horn on the table, desperation lending him the strength to shrug off the enchantment that felled his companion. He snatches the horn up and raises it to his lips, whereupon Grumblejack's hand closes around his neck.
There is a grisly snap, and then silence.
For getting out of the cell, convincing Grumblejack to work with you and then defeating the guards, both of you gain a total of 700xp.
Everything was still. The only sound Julia could hear was the sound of blood drippng slowly from Alessas fingers and her own heartbeat. The stillness lasted for a couple of seconds before her neurons had agreed on firing consistently and with purpouse once more. Julia sucked in air as if she suddenly remembered how to breath, and ran up to her daughter. Thus the fragile silence was shattered. The worried mother started to examine Alessa for wounds the swords might have inflicted upon her little girl. Her surprise and relief was substantial when she realized that all the blood came from the guards. She hugged the little form tightly and Alessa, to scared of being scolded just stood there stiff like a board. "Mama.." She said after a few moments. "I'm sorry mama..." She sounded devastated. "I broke the toys and you did not even get to play." She sniffed as if on the verge of tears. Julia rocked her back and forth in her arms. "Shhhh. It's okay little dove. You are well and that is all that matters. We can find new toys for you later. But next time don't ran away on your own without telling me." Julia relaxed her hug and shifted her position so that she looked Alessa in the "eyes". "Promise me that young lady. Promise you will tell mother next time." Alessa sniveled and answered with the the grave truthfulness of a child. "I promise." Julia got up and proceed to use the prison rags to wash away the blood from the little girls hands and arms. "Good girl. Now of and play. But don't leave this room and keep the noise down."
Julia patted Alessa on the shoulder and sent her on her way before she turned toward her brother and Grumblejack. "You did well Grumblejack. Thank you." She looked at the two dead guards and then at the ogres big hands, shuddered involuntarily, and retrieved the dagger she had thrown in the fight. As she walked across the room she stopped to finally examine the place. "What now brother? I think we might need to move quicker. There might soon be time for a change of guards and if they find them and us not in the cells then we would be in trouble." She calmly indicated the two dead men on the floor.
Perception: [roll0]
Whoho! First exp! Shiver in your boots evildoe... I mean gooddoers!
Joshua lowered his trembling arm and shot forward, following Grumblejack. His chest heaved as if he had been running and his nervous eyes quickly scanned the room for more threats. As soon as he allowed himself to admit that they appeared to, for the moment, be safe, he turned to Julia. The sudden imagined visage of her dying, and the following short but bloody battle, put a larger strain on him than he cared to admit. This was, after all, not the time for weakness. Still, to see her alive, to tell her how he'd rejoice to see them free. The words got stuck somewhere in his throat as he saw his sister doting her 'child'. The man unconsciously straightened up and clenched his teeth. He continued to stand, almost petrified, as Julia thanked Grumblejack.
"Yes, thanks to ... her, we have little choice." He had wished to keep the poison out of his words, but soon found it almost impossible. He continued with barely controlled voice, blatantly ignoring the cold voice of reason which told him the problem that was Alessa would best be solved later "She almost killed us, Julia." Though he'd never admit it, he found it hard to look her into her eyes while continuing, so he found a valid excuse for himself not to by searching the guards for keys or other useful trinkets. "Your ... little girl ..." He momentarily stopped his search when reaching the throat of the guard, shredded by Alessa's small fingers. "Unintentionally or intentionally, almost had us both killed, only minutes after... After she was given to us. And you tell her off? That is it?"
Inspecting the guards equipment!
With a lowered voice so as not to attract any attention of more guards, Julia replies. "But she did not. In the end my little girl and Grumblejack managed to turn the tables and slay the beasts did they not?" She gave Alessa a loving look. "Lucky for us you where here to support me in the hour of need this time." There is more than a bit of resentment and bitterness in the statement.
"And Joshua." The gaze Julia shot her brother could cut glass. The timbre of her voice controlled to perfection. The timbre of someone seething with rage that could explode any moment. "Do not presume to tell ME how to raise MY daughter, brother dearest." The hints of underlying anger had then in that instant frozen solid into a cold demented focus. "If we take but a moment of time to think and take what we learned from this, none of us will have to die." It was a statement that for anyone but a sibling could have been interpreted as a veiled threat. But Julia would never do something that drastic. Would she? Alessa looked on with an incredulous expression. Was that a hint of a smile flashing as the little girl walked around the room on tiny bare feet and digested all the new sights all the while happily sucking on a bloody finger.
Alessa will also be searching the room for anything interesting to a small girl. Perception:[roll0]
Maugan Ra
2015-02-27, 09:12 AM
A quick search allows you to identify the equipment held by the guards.
2x Chain Shirts
2x Longswords
2x Clubs
5 gold and 3 silver pieces
2x Steel heavy shields
Uniforms.
The rest of the room is, it seems, largely uninteresting. There are only two features of note. The first is the stairs that leads down to the ground level, while the second is a fireplace with an unusually large chimney at the rear. Poking her head in and peering around, Alessa determines that it would be fairly easy to climb down to the level below, where there is a fire that would need to be avoided, and a bit more difficult to clamber up to the roof.
For a brief moment Alessa wondered if it was considered leaving the room to climb the chimney. But she decided against it and instead walked up to her guardians. "We can get out through there." She pointed at the large fireplace with an eager gesture.
Julia looked where she had pointed and walked over to inspect the proposed route. Will the ogre even fit in this? She tried to guess if Grumblejack would be able to climb the vertical shaft or if the should try the door instead. Then again.. We could leave him as an distraction if he can't.. She decided against that. He had already proved useful and as she was no great fighter herself it would be hard to break out if they encountered more of the blasted guards. Yes.. the guards.. Figuring that what had caused them to be able to so quickly dispose of the guards in the first place was the hesitation of said guards. She muttered. "If we could ensure that eventual patrols would be equally hesitant." Silently she paced back and fort in front of the chimney before her eyes went to the dead bodies again. A broken neck and a severed throat. She walked up to the corpses.
Their clothes are not torn in any way.. She proceeded to rapidly remove the clothes and armaments of the two dead men and put them in two different piles. She inspected the garments and with a dismissive wave of her hand the blood that stained them disappeared as if it had never been there. "I think we might pass of as guards at a bit of distance if we use these." I will feel safer wearing steel as well. She donned the best fitting match of clothes and a matching chain shirt. Strung a shield over her back and offered the sword to Grumblejack with a raised eyebrow. "Unless you prefer pummeling guards with your fists?"
Do you want to make disguise rolls secretly? Otherwise, disguise: [roll0]
Maugan Ra
2015-03-03, 07:21 AM
Grumblejack squints at the sword, then looks at his own meaty fist. The problem is obvious - the blade is sized for a human, and while the Ogre could likely use it, it would not be easy. Shrugging, your fellow prisoner then ambles over to the chimney and pokes his head inside, looking around for a moment before returning.
"Could fit." He grunts. "Should probably go last, though. Don't want to fall on you."
"If you do not practice caution, we may not even escape these walls, even with me by your side. Where I shall remain." Joshua answered coldly with more control than before. "After all, you know even less about the gift granted to you, about Alessa, than you'd know about an ordinary child. And she is far from ordinary." He continued as he efficiently undressed one of the guards and put on the uniform over his old clothes, making sure to fold away visible parts of the other set of clothes. "But this must wait, we have more pressing concerns. The uniforms should give us a few moments, if we're spotted." The man glances up and down the chimney. "Fire may however indicate people and we're as lost inside the room below as we're here. I say we either climb to the roof or take our chances with the stairs. I doubt there will be a lot of armed guards away from their posts, walking about in the corridors."
Seeing the problem as the ogre looked at the blade she felt a bit foolish. Careful to not let her feelings show on her face she shrugged and sheathed the blade. "Perhaps one of the legs of the table would be more useful." She grew sullen as Joshua replied. Her brothers retort hurt. Mostly because it contained more than a little bit of truth. What did she really know about her daughter? She was a grand gift that was certain and that was what the ritual had claimed the result would be. But the books she had read had not prepared her for Alessas curiosity and apparent lack of self preservation. Then again perhaps all children longed to attack armed men? She chose not push the matter further right now as Joshua was right in more than her lack of knowledge, it was not the time.
Julia sized up the long climb up the chimney and saw the hard truth of it. She was not a climber and the thought of the cramped space, the smoke and the risk of falling down into a burning inferno terrified her. The possibility of walking out through the corridors tugged at her resolve. "You are right. But if we climbed up on the roof there would be a long way to climb down and no way to hide as we did. They would fill us with arrows in no time." It was an excuse to avoid betting her life on her meager climbing skills. She had no way of knowing if the guards would see them but the thought of a deadly fall to unknown depths below was a real enough. A situation where she would have nothing but her own weak arms to trust in to see her through was a reality she rather would not explore. "We should just go down the stairs and trust these uniforms." Alessas voice interrupted her own.
Alessa was eager for more playmates as the current surroundings had grown stale now that there was no longer anything new to see. After finding the chimney she had retreated to the bodies and painted a little picture of herself, mummy, uncle Josh and the big "not-teddy bear" on the rough floor using the red stuff leaking from one of the playthings. She had run out of paint and now she was bored out of her little mind. She sprung to her feet and silently rushed to the staircase. "I can look ahead and tell you if there are others down there." She fixed them with her eyes. Quite a feat as her hair still cowered most of her face. "But then you have to stay silent this time." She puffed her cheeks and managed to look both stern and silly at the same time.
Desperate to avoid climbing the chimney, her mother nodded her approval after making sure the others knew what where about to happen. Grabbed Alessa by the shoulders and spoke quietly but with a commanding yet soft tone. "Promise to not be seen and to not charge any more guards if you see them, and return at once if you do and tell us where they are and if they are headed here." Julia gave Alessa her blessing and saw her disappear down the stairs.
This time Julia is quiet as a quiet person and hopefully the others are as well.
Girl scout Alessa,
stealth: [roll0]
Perception (if needed): [roll1]
or take 10 if sneaking is slow.
Maugan Ra
2015-03-10, 07:05 AM
Sneaking down the stairs, Alessa finds that any further forward progress is blocked by a heavy wooden door separating the stairwell from the rest of the building. It does not appear to be locked, but even so it poses something of an obstacle.
Peering through the keyhole, the young girl-thing can make out what seems to be a long corridor on the other side, leading up to a set of double doors at the far end. There also seems to be a number of smaller doors along the sides of the corridor.
More critically, she can make out the presence of two more guards, standing either side of the double doors at the far end of the corridor. They are armed, but while they appear more focused on a quiet conversation than on watching the passage, it seems unlikely they will miss anyone coming through the door.
Deciding to be a good girl for once. Alessa got back up and told her guardians about what she had seen.
Julia did not take the news to well. The Chimney seemed more and more as their best shot at getting out. Then she imagined Alessa and herself falling again. "If we open the doors without being seen we can dispose of them when they investigate it! It is only two of them and we are armed now." She sounded more sure of herself than she really were. "What do you think Josh.. No sane person raises the alarm because of a suddenly opening door. Right?" He was clever, she had to give him that. He would know if the.. she shuddered... chimney was the best course.
Joshua silently received Julias answer and simply turned around when Alessa went to explore the lower level. His sunken eyes stared straight into the grey stone wall as minutes went by and the girl-thing from the abyss or gods-knows-where returned. He gave no visible sign of discomfort at the thought of presenting his unguarded back to Alessa and Grumblejack.
Julia hardly had time to stop speaking before Joshua shot her an annoyed look, breaking his somewhat trance-like state. “To believe they’d shoot at us when climbing the roof is foolishness, after all, we’d be donning their uniforms.” He spoke without spite, but not entirely without edge “Still, there’s the matter of getting there… There may be someone capable of raising the alarm before we can silence them in the lower room. In the corridor, we know what we face.” The man paced around the room “All we need to do is to prevent them from sounding the alarm. I’ll summon a thick mist and the two of us enter the corridor coughing, wearing uniforms. I doubt they’ll sound the alarm immediately, but will focus on getting their comrades away from what appears to be smoke.” Joshua stops and lets his eyes wander over Grumblejack and Julia. “Once they’re close enough or the mist has spread far enough through the corridor, Grumblejack will charge while we curse them.”
Julia mulled over the plan. It seemed perfect! Then her eyes fell on the signal horn and a thought struck her. "Won't they raise the fire alarm before they go to help their comrades?" For a moment she was worried that she would have to face the chimney after all then she broke out in an understanding smile. "But you expect that they would of course! If there are soldiers here then they would start acting as if it was a real fire and abandon their post and possibly their weapons to deal with the situation!" She nodded to her brother. "Let's do it!" Turning to Alessa next she got down on her hunches and said with a warm smile. "Well done pumpkin. You know what sweety? It is time for you to sleep now. Would you like that honey?" Alessa nodded with a tired smile. Hugged her mother hard and then she slowly faded into her mothers embrace. Her hair gently folding around Julia like a clinging dark mist. The Shadowy appendages gently and lazily started seeping into her mothers ears and mouth in great gushing rivers a until there were nothing to be seen of Alessa. With her daughter safe from harm Julia seemed to relax a great deal. "Now let us see what these guards are made of."
Unsummoning Alessa in order for Julia to be able to use her summons. Going to move forward and summon an fiendish eagle right behind the guards to make a full attack as they close to inspect us. If that is not possible then she will summon it in a place where it will be free to charge a guard immediately. Ideally providing flanking for Grumblejack
Yes, we are aware that this could possibly go horribly wrong with us facing the entire garrison carrying buckets with water. But I am seeing the scene before my eyes and it is to good to miss. Besides if the guards comes running with buckets that would be a marvelous time to use that grease spell (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiFrXO-sm48).
So Bluff to cough and play a guard in distress convincingly?
[roll0]
Might as well make some attack rolls for the eagle to save some time: Smite good on!
Melee 2 talons +3 [1d4+3], bite +3[1d4+3] Smite good on!
In case of charge use the [roll1] attack.
Talon 1:[roll2], Damage: [roll3]
Talon 2:[roll4], Damage: [roll5]
Beak:[roll6], Damage: [roll7]
Edit: It seems our bluffing might need work.
Joshua stares at Julia coddling her 'daughter' with dull eyes. “It's far from flawless, but I believe it's the best course of action. The alternative would be shouting, trusting the uniforms or similar nonsense.” He responds without humor as he approaches the door separating them from their quarry “Now, we can't trust this to last, the entire scenario is too unlikely and the fog will not smell of fire... also, it will disappear within the minute.” He places a hand on the doorframe and looks at Julia and Grumblejack (assuming he's following). “Attempt to intercept them quickly, their confusion is the only thing protecting us, and the mist may make it difficult to locate them.”
With that he raises his arms and reaches out to the void just beneath the curtain of reality. Carefully not to be swept away by the elation he starts chanting and forming the energies to his will. He can feel it as he pulls away, the thing that watches. How it allows him to enter, allows him to leave its domain. As a thick and grey mist suddenly surges forth from him, filling the space, he quickly and clumsily throws the door open, letting the supernaturally quick fog expand into the corridor.
Faking a hacking cough, he advances in the corridor, trusting Julia to follow. “'"is fine! 'is fine!"” Another hacking cough “"'De damn chimney...!”" He strains his eyes, trying to make out the guards, or even the walls around him.
Cast: Obscuring mist
Bluff: [roll0] Does Julia's coughing count as a aid other? Or is it simply two people doing a similar thing? It's not accounted for in the roll, anyway.
and as soon as he can after that:
Perception:[roll1]
Everything gambled but with freedom as the price. The thoughts are spinning in her head as the mist spreads out and the door is thrown open. Julia is advancing beside her brother. All the while coughing in what she believes it a convincing manner. Glancing up between coughs and trying to make out the guards trough the fog. Even though only moments of the outlined plan has passed she cant help to notice the lack of response. Come on guards. Take the bait. I cant take this suspense. She wanted to scream defiance against the bastards. Tell them that their beastly friends were dead and that they would pay for marking them with that runic F. Instead she suppressed the mad urge, continuing to cough her way to the edge of the mist. Every fiber in her body tense and ready for their coming confrontation with destiny.
Maugan Ra
2015-03-19, 04:07 PM
As you step out into the corridor, magically-conjured mist swirling about you as you cough heartily, the two guards at the far end of the corridor blink in surprise.
One of them immediately steps forwards to help, but the other catches him by the arm, frowning doubtfully as though something about the tableu before him seems off...
Sorry for the delay. So, with a fairly unimpressive Bluff roll the guards aren't entirely fooled, but they haven't quite worked out what's going on here either. You have a single round of actions to work with here. Grumblejack is currently hiding back behind the door, out of sight.
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