If you see a Buddha wearing power armour, kill him.

[Ebiris]

[18:06] <@Kotono> It's the next day. A blanket of snow has settled over everything, blanketing the world in white. It makes it all the more enticing to stay at home curled up. Myann's doing that, wrapped in a blanket and sitting before the window. It's an unremarkable day on first glance...OOC: Go ahead and set yourself up first, Feather.
[18:06] * Feather tends to the fire, occasionally glancing at Myann and the outside world.
[18:08] <@Kotono> This goes on for a few more minutes until Myann stands up. She tosses her blanket onto her chair and sighs, "That was pretty at first, but now I'm bored."
[18:10] <Feather> "It's not like we're bothered by cold after that dragon," Feather muses. "Thinking of taking a short trip somewhere?"
[18:12] <@Kotono> "A very short trip to the backyard," Myann says, "You know that new mushroom spell I learned?"
[18:13] <Feather> "Itching to test it some more?" Feather asks curiously, heading over to her.
[18:17] <@Kotono> "There's a snow mushroom I hear about sometimes," Myann starts to head towards the back door, "If we clear out the plot, I think I can get them to grow."
[18:18] <@Kotono> Suddenly, the world shakes all over! It's followed by a loud BOOOOOOM, rattling the house you're in!
[18:19] <Feather> "Sounds like something is working on clearing it," Feather mutters, grabbing his sword and heading for the front door!
[18:20] <@Kotono> "Sidhe luck," Myann dashes in and grabs her and her armor, struggling to keep up as she follows. OOC: I'll integrate you into #dunes momentarily.

~

[18:07] <@Kotono> Home. Gildas's log cabin is peaceful the next day, the world outside a snowy mess. It's a chance to meditate, get in touch with nature and generally unwind for a day. It's then that his front door is knocked on, followed by Em's voice calling, "Gildas, are you home?"
[18:07] <Gildas> It stirs him from his meditation, to which he stands up! "I am, one moment." He strides to the door to open it!
[18:09] <@Kotono> Em's there. She's wearing heavy winter clothes and boots, stamping them free of mud and snow just inside. A glance shows it's still lightly snowing. "Ma sent me over." She holds up a small basket, "She said she wants to make sure you're eating proper in here."
[18:10] <Gildas> He smiles and lets out a small chuckle. "Your mother is a kind person." He will take the offered basket. "I'm sorry you had to travel all the way over here for this delivery."
[18:15] <@Kotono> "It's not so bad. I wanted to ask you something, anyway," Em says.
[18:17] <Gildas> "Hm? Of course." *He gestures for her to come in, if she likes.
[18:18] <@Kotono> Suddenly, the world shakes all over! It's followed by a loud BOOOOOOM, rattling the house you're in!
[18:18] <Gildas> He's almost knocked off his feet in surprise as he pulls Em closer in case there's a follow-up to the explosion!
[18:20] <@Kotono> Em is held close, flat down and stunned. "W-what was that?" she asks in a small voice.
[18:20] <Gildas> "Stay here." He says, placing the basket on his bed before he heads outside to investigate!

~

[18:02] <@Kotono> It's the next day. A blanket of snow has settled over everything, blanketing the world in white. It makes it all the more enticing to stay at home curled up. Myann's doing that, wrapped in a blanket and sitting before the window. It's an unremarkable day on first glance...OOC: Go ahead and set yourself up first, Feather.
[18:02] <@Kotono> OOC: Strike, wrong room.
[18:05] <@Kotono> The next day is one of snowfall and peace. John ends up at Robert's farmhouse, sitting back in the kitchen with Robert and Brutes. The Missus is working on a whole roasted pig, the scent delicious as it cooks over the kitchen fires. A few of the brood are about, helping with little cooking tasks, Robert keeping half an eye on them. "Say John," he speaks up, "You're a mighty big fellow."
[18:08] <@John> "Been told that, yeah," John nods agreeably, leaning forward over the table and crossing his arms on it. "I was taller than all me big brothers and me Da when I was about fourteen. Anything like that for you?" he asks, given that he's noticed how Robert is a mighty big fellow as well.
[18:11] <@Kotono> "Sure is," John says, "I've always been tall, and I hit a big late growth spurt when I settled down here. The land's always so good the Missus is always catching pregnant around here."
[18:12] <@Kotono> "Born big," Brutes adds, eyes closed but not asleep. "Lots of hard work helped too."
[18:12] * @John turns red at the blatant mention of her fertility, considering what else must go on to ensure she keeps 'catching pregnant'. "Don't think that has much to do with the land, does it?" he mumbles.
[18:16] <@Kotono> Robert looks on a moment before throwing his head back and laughing. "John, you're as much of a country man as I am. You've seen the horses or the pigs doing it, haven't you?"
[18:18] <@Kotono> Suddenly, the world shakes all over! It's followed by a loud BOOOOOOM, rattling the house you're in!
[18:18] <@John> He nods. It's true, he's helped out around calving and all that. "S'different with people and anima-!" he stops and looks around wide-eyed.
[18:19] <@Kotono> "Shit!" Robert stumbles to his feet as the shaking stops, "What in hell's name was that? Kids, go to you ma now!" The broodlings in here go wide eyed at this, the Missus gathering them together as she picks up fallen things from the floor.
[18:19] <@John> "I'll go look outside!" John says, glad to escape the conversation anyway! Getting up he grabs his staff from against the wall and rushes out into the snow!
[18:24] <@Kotono> John rushes outside!  He stamps forward in the snow, seeing Feather and then Myann trying to catch up and Gildas farther behind them. Ahead in the forest to the north he can see a plume of smoke rising. Back in the new houses, you can see people poking out, looking about wide-eyed.
[18:25] <Gildas> Gildas will shapeshift to get a bird's-eye (literally) view of things!
[18:25] * @John was never much good at reassuring people so he doesn't bother, just jogging over towards the plume at a pace that should let Gildas, Feather, and Myann catch up before he gets there.
[18:26] <Feather> "Let's go see what that's all about!" Feather calls to John and Gildas, making his way to the plume of smoke.
[18:30] <@Kotono> Myann shifts into bird form, getting above the snow and following. As the party rushes along, Gildas gets ahead and can see a view. Whatever it was punched through the canopy and landed hard, making a small crater. Flames dance about, steam rising from flash-boiled snow. It makes visibility not so good, even from above. OOC: Y'all just going to the impact point?
[18:31] <@John> OOC: yes!
[18:31] <Gildas> He will fly down to get a closer look, avoiding the smoke and steam as much as he can. OOC: Arrr.
[18:34] <@Kotono> On one flank, three approach on the ground. It's about 200ft from the treeline, a crater perhaps 5ft across and shallow. A broken tree has been knocked to the side and the snow around the crater is gone. It's a bit steamy here, making visibility hard. Something within is burning - a shape that is slowly rising up, man-like but bigger. Meanwhile Gildas can see all of this from above.
[18:35] <Gildas> He'll slowly get closer, keeping about 20ft up and 10ft away from the shape!
[18:35] <@John> "Uh, hullo? You alright there?" John calls, seeing a humanoid shape. He must've fallen from some height!
[18:38] <@Kotono> Myalln lands near John, taking human form once more. The creature rises as the steam clears. It is a man of metal, like a golem. Fires burn on it but it does not seem to damage it at all. It's about ten feet tall or so. In its hands a pair of metal blades appear, as the same time as dozens of points of fire-light spread out from it and dance all over the area, including the party.
[18:38] <@Kotono> *Myann, wow.
[18:39] <@John> "Maybe he doesn't speak common?" John suggests to his companions, having noticed a lot of people either incapable or unwilling to speak it lately.
[18:40] * Feather waves at the golem while keeping his sword in his other hand, its tip lowered.
[18:41] <Gildas> Gildas lands about 15 feet away from the others and shapeshifts back with a frown.
[18:42] <@Kotono> The points of fire-light dance around, before centering on John. In Common that switches volume and variance, "ElIMInatE. ElimInATE." With that, the creature begins to advance towards John! OOC: Init here.
[18:42] <@John> roll 1d20+3
[18:42] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+2 Myann
[18:42] -castleheck.tx.us.lunarnet.org:@#dunes- Kotono invited Serith into the channel.
[18:42] * Joins: Serith (~iron_drag@cpe-173-172-46-15.tx.res.rr.com)
[18:42] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+2 Myann
[18:42] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=18]
[18:42] <@John> roll 1d20+3
[18:42] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 15 > [d20=12]
[18:42] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+4 Metal man
[18:42] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=17]
[18:43] <Gildas> roll 1d20+3
[18:43] <Feather> roll 1d20+3
[18:43] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 9 > [d20=6]
[18:43] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=20]
[18:44] * Kotono changes topic to 'Feather(23)>Metal Man(21)>Myann(20)>John(15)>Gildas(9)'
[18:47] <Feather> "It ain't never good news," Feather laments, heading at the creature of metal to meet him head on. He brings his lightning bolt-shaped sword down on the right wrist, and then steps past his opponent while dodging any possible counterstrikes and slashes at his back before getting some distance between them.
[18:47] <Feather> roll 1d20+13 dervish, zap
[18:47] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=8]
[18:47] <@Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[18:47] <Feather> roll 1d20+12 acrobatics to tumble
[18:47] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 13 > [d20=1]
[18:48] <Feather> roll 1d20+8 second hit
[18:48] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 10 > [d20=2]
[18:48] <Feather> roll 1d10+6+1d6+6d6 cold, elec
[18:48] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 38 > [d10=1][d6=6,3,5,4,6,5,2]
[18:49] <@Kotono> OOC: Trying to avoid an AoO with the tumble? Doesn't matter, he's flatfooted.
[18:49] <Feather> OOC: I was, and cool
[18:49] <@Kotono> Feather's blade slices into the wrist of the metal man. It's not a deep gouge, but electricity runs up and down its body from the blow. It still stays focused on John all the while, ignoring Feather to charge at him! OOC: He provokes an AoO, Feather.
[18:50] <Feather> OOC: Sorry, like I said I put some distance between us. I'd be 10ft away in the other direction.
[18:50] <@Kotono> OOC: Oh right then.
[18:50] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+8 AC John sword 1
[18:50] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+8 AC John sword 2
[18:50] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=16]
[18:50] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 11 > [d20=3]
[18:51] <@John> OOC: 21
[18:51] <@Kotono> roll 1d8+4 and make a Will save.
[18:51] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 7 > [d8=3]
[18:51] <@John> roll 1d20+11 +13 if enchantment
[18:51] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=18]
[18:52] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:52] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 52 > [d100=52]
[18:53] * Joins: Hatbo939 (~Hatbot@72.183.113.233)
[18:53] <@Kotono> John gets a sword in the arm, ripping across! It's not a serious wound, but the bleeding isn't the only concern. John is overtaken by a sudden headache, the world starting to fade apart into blurred images - but he shakes it off! Myann steps a bit back carefully, gesturing at John! A red and white mushroom appears above him, falling onto the targeted man! OOC: Super Mushroomed. Alas no flanking,
[18:53] <@Kotono> but a freebie hit instead. Go John.
[18:54] <@John> "Oi! What'd I ever do to you?" John cries out as he jerks his arm back, suddenly swelling upwards. "Well listen, I'll do something to you now instead!" and then he thumps it with his staff a few times and then turns invisible!
[18:55] <@John> roll 1d20+9
[18:55] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 17 > [d20=8]
[18:55] * Hatbo939 --> "John rolls 1d20+9 and gets 25." [1d20=16]
[18:55] <@John> roll 1d20+9
[18:55] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 10 > [d20=1]
[18:55] * Hatbo939 --> "John rolls 1d20+9 and gets 16." [1d20=7]
[18:55] * Quits: Hatbo939 (~Hatbot@72.183.113.233) (Quit: Hatbo939)
[18:55] <@John> roll 1d20+9
[18:55] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 10 > [d20=1]
[18:55] <@John> roll 1d20+9
[18:55] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 16 > [d20=7]
[18:55] <@John> roll 1d20+9
[18:55] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=15]
[18:55] <@John> roll 1d20+4
[18:55] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=16]
[18:55] <@John> roll 1d20+4
[18:55] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 8 > [d20=4]
[18:56] <@Kotono> OOC: Reroll the first two due to Hatbot/Serith conflict.
[18:56] <@John> OOC: I did
[18:56] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay.
[18:56] <@Kotono> OOC: Two htis.
[18:56] <@Kotono> OOC: Invis after the strikes?
[18:56] <@John> roll 2#1d8+6
[18:56] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 12, 14 >
[18:56] <@John> OOC: yeah, so I have miss chance
[18:57] <@Kotono> John's staff loudly clangs at it hits the metal man. It hits hard and makes a sight denting, but it doesn't seem overly deterred. OOC: Okay, Gildas.
[18:58] <Gildas> Gildas shapeshifts into his predator form to move in and take a tentative mauling at the creature!
[18:58] <Gildas> roll 1d20+11
[18:58] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=10]
[18:58] <Gildas> roll 1d20+6
[18:58] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 14 > [d20=8]
[19:01] <@Kotono> OOC: One hit.
[19:01] <Gildas> OOC: OK
[19:01] <Gildas> OOC: Are the conditions freezing for the purpose of the Frostfall Ring?
[19:01] <@Kotono> OOC: Yes.
[19:02] <Gildas> OOC: Okay.
[19:02] <Gildas> roll 2d8+10+2d6 last is cold
[19:02] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 22 > [d8=4,3][d6=1,4]
[19:03] <@Kotono> Gildas's claws rip into the metal man, finding resistance as they score gouges along its shoulder. Not deep ones, the metal frame highly resistant. It's still dead focused on John, points of fire-light focused on the open air where John was moments ago. OOC: Feather
[19:03] <@Kotono> .
[19:05] <Feather> "Myann, we need that new fancy sword of Kral's!" Feather calls out as he returns, slashing against the creature's unprotected back and then stepping over to the side to help Gildas with his own attacks.
[19:06] <Feather> roll 1d20+13 zap
[19:06] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=11]
[19:06] <Feather> roll 1d20+8
[19:06] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=12]
[19:06] <Feather> roll 1d10+6+1d6+6d6 cold, elec
[19:06] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 32 > [d10=4][d6=1,3,1,4,4,5,4]
[19:06] <Feather> roll 1d10+6+1d6+1d6 cold, elec
[19:06] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 17 > [d10=5][d6=3,3]
[19:08] <@Kotono> Feather slashes over and over, slicing the arms of the man. It makes more slices but none too deep, the arms still intact. It just focuses all of its menace at John, even unseen! It slashes at him twice, aim seemingly unbothered by invisibility!
[19:08] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+8
[19:08] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+8
[19:08] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 27 > [d20=19]
[19:08] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 25 > [d20=17]
[19:09] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+8 crit threat Hatebottin'
[19:09] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=16]
[19:09] <@John> OOC: still 21, dammit
[19:09] <@Kotono> OOC: Mushroom soaks up the crit.
[19:09] <@Kotono> roll 1d8+4 and Will
[19:09] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 5 > [d8=1]
[19:09] <@John> roll 1d20+9 +13 if enchantment
[19:09] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=14]
[19:11] <@Kotono> "ELiminaTE." It intones again, slashing about. One blow catches the invisible John, shrinking him down to size. The second grazes his shoulder, bloodying him but doing no further harm. "Right," Myann calls, shifting into mushroom hawk form and taking off in full retreat, as fast as she can manage! OOC: John.
[19:12] <@John> "Hey, these light things are keeping it stuck on me!" John says, deciding to try and clear them off and see if that inconveniences him, since he's not doing much by himself for now anyway. Staccato thrusts with the end of his staff punch through several in turn!
[19:12] <@John> roll 1d20+9
[19:12] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 16 > [d20=7]
[19:12] <@John> roll 1d20+9
[19:12] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 11 > [d20=2]
[19:12] <@John> roll 1d20+9
[19:12] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 19 > [d20=10]
[19:12] <@John> roll 1d20+4
[19:12] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 8 > [d20=4]
[19:12] <@John> roll 1d20+4
[19:12] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 22 > [d20=18]
[19:15] <@Kotono> OOC: One hit in pure Hatebottery.
[19:15] <@John> roll 1d6+5
[19:15] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 6 > [d6=1]
[19:15] <@Kotono> Clang! Another blow hits the metal man's head, making it recoil. It doesn't last long as it refocuses on him anew. OOC: Gildas, go.
[19:16] <@John> OOC: i wasn't targetting his head! I was targetting the floaty lights all around me!
[19:17] <@Kotono> OOC: Oh strike, sorry.
[19:17] <Gildas> OOC: OK, waiting.
[19:17] <@Kotono> John swings at the lights. They're momentarily disrupted by it, but come right back seconds later. But the robot's attention seems off John momentarily, looking around anew. OOC: Okay. Go Gildas.
[19:19] <Gildas> The bear decides to try and tear into the metal man again as a test!
[19:19] <Gildas> roll 1d20+11
[19:19] <Gildas> roll 1d20+11
[19:19] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 27 > [d20=16]
[19:19] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=10]
[19:19] <@Kotono> OOC: Two hits.
[19:19] <Gildas> OOC: +2 on those... oh, well there you go then, one sec, third flurry because I'm derpy
[19:19] <Gildas> roll 1d20+8
[19:20] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 18 > [d20=10]
[19:20] <@Kotono> OOC: Still two hits.
[19:20] <Gildas> OOC: OK
[19:20] <Gildas> roll 4d8+20+4d6 last is cold
[19:20] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 48 > [d8=2,5,2,6][d6=3,1,4,5]
[19:22] <@Kotono> The blows rip into the left arm of the creature, tearing deeply into previous cuts. It's enough to make it hang half broken, the metal man going bone-still. "REforgiNG." it utters. OOC: Feather.
[19:23] * Feather presses on with the attack, dividing his efforts between the creature and the nearest of the fires!
[19:23] <Feather> roll 1d20+13
[19:23] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=16]
[19:23] <Feather> roll 1d20+8 fires
[19:23] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 17 > [d20=9]
[19:23] <Feather> roll 1d10+6+1d6+6d6 cold, elec
[19:23] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 34 > [d10=5][d6=1,1,4,6,5,4,2]
[19:25] <@Kotono> The blade cuts into the hip of the man, ripping otu to slice through the free-floating lights. They wink out momentarily and then the creature falls into a fetal position. A corona of red flames surround it, cloaking it in fire! The heat that comes from it is tremendous, the metal within flowing freely and reorganizing itself!
[19:25] <@Kotono> roll 1d6 fire damage all of you
[19:25] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 1 > [d6=1]
[19:25] <@Kotono> The snow further back begins to melt in the waves of heat as...OOC: Myann's off flying. John, go.
[19:26] * @John lays into him while he's down!
[19:26] <@John> roll 1d20+9
[19:26] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 16 > [d20=7]
[19:26] <@John> roll 1d20+9
[19:26] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=12]
[19:26] <@John> roll 1d20+9
[19:26] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 27 > [d20=18]
[19:26] <@John> roll 1d20+4
[19:26] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 11 > [d20=7]
[19:26] <@John> roll 1d20+4
[19:26] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 13 > [d20=9]
[19:27] <@Kotono> OOC: What's your staff made of?
[19:27] <@John> OOC: magic wood!
[19:27] <@Kotono> OOC: Three hits. Make three Ref saves. The weapon can use your ref save and evasion isn't relevant here.
[19:28] <@John> roll 3#1d20+11
[19:28] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 20, 13, 13 >
[19:28] <@Kotono> OOC Roll damage.
[19:28] <@Kotono> roll 2d8 points of damage to your staff
[19:28] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 5 > [d8=4,1]
[19:28] <@John> OOC: for all three hits?
[19:29] <@Kotono> OOC: Roll damage for all three of the hits you landed, yes.
[19:29] <@John> OOC: staff has 7 hardness and 20hp
[19:29] <@John> roll 3#1d6+5
[19:30] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 10, 9, 8 >
[19:30] <@Kotono> OOC: Hardness doesn't apply to the damage here.
[19:31] <@Kotono> OOC: Just keep track of yoru staff's HP.
[19:31] <@Kotono> The staff slams into the semi-molten metal over and over! It smokes and smoulders in a few places, burn marks all over as you spread out the metal. It's like beating warm taffy around, slowly spreading it against resistance. OOC: Gildas.
[19:33] <Gildas> There's a hesitation before the bear just goes for it, trying to tear the red-hot metal over and over again, doing it quickly to try and minimize the amount of pain that it'll cause!
[19:34] <Gildas> roll 1d20+13
[19:34] <Gildas> roll 1d20+13
[19:34] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 17 > [d20=4]
[19:34] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 22 > [d20=9]
[19:34] <Gildas> roll 1d20+8
[19:34] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 26 > [d20=18]
[19:35] <@Kotono> OOC: Three hits. Three ref saves.
[19:36] <Gildas> roll 1d20+9
[19:36] <Gildas> roll 1d20+9
[19:36] <Gildas> roll 1d20+9
[19:36] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 26 > [d20=17]
[19:36] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 28 > [d20=19]
[19:36] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=20]
[19:36] <Gildas> OOC: Well okay.
[19:36] <Gildas> roll 6d8+30+6d6 last is cold
[19:37] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 70 > [d8=2,1,3,2,8,6][d6=2,5,2,1,3,5]
[19:39] <@Kotono> The cold around Gildas's claws are enough to shield him as he rips the molten metal around. It's stretched out even more! You can see within it, where a single, curled up child is. It's perhaps ten or twelve years old with bright blue hair and a glimpse tells you it's a he. It looks to be asleep and unaware as the metal dances around it. It's head occasionally swells out and pulses. OOC: Feather,
[19:39] <@Kotono> go.
[19:41] <Feather> Taken aback, Feather tries his outmost to cut at the metal without coming anywhere near the child within as he dances around the violent guardian.
[19:41] <Feather> roll 1d20+13 zap
[19:41] <Feather> roll 1d20+8
[19:41] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=20]
[19:41] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 26 > [d20=18]
[19:41] <@Kotono> OOC: Two hits. Two ref saves.
[19:41] <Feather> roll 1d10+6+1d6+6d6 cold, elec
[19:41] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 36 > [d10=1][d6=6,6,6,3,1,2,5]
[19:41] <Feather> roll 1d10+6+1d6+1d6 cold, elec
[19:41] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 22 > [d10=6][d6=5,5]
[19:41] <Feather> roll 2#1d20+7 ref
[19:41] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 20, 25 >
[19:42] <@Kotono> Twin slices free the child from the metal encasing, falling to the ground. Once it is gone, the swelling metal around it throbs out and catches aflame, before exploding out in all directions! OOC: Ref saves, you three. Evasion does apply here.
[19:42] <Feather> roll 1d20+7 evasion
[19:42] <@John> roll 1d20+11 evasion
[19:42] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=13]
[19:42] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 17 > [d20=6]
[19:42] <Gildas> roll 1d20+9 evasion
[19:42] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=11]
[19:44] <@Kotono> The party leaps back as one and goes prone, avoiding the discharge of molten metal. When it clears, the three of you are safe and the child lies on the ground. OOC: Free act.
[19:44] * Feather slumps back on the ground, his sword cluttering down next to him.
[19:45] <@John> "Aww," John looks morosely at his charred staff. Not that it did a great deal of good anyway. "So what's this boy got against me anyway?" he nudges the kid with his foot. "I've never seen him before."
[19:46] <@Kotono> The child lies there, breathing shallowly - and John can see that breathing starting to stop.
[19:48] <@John> "Oh, uh. Think we killed him," John says, looking a bit put out before deciding he can't just kill a little boy, even if he did try to do him in with a metal suit. Bending down he gives the boy some first aid.
[19:48] <@John> roll 1d20+13 heal
[19:48] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=18]
[19:49] <@Kotono> John kneels down and gives the kid's chest a couple of presses, stirring the air within him. He coughs a few times and goes back to breathing shallowly. He looks to be out cold, too.
[19:49] <Feather> Cursing, Feather struggles to his feet. Then, stumbling over, he kneels by John's side to take a closer look.
[19:50] <@Kotono> Myann meanwhile catches up in bird form, shifting back to human form. "What happened?" she asks, presenting the scimitar ot Feather in the meatnime.
[19:50] <@Kotono> *meantime
[19:50] <Feather> "It blew up and there was a kid inside," Feather fills her in, thanking Myann for the weapon.
[19:50] <@John> "He was using the metal suit to attack us," John points at the comatose child. "No idea why. Nearly killed him, though."
[19:51] <Gildas> Gildas shifts back! "So... a child falls from the heavens, surrounded in a metal suit..." ooc: Is the metal suit ...or, rather, -was- it, at all similar to the Emperor's magic dragon armor?
[19:54] <@Kotono> OOC: It didn't look like it, no.
[19:55] <Gildas> OOC: Okay.
[19:56] <Gildas> He kneels down to investigate anything left over from the metal suit! "Perhaps we can take a piece to someone and they'll be able to tell us something...?" He casts Detect Magic in the meantime, to see if anything is enchanted.
[19:58] <@Kotono> The bits of cooling metal about radiate moderate magic. OOC: Spellcraft.
[19:58] <Gildas> roll 1d20+12
[19:58] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 13 > [d20=1]
[19:58] <@Kotono> It's off somehow, but Gildas can't figure out how.
[19:59] <Gildas> "This metal is... enchanted, but... it's wrong." He stands up. "I don't know how, though."
[19:59] <Feather> "Guess we better head back? With the kid, and everything here?" Feather says uncertainly, glancing at the bits and pieces of metal himself.
[19:59] <Feather> roll 1d20+12 spellcraft
[19:59] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 26 > [d20=14]
[20:00] <@John> "He probably won't be able to kill us without his metal suit," John agrees, lifting him up. "Better watch so he doesn't try and kill any of the other children, though."
[20:00] <@Kotono> The magic is off. It reminds you of the works of the mindants rather than any other magic you've seen before.
[20:01] <Feather> "Oh. Huh. Guys, remember that crystal sword the ants had? It's sorta like that."
[20:02] <Gildas> "...Ah." He says, nodding. "I don't think we know any people who use mental magic like that, do we?" He leans down to pick up a piece of it, hopefully cooled enough to not burn him. "We should try and find an expert, if one exists nearby."
[20:05] <Gildas> "I'd suggest Vasili, but..." He trails off with a shake of his head. "I understand if you'd all rather find someone else."
[20:06] <Feather> "How about just bringing it to the Magus with that armor we've got and putting it all together?"
[20:06] <Gildas> He nods. "All right, that sounds like a good plan."

[Ebiris]

[18:03] <@Kotono> It's a short trip to the farmhouse. Amid curiosity and chaos the child is stashed upstairs. The Missus looks him over, applying herbs and healing spring water to him. After a half hour of work, she leaves the room and closes the door behind her, coming to the party. "The child's suffered some sort of injury inside his body, but he's stable now. The spring water's fixed it and the herbs are
[18:03] <@Kotono> helping with the pain. I don't think he'll sleep much longer before awakening."
[18:05] <Feather> "So how we gonna talk to him?"
[18:05] <@John> "We did rough him up pretty bad inside that suit of his. He gave as good as he got, though!" John points to the gash down his arm, lest she think less of him for beating up a child.
[18:07] <@Kotono> The Missus goes back in, coming back with a small cup of spring water. She hands it over and replies, "That's up to you. I hope he speaks Common or Elven."
[18:09] <@John> "Thank you," he takes the cup and has a drink, soothing his wounds away. "Spoke common when we fought him. Not much, but still."
[18:10] <Feather> "Right, right!" Feather blinks. "Thought it was the suit talking, not the kid. But might be the kid after all?
[18:10] <Feather> "
[18:10] <@Kotono> "If he can write, I can use magic to read it," Myann points out. "That's an option if all else fails."
[18:12] <@John> "Never would've thought of that. I wouldn't want my clothes talking at people. Could give them mixed messages and say things I wouldn't want said."
[18:12] <@Kotono> "Now I picture a Sidhe mantle of clothes," Myann reaches up and pinches the bridge of her nose, eyes closing. "I shudder to imagine what you'd hear with that."
[18:15] <@Kotono> As the party meanders on about this and that, you can hear a soft cry of pain from the child's room.
[18:15] <@John> "Imagine if your clothes were smarter than you. How bad would that- oh, that him waking up?" John goes to open the door and look.
[18:16] <Gildas> Gildas stays quiet, as per usual.
[18:16] <@Kotono> The child has been tucked in and dressed in hand me downs.  He tries to sit up and falls back, another cry of pain following.
[18:17] <@John> "Hey, better just lie down. You're in a bad way there," John warns, approaching the bed.
[18:19] <@Kotono> The child lies back, eyes on John. They focus on him as he goes stone still and dead quiet. "Eliminate..." he murmurs, "Eliminate the unclean."
[18:20] * @John sniffs his armpit and looks sad. "Hey, it's not as if I don't try. I'm not covered in mud or anything."
[18:20] <@Kotono> Myann facepalms again.
[18:21] <Feather> "Maybe you could slap some sense into him?" Feather asks Myann.
[18:21] <@Kotono> The child still stares, "Eliminate the unclean. Return me to the Stratum."
[18:22] <Feather> "The what now?"
[18:22] <@John> "I'm going to make up a bath," John decides, turning and heading out.
[18:23] <@Kotono> The child tries to rise and follow, but cries out and falls back once more. "Return me to the Stratum. The Stratum is where the Watch is."
[18:25] <Gildas> Gildas raises an eyebrow. "Stratum...?"
[18:25] <Feather> "Kid, you better start making sense," Feather tells him sternly. "Young or not, you don't get to just attack us like that outta the blue. Now, you wanna be gone? That's fine by me. So tell us where to and off you'll go. Don't return, either."
[18:29] <@Kotono> "The Stratum is a kingdom above this one. The Stratum is where the Watch is. The Stratum will purge the unclean by our hand. The Watch is those who direct the elimination of the unclean. The Watch are the faceless. The Watch is from a kingdom above the Stratum."
[18:29] <Feather> "Uhuh. And we're all, all of us," Feather asks, gesturing about them and at Myann, "are unclean?"
[18:30] <Gildas> He rubs his chin for a moment. "I wonder... if it's any relation to the stormgate...?" He ponders openly, wondering about Myann's mention of the Sidhe. "Although this doesn't strike me as the work of pixies..."
[18:30] <@Kotono> The child shakes his head. "You are not unclean," First Gildas, then Feather. When he gets to Myann he pauses, "You are not unclean. You are adapted. The unclean come from the sides."
[18:32] <@Kotono> "Eh?" Myann asks, "Then why is John unclean?"
[18:36] <@Kotono> "Unclean come from the sides. The sides are filled with the symphony of the outer spheres. The Watch will eliminate this." The child answers one after another, "John hears the symphony of the outer spheres. John is unclean."
[18:37] <@John> Off key singing is heard from the direction of the bathroom. Something about splishing and splashing.
[18:37] <Feather> "Yeah, what if he washes off real well?"
[18:38] <@Kotono> "You misunderstand," The child finally says, changing to Elven after. "John is unclean."
[18:38] <Gildas> "I'm not sure he's talking about physical cleanliness." He says, looking thoughtful. "It's... mental, isn't it?"
[18:38] <@Kotono> A short, sharp nod follows Gildas. "The unclean is in the mind. The unclean hear the symphony of the outer spheres."
[18:39] <Feather> "Uh. What's a side, then? Got any examples for sides?"
[18:40] <Gildas> "Or... can you tell us another creature that hears the symphony of the outer spheres?" He asks. Perhaps if they know another type...
[18:41] <@Kotono> "I understand," The child stays in Elven, a thin field of ectoplasm appearing around his head like a glowing halo. "The kingdoms are above and below. The adapted are side by side but not on the sides. The unclean are from the sides." The child pauses a moment, "Below. The next kingdom below. They crawl below."
[18:42] <Gildas> "The ants..." He says, looking down at the floor. "...Ah."
[18:43] <Feather> "Don't it make you guys unclean too?" Feather asks curiously rather than confrontationally, given the kid's armor.
[18:43] <@Kotono> "I am unclean," The child confirms, "When all the unclean are eliminated and the sides are sealed, the Watch will eliminate us, and then the Watch will return to a higher kingdom."
[18:45] <Gildas> "Well, I don't want anyone to be elimated... except, maybe the ants..." He says with a frown. "But why did you come here? If it's people with mental ability you're after... why didn't you start in the kingdom below?"
[18:45] <@Kotono> "I come from a kingdom above yours. The Stratum is a kingdom above yours." He says, looking upwards.
[18:46] <Feather> "Why start now?"
[18:47] <@Kotono> "Oh!" Myann blinks at that, looking as well, "You mean the Stratum is high in the sky?"
[18:48] <@Kotono> "Now is the time." The child replies, "The unclean must be eliminated." He pauses a moment, "Return the unclean John to me."
[18:49] * Feather snaps his fingers. "It's okay if you're eliminated last because you first have to fight all the other unclean ones below, right?"
[18:49] <@Kotono> "Yes," The child replies. "I will be eliminated by the Watch when the unclean are eliminated."
[18:50] * Feather nods. "Right, right. And there are others just like you?"
[18:50] <@Kotono> "Yes." The child responds. "There are others like me."
[18:51] <Feather> "John's exactly the same way. We're all fighting uncleans below together, except we don't call them by that name so we didn't realize what you wanted. It's okay to wait till everyone else is eliminated first, then, innit? Since he's just like you."
[18:53] <@Kotono> "Then there must be unison," The child replies, "Bring John the unclean to me."
[18:53] <Feather> "What's unison?"
[18:54] <@Kotono> "Unison is understanding. Unison is a gift from a kingdom above the Stratum. The Watch are unison. Unison is forbidden to the adapted. The adapted have adapted unison." The c hild says, gaze sliding over to Myann.
[18:55] * @John returns, his cheeks rosy and his hair both wet and non-curly. "All done. I'd have washed me clothes too, except I don't own anything else I can wear, so this'll have to do."
[18:56] <Gildas> He rubs his chin thoughtfully. "I somehow doubt we're going to be able to just travel to the Stratum to see The Watch to ask them about this..."
[18:56] <@Kotono> Immediately the child's gaze returns to John. "We must have unison."
[18:56] <Feather> "Oh hey there," Feather greets John. "So this kid says he wants to fight the creepy ants below together with you."
[18:57] <@John> "Uni-what?" John repeats dumbly. "Suppose that's better than calling me dirty but... now there's ants?"
[18:57] <Gildas> "...I don't think that's what he said, exactly." He responds.
[18:57] <@Kotono> "Wait, wait, wait, wait," Myann clears her throat, "Hold on a moment."
[18:57] <Feather> "Yeah, they live underneath with the kobolds and the shocker lizards. Creepy fuckers."
[18:59] <@John> "Shouldn't really swear in front of children, Feather. Boy's already got problems as it is," John says quietly, leaning towards Feather.
[18:59] <Feather> "No kidding."
[18:59] <@Kotono> "Unison," the child repeats, "We must have unison." The ectoplasm around his head flares up, glowing with a pale blue light. "The gift from a kingdom above this one."
[19:00] <@John> "What, heaven?"
[19:00] <@Kotono> "Ahem," Myann cuts in, "First, am I the only one disturbed by this?"
[19:00] <@John> "I'm a bit disturbed and I don't even understand any of it!"
[19:00] <@Kotono> "The Stratum is a kingdom above this one. The Watch comes from a kingdom above the Stratum. Unison is a gift from a kingdom above Stratum." The child repeats.
[19:01] <Feather> "I'm plenty disturbed but I don't see how it can make better sense," Feather admits. "Unless you can tell us how Myann adapted unison?"
[19:02] <Gildas> "Adapted must be their term for the fey." He says.
[19:02] <@Kotono> "The adapted are the ones that adapted unison. They live side by side but not in the sides. The adapted do not hear the symphony of the outer spheres. The adapted hear the adapted unison."
[19:03] <Feather> "So like, Myann hears mushrooms and mushrooms hear Myann? Like that?"
[19:03] <@Kotono> "It is, I think," Myann replies, glancing over to Gildas, "Wait. Hearing the adapted unison? Do you know what the adapted call unison?" she asks.
[19:03] <@Kotono> A short, sharp nod from the child to Feather. "Yes. The adapted call unison mantles."
[19:03] <Gildas> "'Side by side,' but not on the side..." He says, trying to figure that one out, making some gestures with his hands as if trying to visualize it.
[19:04] * Feather nods back at him thoughtfully. "So what or who do you hear?"
[19:05] <@Kotono> "The unclean," The child replies. "Those who hear the symphony of the outer spheres." His gaze settles onto John again.
[19:05] <Feather> "Like all of them, together? At once?"
[19:05] * @John sticks a finger in his ear. "I'm not hearing any spheres. Sure this isn't mistaken identity?"
[19:06] <@Kotono> A short, sharp nod to Feather. "Yes. Let me bring you to unison."
[19:06] <Gildas> "...I think I understand." He speaks up. "The unclean... are those with mental abilities, or psionics. The 'symphony of the outer spheres' must mean... people who can hear the thoughts of others?" He says, looking to the others. "I think, anyway..."
[19:06] <Feather> "Can you fly?"
[19:06] <@Kotono> "Other things, or a very loose definintion of others, as the Sidhe reckon it," Myann adds.
[19:07] <@Kotono> The child quickly shakes his head. "The vessel was destroyed. The vessel is the key to eliminating the unclean. The vessel is the key to returning to the kingdom above this one."
[19:07] * @John looks blank. "Dunno anything about psionics. And I can hardly hear my own thoughts sometimes nevermind other peoples. Can't fly neither, but that's magic, isn't it?" He looks at Gildas and Myann, "Or shapechanging... which is kinda magic, too?"
[19:08] <Feather> "That's a shame. Can you get a new one? Since you can talk with the unclean who're still back up there?"
[19:09] <Gildas> He nods to John. "I think... we need to figure out why the Watch thinks you're unclean. I think we should ask Magus about it, he may have some idea."
[19:09] <@Kotono> A quick shakes of his head. "I cannot. The Watch does not go to a lower kingdom than the Stratum. We were created to go to kingdoms lower than the Stratum to destroy the unclean."
[19:09] <@Kotono> Then his gaze turns to John once more. "Come here. We must establish unison. I must bring you to the unison."
[19:09] <Feather> "Oh. Well. Then isn't unison kinda useless? Since if you can only talk to John, and John can only talk to you, you're already here! So you can talk to each other without it!"
[19:10] <@John> "Sounds kinda dirty..." John says uncomfortably, backing away.
[19:10] <@Kotono> "Yeah." Myann murmurs, "Can we call it something else, at least for today?"
[19:10] <Gildas> "I think... others might call it 'enlightenment'."
[19:11] <@Kotono> "Or a fey mantle," Myann adds, "It seems to be similar and from the same root."
[19:13] <@John> "Think I'm about the least fey person you could get."
[19:13] <Gildas> He turns to John. "No, you're not. But I think, somewhere hidden within you, is some psionic ability."
[19:13] <@Kotono> The child quickly and sharply nods to Gildas.
[19:14] <Gildas> He turns back to the child. "If he joins with you, what will happen?"
[19:14] <@Kotono> "He will become part of unison. He will be tasked by the Watchers to destroy the unclean."
[19:14] <@Kotono> OOC: Gah.
[19:14] <@Kotono> "He will become part of unison. He will be tasked by the Watchers to destroy the unclean." The child's eyes bore into John, "You will destroy the unclean."
[19:15] <Gildas> "I think... we should go talk to someone about all of this." He says, finally. "We have a lot more questions than we do answers."
[19:15] <@Kotono> "The question is...who?" Myann asks, "This is outside of what any of us know."
[19:16] <Gildas> "I suggest the Magus of Malaines first. He may have an idea." He says. "Or at least, who might know."
[19:16] <@John> "Yeah, listen I think we should get the poor kid some help or something. Somebody's obviously been... abusing him, and stuff," John decides. "Children aren't meant to act like this, offering folks Unison and banging on about people that are dirty."
[19:17] <@Kotono> "He's been subjected to something horrible," Myann agrees, "Whatever the Watch inflicted on him to turn a child into a willing soldier like this."
[19:18] <Gildas> "All we can do for right now is leave him here while we sort things out." He says, turning back to the boy. "Will the others from the Stratum come for you?"
[19:18] <@Kotono> A quick shake of his head. "The Watch will not come to a kingdom lower than the Stratum. The Watch are faceless and cannot come to a lower kingdom."
[19:19] <Gildas> "...Are they beings without physical forms?" He asks.
[19:19] <@John> "Eww, you mean they wore hoods while... doing stuff? These people don't sound right at all," John says disgustedly.
[19:20] * Feather grimaces.
[19:20] <@Kotono> "The Watch is faceless. The Watch does not have faces. They have openings into higher kingdoms." The child replies.
[19:20] <@John> "This just gets worse and worse!"
[19:21] <Gildas> "Let us make preparations to travel to Malaines. We need to find answers." He says, finally.
[19:21] <@Kotono> Myann stares before shuddering and looking away. "There are days when I wonder if the Vastwoods are too vicious. Then there are days that tell me it could be worse, like today."
[19:23] <Gildas> He turns back to the boy. "What name should we call you by?"
[19:23] <Feather> "So without that vessel, what can you actually do, kid?" Feather asks. "It's a dangerous place even without the ants. And-- yeah, what Gildas said."
[19:23] <@John> "Wish Young Hubert hadn't died. He always had an answer even about weird stuff. Better'n having to walk days to ask someone else like now," John opines, speedily moving on from the topic of the boy's history.
[19:24] <@Kotono> "Name?" The child blinks a moment, face cracking into a look of dismay. IT lasts only a moment before it's quickly corrected. "You may call me elimination."
[19:24] <Feather> "El, then."
[19:24] <Gildas> "It will have to do." He nods.
[19:25] <@Kotono> The child nods once, going silent.
[19:25] <Gildas> "If we leave you here for a time, can you wait for us to return?" He asks. "I realize you have no reason to trust us, but we're not here to do harm to you."
[19:25] <@John> "You know, we're gonna have to make sure he doesn't go... trying to unison with the other children while we're away," John says, moving towards the door.
[19:26] <@Kotono> "If that doesn't work," Myann says, making a face, "The only other lead I can think of is the Sidhe. I don't know if a common fey would know anything about this, but maybe the nobles might be able to make sense of it."
[19:26] <Gildas> "Vasili may know of this magic. He has been around... for a while." He says with a small cough.
[19:26] <@Kotono> El shakes his head, "There are no other unclean here. The will not receive unison."
[19:26] <@Kotono> "True," Myann admits, "He's on the way to Malaines anyway."
[19:27] <Gildas> He nods. "I'll bring a piece and we can see what he has to say."
[19:28] <@Kotono> Then El looks to Feather, "I will also not stay here. I will go with you."
[19:29] <Gildas> He frowns a bit. "No changing your mind on that, hm?" He expects he knows the answer on that one. "I suppose we don't have a choice."
[19:29] <@John> "What, he's a little boy? Not like he can stop us if we lock him in his room, right?" John protests.
[19:30] <@Kotono> The child nods sharply. He eaches out to Myann's side. The elf yelps as she transforms into her panther form, turning into a feline growl. "She will be my vessel for now. I cannot travel fast without the vessel."
[19:30] <@Kotono> Myann changes back a moment later, "How the hell did you do that?" she says, sounding a little shaken.
[19:31] <Gildas> "...I don't mind carrying you." He speaks up. "Will that suffice?"
[19:31] <@Kotono> A nod to Gildas. "I can see the bear and the bird, and the panther and the bird," he says, "Around the two of you. The Watch has many forms like that. The Watch have many forms but no faces."
[19:32] <Feather> "I'll go tell the Missus we'll be leaving, then," Feather says, shrugging, and heading out.
[19:33] <Gildas> He raises an eyebrow. "You can see that...? Interesting."
[19:33] <@Kotono> Myann shakes her head and goes to follow Feather. OOC: So what's your plan? Get equipped and head towards Malaines?
[19:34] <@John> OOC: guess so
[19:34] <Gildas> OOC: I think so. Stop at Vasili on the way.
[19:34] <Gildas> OOC: I'm going to carry two pieces of the armor with us on the way.
[19:34] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay.
[19:34] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:34] -rpgcafe.ca.us.lunarnet.org:@#dunes- Kotono invited Hatbot into the channel.
[19:34] * Joins: Hatbot (~Hatbot@72.183.113.233)
[19:34] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:34] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 32." [1d100=32]
[19:34] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:34] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 73." [1d100=73]
[19:36] <@Kotono> The party gets going. The rest of the day is unremarkable travel. Myann sticks to her panther form in the snow, the party's progress slowed by it. The second day brings warmer weather, the snow turning to a creeping recession of slush. El sleeps in Gildas's arms for most of it, including now. It's a few hours past noon when...OOC: Who's on point?
[19:36] <@John> OOC: I'll be on point
[19:36] <@John> OOC: El at the back! Way back!
[19:41] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay. Make a spot check? Er, perception.
[19:42] <@John> roll 1d20+13
[19:42] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+13 and gets 21." [1d20=8]
[19:44] <@Kotono> As you go along, John spots something ahead. 20ft ahead and 10ft to the right, hiding in snow and half behind a fallen log. You can see a wolf there, ready to pounce in the direction of the paryt.
[19:46] <@John> "Raaahrarawraaar!" John makes some loud noises at the wolf and waves his arms a bit. Really, one wolf against four people? That's just unfair.
[19:46] <Gildas> Gildas blinks, tilting his head a bit before he glances over to see why John is suddenly doing that.
[19:47] <@Kotono> Myann brings her panther head up, mushroom atop it dangling.
[19:48] <@Kotono> The wolf leaps up with a growl, but doesn't approach. It's ragged and bloodstained. It's visibly too thin, ribs sticking out against its body.
[19:49] <@John> "Aww, poor thing," John says. "No wonder it's desperate." Reaching into his backpack he pulls out a piece of jerky and tosses it over to the wolf. "Hey Gildas, think you can heal him?"
[19:50] <Gildas> "I... suppose so." He says, hoisting El up a bit to begin slowly approaching the wolf, assuming it eats the jerky without any incident.
[19:51] <@Kotono> OOC: Have any ranks in handle animal?
[19:51] <@Kotono> OOC: Or wild empathy.
[19:51] <Gildas> OOC: Me? I do have wild empathy, I'd have to check the numbers though.
[19:52] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay, make a cehck on it.
[19:52] <Gildas> roll 1d20+5
[19:52] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+5 and gets 9." [1d20=4]
[19:53] <@Kotono> The wolf pounces on the jerky, gobbling it up quickly. IT doesn't seem to notice Gildas or care enough to react, devoted to eating.
[19:54] <@Kotono> Myann slowly approaches as well, carefully advancing.
[19:54] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+9
[19:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 and gets 21." [1d20=12]
[19:55] <Gildas> He tentatively reaches a hand out, very slowly, and tries to cast a light cure spell on the wolf!
[19:55] <@Kotono> The wolf's attention is captured by Myann, offering no resistance to the healing. OOC: Roll it.
[19:56] <Gildas> roll 1d8+5
[19:56] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d8+5 and gets 8." [1d8=3]
[19:58] <@Kotono> The wolf perks up at that, licking its chops as the food's done. It looks up at John, seemingly hopeful.
[20:00] <Gildas> "I think you might have a pet now." He says, taking steps back away.
[20:00] <@John> "Sorry that's... aww, I can't say no to that face!" John takes out a sandwich and unwraps it, keeping half and offering the other half to the wolf.
[20:01] <@Kotono> The wolf darts to it and gobbles it down double-time. It looks up after, padding over to John, looking at him expectantly.
[20:03] <Gildas> He tilts his head once and hrms.
[20:03] <@Kotono> OOC: Y'all can make K:N here if you wish, accidentally PMed that to Gildas. Whoops.
[20:03] <Gildas> roll 1d20+14
[20:03] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+14 and gets 19." [1d20=5]
[20:03] <@John> "That's really it, I've got to eat too," John stands firm there, resisting the urge to pet the cuddly, if mangy and bloodstained canine. He likes his hands, thank you very much! "Maybe there'll be some scraps around our camp for you tomorrow if you keep following us?" he offers, starting to walk past the wolf.
[20:04] <@Kotono> Gildas can see the wolf is acting much too tame for a wild wolf. IT suggests that this wolf may not be so wild after all.
[20:06] <Gildas> "If I may," He starts. "I'm not sure this is just a regular wild wolf."
[20:06] <Gildas> He glances at the others. "It might be someone's... there may be someone around here who is injured, and it went to look for help."
[20:08] <@John> "Oh! Hey, you have an owner?" John stops and turns towards the wolf. "Go lead us to him! Uh, fetch?"
[20:08] <Feather> "Wanna look from above?" Feather asks Gildas, taking a look at any nearby tracks himself in the meantime.
[20:08] <Feather> roll 1d20+11 survival
[20:08] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+11 survival and gets 12." [1d20=1]
[20:10] <Gildas> He nods and gently sets El down before shapeshifting to fly up to see if there's anything nearby that might give them a clue where the wolf came from.
[20:11] <@Kotono> The wolf doesn't respond to John. Feather searches around, but finds no tracks save for the wolf's. Considering the slushy snow, tracks are hard to miss.
[20:12] <@John> "Well, lets go look the way he came from then?"
[20:14] <Feather> "No idea where that is," Feather admits with a shrug. "How about you?"
[20:14] <Gildas> He will fly back down, assuming there's nothing noteworthy to see, shapeshift back and pick El back up!
[20:15] <@John> "Uh," John points to the blatantly obvious wolf tracks in the snow which suggest where the wolf came from!
[20:15] <Gildas> He nods in that direction. "Let's."

[Ebiris]

[18:15] <@Kotono> OOC: Going to follow the wolftracks?
[18:15] <@John> OOC: yes
[18:15] <@Kotono> OOC: Survival check for whomever is doing the tracking.
[18:15] <Gildas> OOC: I guess me since I have track
[18:16] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay, roll then.
[18:16] <Gildas> roll 1d20+15
[18:16] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+15 and gets 20." [1d20=5]
[18:17] <@Kotono> As the party starts to go, they note the wolf is following. OOC: Going to react to that or just go on?
[18:18] <@John> OOC: just go on
[18:18] <Gildas> OOC: Yep
[18:22] <@Kotono> It's not a hard trail to follow and the party makes good time. It's a few hours of travel and it leads you to a gully. Here you find a torn up corpse of a burly man. He's been hacked apart. A torn backpack lies besides him, contents thrown about all over.
[18:23] <@Kotono> El stays asleep in Gildas's arms, not stirring at the sight of carnage.
[18:23] * Feather looks for any indication of where the people who killed him might've gone, even though it's probably been a long while by now.
[18:23] * @John tries to figure out what did him in.
[18:23] <@Kotono> OOC: Survival check, Feather. Heal check, John.
[18:23] <@John> roll 1d20+13 heal
[18:23] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+13 heal and gets 24." [1d20=11]
[18:23] <@Kotono> Myann shakes her head with a little sigh.
[18:24] <Feather> roll 1d20+11
[18:24] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+11 and gets 25." [1d20=14]
[18:25] <@Kotono> Looks like a bladed weapon. From the length of the injuries, probably a large sword. John can tell that much. Feather pokes around, eventually finding some old tracks. They're no in good shape, but a keen tracker might be able to follow them.
[18:26] <@Kotono> The wolf stays by John in the interum, whimpering a few times.
[18:26] <@John> "Got set on by someone with one of those two handed swords, I reckon," John shakes his head sadly, patting the wolf's head since it seems unlikely to bite off any hands by now.
[18:28] <Feather> "He went thataway," Feather adds, nodding in that direction. "Huh." He looks for any magic, just in case, even as he asks, "Let's bury the poor bastard?"
[18:28] <@Kotono> No magic at all.
[18:28] <@Kotono> "I can do something better. Cleaner," Myann murmurs, "It'll return him to the earth faster."
[18:29] <@Kotono> The wolf whimpers at being petted.
[18:29] * @John steps back so Myann can do her bit. "I don't think a guy with such a nice pet could be a bad sort," John decides which side he's on in the long over conflict.
[18:30] * Feather nods at Myann, stepping back himself.
[18:33] <@Kotono> Myann gestures. Strings of yellow-white fungus gently push out from all over the man's body. From them mushrooms sprout as the body is silently consumed. Soon enough all that remains is a gully full of mushrooms and no sign of a body. "So much death," Myann murmurs, "Why can't there be more life instead?"
[18:34] <@Kotono> During this El stirs, watching the process without comment. He curls back up to sleep once it is done.
[18:34] <@John> "Dunno, seems like there's plenty of life back at the farm going by all the kids," John says.
[18:36] <Feather> "Enough life for a full elven town," Feather agrees with a grin.
[18:36] <@Kotono> Myann cracks a smile at that, "Just thinking. Thinking about the mushrooms where the sky and earth meet. Maybe somewhere close to a kingdom above ours," she adds thoughtfully.
[18:37] <Gildas> He glances around. "Should we follow the tracks, or... just return to our journey?" He then blinks and nods to himself. "I can prepare a spell tonight to speak to our wolf friend here, if you'd all like to just find out what happened without following this any further."
[18:38] <@John> "We can do both?" John suggests. "If there's some kind of bandit running around shouldn't we stop him before anyone else gets killed?"
[18:38] <Gildas> He nods to John. "I have no objections."
[18:39] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay then, who's going to try and follow the tracks?
[18:39] <Gildas> OOC: I suppose it'll be me again.
[18:40] <@Kotono> OOC: Make a survival check then. Myann'll aid sicne she can see it's tough going.
[18:40] <Gildas> roll 1d20+15
[18:40] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+15 and gets 25." [1d20=10]
[18:40] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+10 aid
[18:40] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 aid and gets 28." [1d20=18]
[18:43] <@Kotono> It's hard going. The trail is just old, snowy and generally a tough follow. Nonetheless you follow it for several hours. Dusk is looming when you come on a hacked out clearing. A little lean-to sits, the immediate area cleared of snow. A large fire crackles in a stone ringed fire pit. Sitting besides it is an absolute behemoth of a man. Sitting he's easily six feet tall, muscles on muscles on
[18:43] <@Kotono> muscles. He has a bushy blond beard and hair, a humongous slab of steel in the shape of a sword besides him. Over the fire is a spit-roasting deer. The huge man only wears a crude set of leather pants.
[18:45] <@John> Hah! I'm bigger, thinks John privately in his own head. Taller maybe, he might not be as muscled... "Alright there," he greets the man, unsure if they're going to ferret the truth out of him or if he'll just flip out and try to kill them as well.
[18:45] <Gildas> He raises an eyebrow and follows John in, awaiting to see if the man knows the Common language.
[18:46] <@Kotono> "Alright there," he calls back in a bass rumble. "You all are a sorry fucking lot, traveling in this shit. Nice elf, though."
[18:49] <@Kotono> "Nice elf?" Myann echos back. "Excuse me?"
[18:49] <Gildas> He just stays quiet for now!
[18:49] <@John> "Not as sorry as the guy we passed a few hours earlier," John gestures back the way they came, privately agreeing that Myann is nice. If scary. Scarier than this muscly guy is anyway!
[18:51] <@Kotono> "Yeah? Wondered why you had his wolf," The man shrugs. "If you're asking, the fucker started it. He claimed nature had a toll and he was here to collect it. He tried to press it after I told him to go hang." A large shrug follows again. "You ask me, he was mighty fucking touched in the head."
[18:52] <Gildas> Hmm... "Did he say anything more specific than that...?"
[18:53] <Feather> "Wolf just kinda started following us," Feather says with a shrug. "Where're you headed, Friend? Like ya said, ain't no time to be traveling around unless one's got a mighty good reason to."
[18:55] <@Kotono> "Don't have a home," he grunts after that, "Last one got the plague. The others didn't make it."
[18:58] <Feather> "Looking for one?"
[18:58] <Gildas> Gildas takes a moment to study the man to see if anything about him seems untruthful! OOC: Can I SM?
[18:59] <@John> "Well, if you're not a bandit I guess we've got nothing to worry about," John shrugs, nothing seeming out of order after all.
[18:59] <@Kotono> OOC: Sure Gildas.
[19:00] <Gildas> roll 1d20+13
[19:00] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+13 and gets 28." [1d20=15]
[19:03] <@Kotono> Gildas thinks he's telling the truth. He's not hiding anything. Meanwhile the man shrugs, "Maybe. Got something, spit it out."
[19:05] <Feather> "We're from a town a couple days thataway," Feather says, indicating the general direction for the man before offering him his hand. "Name's Feather. And the town's expanding, so we welcome any who wanna settle down."
[19:06] <Gildas> "You'd be welcome there. We can always use another pair of hands to help out." He nods.
[19:08] <@Kotono> "Marke," He takes that hand, his grip strong. "Might look it up. Not sure if I want to keep going or put down roots again."
[19:09] * Feather nods at him. "S'different for everyone, I get that."
[19:10] <@Kotono> Another shrug, "I'll take a look," is all he says afte rthat.
[19:11] <Gildas> "I suppose we should resume our journey, then." He looks to the others.
[19:11] <Feather> With understanding reached Feather starts looking over the clearing. At Gildas's words, however, he frowns. "S'already dark, innit? Might as well camp out here a bit ways away."
[19:12] <Gildas> "Ah..." He nods. "You make a good point."
[19:16] <@Kotono> OOC: What's your plan then, y'all?
[19:16] <Feather> OOC: Sleep, head on
[19:17] <Gildas> OOC: I'll change a spell out for Speak with Animals too
[19:19] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay. We'll start with that.
[19:19] <@Kotono> The next morning is unremarkable. It's colder again, turning the slush into an icy mix on the ground. The wolf lingers yet, making hopeful eyes at John's breakfast.
[19:21] <Gildas> Gildas decides to try something and casts Speak with Animals to talk with the wolf! "Excuse me. Can you understand my words?" He decides to see if the spell actually worked, first...
[19:22] * @John uses his psionic powers to imbue himself with inertial armour as part of his morning routine. Except he says some magic sounding gibberish and styles it as mage armour, because magic is what he knows!
[19:25] <@Kotono> The wolf tilts his head to the side. "You can hear?" it asks, "Can you make the big packmate share? I'm hungry."
[19:28] <Gildas> "Hear? What is it that you can hear?" He asks. "I'll see if I can get him to share."
[19:30] <@Kotono> "I can hear you," The wolf says, "You can hear me."
[19:31] <Gildas> "Ah." He nods. "What do we call you? And what do we call your... master?"
[19:31] <Gildas> OOC: Can the others actually understand what I'm saying? I actually have no idea how the spell interacts with other people who aren't the animal.
[19:32] <@Kotono> OOC: They can't.
[19:33] <@Kotono> "The alpha called me Fang. The alpha's gone, though." The wolf whimpers, "I don't want to be without a pack."
[19:34] <@Kotono> In Common El speaks up, "Then seek unison with one of the adapted in unison with you."
[19:34] <Gildas> "Do you know what your old alpha was doing?" He questions, based on what he learned from Marke. "Did you fight with that other man?"
[19:34] <Gildas> He glances at El, then back to the so-called Fang.
[19:35] <@Kotono> Fang looks at El in canine confusion, slinking back and his fur rising. "He was fighting and he lost," he says quietly. "The other packmate scares me," he whimpers, slinking to put John between him and El.
[19:35] <@John> "Huh, what's this now?" John asks El, not knowing what he's on about.
[19:36] <Gildas> "He's harmless to you." He says. "If you'd like to travel with us, you're welcome to do so. We have a farm that I think you may like."
[19:38] <@Kotono> The wolf walks up and licks John's hand. "Okay," he replies, "Will the pack share food with me?"
[19:39] <@John> "Oh, hey!" John laughs at the licking, "Better give you some food before you try and eat me, huh?" so he takes some scraps of meat off his plate and drops them into the wolf's waiting maw.
[19:39] <Gildas> "Yes." He nods with a smile.
[19:41] <@Kotono> The wolf eats it rapidly before licking again. "Give again?" he asks after the licking, sounding hopeful. He then turns to Gildas, "Okay, alpha."
[19:42] <Gildas> He nods to John. "He might be your alpha, not me. We'll get that worked out." He says with another smile.
[19:43] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay then, y'all ready to go forward?
[19:43] <@John> OOC: yep
[19:43] <Gildas> ooc: Arrr
[19:44] <Gildas> "His name is Fang, by the way." He will say after the spell ends. "He likes the food."
[19:44] <@Kotono> OOC: Straight-shotting ot Malaines or were you stopping at Vasili's? I forget which you decided on.
[19:44] <Feather> OOC: I'd prefer to go straight for Malaines
[19:45] <@John> OOC: yeah, Malaines
[19:45] <Gildas> OOC: That's fine, we can swing by Vasili if we don't get our answers.
[19:46] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:46] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 39." [1d100=39]
[19:46] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:46] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 18." [1d100=18]
[19:46] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:46] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 82." [1d100=82]
[19:46] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:46] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 5." [1d100=5]
[19:46] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:47] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 57." [1d100=57]
[19:47] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:47] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 92." [1d100=92]
[19:48] <@Kotono> There's relative fortune for the rest of the week's trip. The snow doesn't get an encore and it's warm enough most of the trip to have it melt down. It's not the best traveling but not the worst. There's the normal - bug bites, a case of poison ivy that gets magicked away, that sort of thing. But you reach Malaines under a clear sky, on an intensely cold day. OOC: Go ahead, y'all. Ball's in your
[19:48] <@Kotono> court.
[19:49] <Gildas> "I think he has a tower here in town, but I cannot recall." He says, still carrying El with him as they enter town. "Let me ask someone to confirm that." He will go to find a resident to ask them where they can find Magus!
[19:54] <@Kotono> This goes without incident. You're given a comfortable table to eat at, the other elves giving you privacy. El seems uninterested and sleeps, while Myann spends some time petting an elven cat by the fire. Soon enough the magus enters. He's tall for an elf or anyone, scraping seven feet tall. His build is more like a human's, save for longer than usual ears that point straight back behind his
[19:54] <@Kotono> head. His eyes are covered with poison-ivy leaves, the roots wrapping around the back of his head to form a strange blindfold. His face is clean shaven and he is expressionless. He wears a white robe stained green, with grass-green flowers strung all over his robe. In one hand is a walking staff, with the silver-cast head of an elf atop it. Oddly enough, he's also barefoot. He walks right up to
[19:54] <@Kotono> the party.
[19:55] <@John> "Hullo," John nods in greeting. "Aren't your feet cold?" This is definitely slippers weather!
[19:55] <Gildas> "It is good to see you again." He nods to him with a smile.
[19:57] <@Kotono> The magus walks right up to John, meeting him eye to eye. He leans in, his breath like a mix of curled apples and fresh vanilla. "Thank you for caring," he says in a soft spoken voice. "Your friend is no longer offering me mushrooms. Thank you for that as well. I'm not hungry."
[19:58] <@Kotono> Myann shakes her head slightly, petting the cat on her lap. "You're welcome," she says absently, "I have that under control now."
[20:00] <Feather> "Though she could, if you liked."
[20:00] <Gildas> "We need your expertise on something." He says as he takes out a piece of the armor and places it on the table. "We ah..." He takes a breath. "This young boy here... has come from a place he calls Stratum, a kingdom above. He seems to be after psionic users."
[20:00] * @John nods, unperturbed by the close proximity of the magus. "Should get a pair of wool socks or slippers. Me Ma used to make these real nice sheepskin ones for all of us back home."
[20:00] <@John> "And me!"
[20:01] <Gildas> "Yes, could you... confirm whether John can use psionic magic?"
[20:03] <@John> "I picked up some magic off of Young Hubert, you've seen me using it haven't you?" John asks dumbly. "Don't know about psionics though. Humble Robert was interested in that stuff, but he couldn't do it himself."
[20:03] <@Kotono> "Stratum?" The Magus murmurs softly, in words of wonder. He turns to El and looks him over, "Yes, yes," he murmurs, starting to wave his staff. Motes of light form circles within squares and circles within those, wrapping elaborate geometric patterns before your eyes. He then nods, "Yes, yes, yes. It is as you say. His mind is awake. Both of their minds are awake."
[20:06] <Feather> "So we're all sleeping?"
[20:07] <Gildas> He nods. "All right, so that confirms that..."
[20:08] <Gildas> "It seems that he's..." Indicating El. "He's been tasked with the mission of destroying all psonics. We... well... we're not really sure where to go from here, to be honest. If there's an entire kingdom sending soldiers down to us... that's a bit outside of our realm of expertise."
[20:09] <Gildas> He indicates the piece of armor as well. "He was wearing this when he came down... it was as if it was an extension of his own body."
[20:10] <@Kotono> "The mind is asleep until it wakes up. But waking up isn't always good," The Magus mentions, "Stratum. I read about it, once. A Sidhe's lore book talked about a place where faceless men danced in the sky."
[20:13] <Gildas> His expression sours a bit and he looks over at Myann. "I think you were right."
[20:14] <@John> "Did mention faceless men, yeah," John agrees. "I think they were cruel to him."
[20:14] <@Kotono> Myann matches that look and sighs slowly, "Damn it all. We really need to start building a lore collection, don't we?"
[20:15] <Gildas> He snaps his fingers once. "Well, it might be a trek, but I know someone who has a lore collection..."
[20:16] <Gildas> "I suppose it depends on whether we want to walk all the way to a normal place, or walk all the way to the realm of the Sidhe."
[20:17] <Gildas> He looks over at Feather. "It was the first place we went to try and fix your eyes, remember?"
[20:18] <Feather> "Mind refreshing my memory?" Feather asks awkwardly.
[20:19] <Gildas> "Redmond in Clearbrook." He says.