[23:14] <@Carthrat> <-------->
[23:17] <@Carthrat> Words hang thick in the air of one inn room at the Atheist's Rest, both spoken and unspoken. The sun starts to dissapear as the group makes plans... again, both spoken and unspoken.
[23:18] <@Carthrat> The caw of a carrion bird echoes through the walls, odd to be heard in middle of a city such as Darromar, and the tavern noise downstairs is a muted hum in the background.
[23:19] * Carthrat sets mode: +v Maz
[23:19] <+Maz> "Well, then, I think we've said all that needs to be said for now," Maz says, turning to leave the room.
[23:20] <@Thrall> "Tomorrow's going to be a busy day, at least..." Thrall murmurs, likewise leaving to retire for the evening and consider what must be done.
[23:24] * @Kethean shakes his head and orders another drink as the others leave. "I hope Savras' will proves to be in our knowledge tomorrow," he mutters as he shakes his head, still uncertain of what to do regarding his companions and their plans.
[23:33] <+Maz> Some time later, Maz heads out to look for Kethean, first checking the taproom.
[23:33] <@Carthrat> He's there... drinking, all alone. More than a few people are tossing him dirty looks.
[23:34] * +Maz snorts to herself, before moving to his table, waiting for the monk to acknowledge her presence.
[23:35] * Hotaru-chan is now known as Seraphin
[23:37] * @Kethean catches Maz's presence after finishing his current drink, and motions for an attendant to come and get an order from Maz should she want something. "Heyo, my good friend..." he drawls out, a hint of intoxication visible.
[23:38] * +Maz almost winces, but manages to hide it from him. "Hello, my not so sober friend," she responds, commandeering a chair next to Kethean.
[23:39] <@Kethean> "Join me for a drink?" he asks merrily.
[23:39] <+Maz> "Sure," she agrees, asking him, "What'cha drinking?"
[23:42] <@Kethean> "Not sure. Bartender recommended this dwarven ale as his strongest. Darius' Stiff Drink maybe? Can't for the life of me recall the exact name!" is Maz's answer.
[23:43] <@Carthrat> The bartender supresses a chuckle from somewhere down the bar.
[23:43] <+Maz> "I'll stick to ale, thanks," she tells him dryly.
[23:45] <+Maz> "It just so happens I managed to learn more about this girl you mentioned meeting," Maz says, leaning with her elbows on the table. "Vale, I believe her name was." She glances at Kethean with interest, and asks him, "Don't you think you should help her?"
[23:47] * @Kethean frowns as he puts his drink down, and a hint of soberness is shown in his face along with the frown. "Perhaps. Though what I would be able to do alone...?" he responds with a shrug, before lifting the mug back to his lips and taking a hearty gulp.
[23:48] <+Maz> "Who said you'd be alone?" she asks him innocently.
[23:49] * @Kethean peers at Maz with a raised eyebrow as he sets the mug back down. "Oh?"
[23:50] <+Maz> "It's just a matter of picking sides, isn't it?" she continues, giving him a shrug. "With two bad, dangerous choices before you, why not pick the path that is morally right?"
[23:55] * @Kethean snorts, shaking his head. "Please. Morality is..." he starts to say before shaking his head, changing his mind. "My opinions aside, I'd still try to help the girl if I could. The question of course, is...can I?"
[23:57] <+Maz> "Of course," Maz replies, looking mildly offended. "We might not be a guild, but there's enough interested parties to bring this Calenstat to justice," she tells him quietly. "It is entirely possible to get the proof she needs, if only you were working with us."
[23:59] * @Kethean sighs but pushes the drink away, slightly annoyed at not getting to finish the drink, but knowing he should stop drinking if he wants to be remotely sober by morning. "Alright. What do you need?" he offers.
Session Time: Sun May 28 00:00:00 2006
[00:01] <+Maz> "It's real simple," she tells him. "Calenstat must have what I'd need to prove Vale's case in his tower. And we have a way of getting him out of there, leaving the tower relatively open." She pauses, before saying, "All I need is for you to throw your lot in with us. We could work out the details tomorrow."
[00:05] * @Kethean pauses for a few seconds before finally nodding. "Very well. Tomorrow then."
[00:06] * +Maz nods herself, raising from her chair. "We'll talk more then."
[00:08] * +Maz steps from the table, and give the room a glance, trying to spot Seraphin.
[00:09] <@Carthrat> She's not around... keeping to herself is pretty routine for her, though.
[00:10] * +Maz sighs, figuring it couldn't have been that easy, and heads upstairs in the direction of Seraphin's room.
[00:12] * +Maz darts looks right and left, making sure no one is around, before knocking on the door to her fellow tiefling's room.
[00:15] <@Seraphin> It's a moment or two before the door cracks open, a crimson eye regardin Maz before it's quickly and silently opened enough to let her in, Seraphin stepping back to allow the other fiendling inside.
[00:15] <+Maz> With another quick glance sideways to make sure there are no witnesses, Maz steps through the opening silently.
[00:19] <@Seraphin> Seraphin's lips quirk slightly at the gesture, door clicking shut behind Maz. "So what brings you?" she asks, sitting down on the narrow bed ine one corner of the room to watch Maz. "Since I'm relatively sure it's not just the pleasure of my company you're after."
[00:20] * +Maz smiles at her words. "I assure you I have nothing but the purest of thoughts in mind," she responds, moving towards the window. "I have to admit I am curious as to whether you've already decided on your next move, however."
[00:23] <@Seraphin> "Deceptions and camouflage aside for the moment?" Seraphin snickers, picking up a knife and toying with it rather absently as she watches Maz. "Not as of yet, no. Too many unknowns, and possibility of things I'd rather not do."
[00:24] <+Maz> "I've been thinking," Maz muses. "Do you ever know how to contact this Etna? Does Thrall?"
[00:24] <+Maz> *even
[00:26] <@Seraphin> "I've never met her, nor do I feel I particularly want to, excepting the current situation," Seraphin laughs softly, shaking her head. "I've never worked with Thrall's old guild, only against them on an occasion or two without knowing it."
[00:28] <+Maz> "I don't particularly want to meet her again myself, to be truthful," Maz admits. "Especially since it does not look like her guild is interested in a relationship of equals, here. Even if you're not getting dominated out of the deal, you're still their flunky. That reeks."
[00:33] <@Seraphin> "Mmm," Seraphin agrees, balancing the dagger in her hands, shifting the weapon around in her hands. ""I've been in positions like that...though Ruth was definitely a little more friendly about being an employer."
[00:34] * +Maz raises an eyebrow. "And I bet this Ruth hadn't tried to eliminate you once your usefulness to her, so to speak, came to an end?"
[00:36] <@Seraphin> "She sent me to Saradush with a reccomendation to Castor, mostly because her bruisers were getting ready to stab me," Seraphin shrugs. "Asked me to return in a year or two once that crop's turned over in their graves."
[00:38] * +Maz smiles again. "Sounds like fun." Her eyes gaining an introspective look, she says, "Then, despite your reservations, you are going to try and locate Etna tomorrow? Or, maybe, even this evening?"
[00:41] * @Seraphin hums, tapping oen cheek with the silver dagger. "I suppose I could. I had expected Thrall to arrange a meeting," Seraphin murmurs, shaking her head. "Why?"
[00:45] <+Maz> "I suppose I'm just worried," Maz tells her. "There is much they may be only guessing at, which our talk with Etna would confirm. It is easy to be vague and appear all-knowing, though I have to wonder if it is indeed the case, here."
[00:48] * @Seraphin smiles more easily. "Worry, I can understand," she agrees softly, humming and shrugging. "Too many possibilities I dislike intensely," she sighs, setting the dagger aside. "And far too many threats for my liking."
[00:50] * +Maz nods. "I would be looking forward to the results of your chat with Etna and her guild, and to hearing of your decision," she tells Seraphin amiably.
[00:52] * @Seraphin snickers. "Wondering who's dagger you're going to have to watch for?" she asks, vaguely amused sounding.
[00:54] <+Maz> "Not yours, hopefully," Maz says with conviction. "Us with evil families need to stick together and all that."
[00:56] <@Seraphin> "Mmm, verdict's still out on one half," Seraphin hums, shaking her head. "For once, I'd actually rather not kill someone...novel." Seraphin waves her hand dismissively at the thought. "I'll think about it," she finally offers, as if to settle the conversation there.
[00:57] * +Maz nods once more. "I appreciate it," she says, and turns to leave. "Pleasant dreams," she adds, smiling mischievously.
[00:58] * @Seraphin laughs softly at that, just shaking her head as she goes back to her own thoughts and pass times.
[01:01] <+Maz> roll 1d20+14
[01:01] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Maz : [ 1d20=16 ]{30}
[01:03] <@Carthrat> <-->
[01:03] <@Carthrat> It's morning, as a group of disparate adventurers awaken in a godless inn... in seperate rooms, no less.
[01:05] * @Thrall rises with the dawn, getting dressed and going downstairs for breakfast. Don't want to risk your life on an empty stomach, after all!
[01:07] * +Maz finishes memorizing her spells for the day, and puts her spellbook away, heading off to get dressed and meet another bright new day.
[01:07] <@Seraphin> Like any good murderer, Seraphin doesn't oversleep. Instead she's awake and heading downstairs around the same time Thrall is, dressed in her usual midnight blue clothing and armed.
[01:09] * @Thrall greets the others over his morning meal of cheese, bread, and milk, though there's something different about him today. A slight tenseness in his posture, a calculating glint in his eyes, as if sizing his companions up.
[01:10] * +Maz joins the others with a cheerful smile, barely visible from behind the raised hood of her cloak.
[01:12] <@Seraphin> Should've killed him last night... A small voice in Seraphin's mind whispers, dismissed after a moment as she joins Thrall, taking note of the posture. "If I wanted you dead at the moment, Thrall, you wouldn't have woken up," she opens the conversation, managing a dry smile.
[01:12] <+Maz> "I'm just glad no one wanted me dead enough last night," Maz chirps, still smiling.
[01:13] <@Kethean> "Mrph..." Kethean mutters as he joins the others holding his head. "Morning everyone."
[01:15] <@Thrall> "When worrying about being killed in my sleep, I've got a few others I'd fear ahead of you, Seraphin," Thrall returns dourly, taking note of the fact that he's the only one unarmed here - Kethean's fists count as lethal weapons as much as Maz's spells and Seraphin's daggers, after all.
[01:16] <@Seraphin> "The way you were leaning yesterday suggested you had far more to worry about from me and my fence walking," Serpahin shrugs. She owes him enough to be forward.
[01:18] <@Thrall> "And the fact that I haven't already done something about our new 'friend' gives me enough reason to worry about death from a more familiar source," the half-orc returns, tearing off a hunk of bread and consuming it.
[01:19] <@Seraphin> "I suppose," Seraphin laughs. "Though if they'll kill simply for an unofficial insinuation, are you sure you'll survive much longer anyway?"
[01:20] * +Maz eats slowly, opting to stay out of the conversation for the time being.
[01:21] * @Thrall snorts. "Don't know, don't care to find out. But I do know that every hour I delay brings more suspicion on my loyalties - and I know how traitors are treated," he concludes grimly.
[01:23] <@Seraphin> "What's the loyalty of betrayal worth, though?" Seraphin replies, shaking her head. "How often is someone silenced simply because they're capable of it, have shown the willingness to do it before? I've dipped my hands in that blood before."
[01:29] <@Thrall> "Feh," Thrall turns his head, looking out the door but not really paying attention. "I know all about the 'honour' of thieves. But I also know enough not to make enemies I don't need to. The guild's always been good to me, and I've no desire to paint myself an enemy of those who raised me."
[01:31] * @Seraphin laughs softly. "Sounds like my relationship with Hell," she murmurs, shaking her head. "They've always assured I stay alive, just as long as I keep killing. Why oppose those that would keep me in the world, even if only for the blood I spill and the misery I cause, hm? They're far too dangerous, aren't they?"
[01:35] <@Thrall> "I'd rather take my chances with an amoral elf than the deepest root of evil across the planes, thanks," Thrall snorts, not finding the comparison particularly apt.
[01:39] <@Seraphin> "Who says they're not the same thing?" Seraphin shrugs. "You said he died...there are spells for it, there's also where they go until the spells catch up to them...mah, that's my paranoia at work though," she murmurs, smiling cheerily. "Hell isn't so bad though, they just ask some anger, some blood spilling, a whole lot of pain on the other person's part, and loyalty. Nice group of folks, saved me when I was just a child."
[01:41] * @Kethean snorts. "Nice group of folks she says..." he mutters as he continues to wait for his minor hangover to at some point end.
[01:45] * @Thrall drums his fingers on the table, briefly downing the last of his milk. There's just no reasoning with some people... "So... you're all determined to stick with our innocent wizard's plan, are you?" he asks wearily, seeing little point in getting drawn on a tangent about Hell and suchlike. "Doesn't bother you at all that we'll be marked for death?"
[01:47] <@Kethean> "We fought the Sharrans knowing they'd be after our lives for it," Kethean comments.
[01:47] <+Maz> "What if we couldn't accomplish their mission?" Maz asks Thrall suddenly.
[01:47] <@Seraphin> "I'm not set yet," Seraphin admits, shrugging. "I've been marked for death already, by, as you call them, much worse groups of beings," Serahin murmurs, sighing.
[01:47] <@Thrall> "What do you mean?" Thrall asks, eyeing Maz.
[01:48] <+Maz> "Well... they want the spell, right?" she goes on. "That's really what's so important about Calenstat's spellbook to them?"
[01:48] * @Thrall nods slowly, wondering where she's going with this.
[01:49] <+Maz> "Maybe our new friend decided to destroy it in the meanwhile, making this entire discussion moot?" she suggests with a shrug.
[01:50] * @Kethean snorts, trying to hold back a laugh.
[01:52] <@Thrall> "Hmph..." Thrall scratches his chin thoughtfully. "I can't say what they'd do, then."
[01:52] * +Maz decides to remain silent again, finishing her breakfast.
[01:54] <@Thrall> "So is that your plan, then?" he asks, "Say the spellbook was lost and then leave our friend upstairs to fend for himself?"
[01:55] <+Maz> "I can swear under oath that the last time I saw that spellbook, the pages for the spell were mutilated," Maz responds with another shrug.
[01:56] <@Seraphin> "Would be better than handing the town over on a Domination decorated silver platter, or encouraging the destruction of the weave..." Seraphin agrees, shrugging.
[01:56] * @Kethean doesn't hold back this time and lets loose a barking laugh. "So the pages were mutilated? Hah!"
[01:57] * +Maz smiles at Kethean. "It's a very tragic story. I can shed a tear if necessary."
[01:59] * @Kethean grins in amusement. "Of course."
[02:00] <@Thrall> "Playing it safe, eh?" Thrall shakes his head. "Might be the easiest way out, I'll grant you. If you can convince Ardandanus and his cronies to give up on throwing Calenstat out of his tower."
[02:01] <+Maz> "I'll see what I can do," Maz says smoothly.
[02:08] <@Carthrat> The noise of the tavern, even at this early hour, goes on without you speaking... curses against gods, men, women, and all things passing through your ears, but just as much backdrop as silence could be. The moment ticks onwards...
[02:08] * @Seraphin shakes her head. "I'mn taking a walk," she informs no one in particular, getting up to go wander around town, and ,listen to the gossip of the common person.
[02:09] <+Maz> "Sounds like a good idea," Maz agrees, and stands up, looking at Kethean. "Would you like to accompany me?"
[02:09] * @Kethean nods. "Of course," he replies as he stands and joins Maz.
[02:10] <+Maz> "I am very much interested in talking to that acolyte we discussed the other day," Maz tells Kethean once they're outside and relatively alone. "Do you think you could introduce us?"
[02:13] <@Kethean> "It shouldn't be too difficult," he answers. "She might be a bit...nervous about meeting you though. Remember that she wishes to remain in the background if at all possible."
[02:14] <+Maz> "That's fine," Maz agrees. "If we are to expose Calenstat, it would help to show any proof we might get to a highly-placed Mystran that is not under his control."
[02:17] <@Kethean> "She is not highly placed though, and I'm not sure she'd know who to trust amongst her church," Kethean points out. "Still, let us go and see what aid she can possibly offer."
[02:17] * +Maz nods, and makes sure she is suitably covered to avoid recognition.
[02:20] <@Carthrat> As you walk towards the temple of Mystra, you can't help but overhear shreds of conversation... "..temple of tempus, doors are barred..." "...High Captain behind bars..." "...weird assassin, right in the night- 7 men dead!"
[02:21] * +Maz glances at Kethean. "Fancy a detour?" she asks him, her eyebrow raised.
[02:21] * @Kethean looks back at Maz. "I do not mind one, I suppose...It rather sounds like the temple has had some action last night."
[02:22] * Ana-away is now known as Ana-breakfast
[02:22] <+Maz> "Indeed," she responds with a curt nod.
[02:28] <@Carthrat> The temple of tempus is totally shut. No less that four soldiers stand outside the front of the walled compound, sternly gazing at all passers by, their faces filled with tension.
[02:30] * +Maz approaches the soldiers, greeting them before she asks, "So the temple is locked for the time being?"
[02:30] <@Carthrat> "'sright."
[02:30] <@Carthrat> Short and to the point, the guard barely looks at you.
[02:31] <+Maz> "Is the one called Sigmundr staying within the temple?" she asks next, cocking her head.
[02:31] <@Kethean> "Sigmundr?" Kethean asks Maz.
[02:32] <+Maz> "That was the name he gave us," she responds. "I did not pick it for him."
[02:32] <@Carthrat> "He is."
[02:32] <+Maz> "May I pass on a message to him?"
[02:33] <@Carthrat> "What?"
[02:35] * +Maz takes out a piece of paper and writes down that she is waiting at the gates and would like to have a word with him, either here or back at the inn around eleven, if he could manage that. Signing it with 'Maz', she offers it to the guard.
[02:38] <@Carthrat> The guard takes the paper, yells something inside the temple, and hands it to somebody. The doors close again, with a loud thump.
[02:39] <+Maz> "Let's wait for a short while, in case there is a response?" Maz suggests to Kethean.
[02:42] * @Kethean nods. "Of course. I doubt our friend in the other temple will simply vanish on us while we wait a bit anyhow," Kethean agrees.
[02:42] <+Maz> "Especially since she is not expecting us," Maz agrees.
[02:44] * Ana-breakfast is now known as Anastasia
[02:47] * Anastasia is now known as Kotono
[02:50] * Sigmundr (iron_drago@c-67-163-119-32.hsd1.tx.comcast.net) has joined #dunes
[02:52] * Carthrat sets mode: +o Sigmundr
[02:52] * @Sigmundr walks out from a door next to the gates, clad in full armor and gear, looking around for Maz.
[02:52] * +Maz gives Sigmundr a short wave from where she's waiting by the gate with Kethean
[02:53] * @Sigmundr strides over to them.
[02:53] <@Sigmundr> "Greetings, Maz. How fare you today?"
[02:53] <@Kethean> "Your friend Sigmundr, Maz?" Kethean asks.
[02:54] <+Maz> "Better than you, if what I heard is right," she says with a wry smile. Turning to Kethean, she nods. "Yes. Kethean, meet Sigmundr." She returns her eyes to the cleric of tempus. "All three of us have a common goal, I would like to believe."
[02:54] * @Sigmundr glances over at Kethean, sizing him up for a moment, before returning his gaze to Maz.
[02:55] <@Sigmundr> "I do not know what you heard, but I would like to know what goal you're speaking of."
[02:56] * +Maz makes sure she won't be overheard by outsiders, before she says, "To do away with the Domination over this city," placing an emphasis on that word.
[02:57] * @Sigmundr nods.
[02:58] <@Sigmundr> "Indeed. I now hold a certian place of hatred for Domination now.. I will help you with this, but I may be called away to duties inside the temple. Though, that is now unlikely."
[02:59] <+Maz> "Do you think you could call a meeting with Calenstat?" she asks Sigmundr. "Perhaps, away from his towers? To discuss your future employment?"
[03:00] <@Kethean> "So this was your plan..." Kethean says with a small smile.
[03:01] <@Sigmundr> "Hmm.. I could try, at the very least.. I might be able to get the Temple to put some weight behind my request.. That would take some time, however.. If you do not mind waiting, I can ask a few questions of the higher Clerics."
[03:02] <+Maz> "The plan is flexible," Maz responds. "For the time being, I think it would be safer to just do away with Calenstat's material component for the spell. And that would be safer to accomplish when he's not guarding it himself."
[03:02] * @Sigmundr nods..
[03:03] * +Maz gives Sigmundr a strange look. "You would talk with the higher clerics about this, knowing as we do that they might be dominated?"
[03:04] * RolledUpAlex is now known as SirAlex-sleep
[03:05] <@Sigmundr> "I would. Such things have been.. Delt with, recently. I believe they will support this.. Though, I do not know how well we can keep up a charade of this sort.. Exposing ourselves to him invites his Domination, and if we were to be warded against it, he might be grow suspicious."
[03:06] <+Maz> "If he could cast it without his spellbook, there would be no reason for him to want it back," Maz replies. "Certainly not by going as far as he had."
[03:06] * @Sigmundr nods..
[03:07] <@Sigmundr> "True, but he could also have prepared scrolls of the spell. If it were his most powerful and useful spell, would it not be wise for him to have such set aside?"
[03:07] <+Maz> "On the other hand, tipping out hand to those who might already be dominated is bad for us."
[03:08] * +Maz blinks. "If he had but a scroll of Domination, he would have scribed it into a new spellbook by now."
[03:08] <@Sigmundr> "Hmm.. Very well, if that is true, then I would work with you on this. Wait a few minutes for me, here, and I will speak to those I trust. Do you agree?"
[03:09] * +Maz nods, and glances at Kethean for confirmation.
[03:09] * @Kethean nods as well.
[03:10] <@Sigmundr> "Very well, I shall return."
[03:10] * @Sigmundr turns and strides back into the Temple, intent on finding Sergant Harken.
[03:12] <@Carthrat> Harken is putting his gear back on in the cathedral, and he's just about done when you re-enter the tall cathedral.
[03:13] <@Sigmundr> "Sergant."
[03:13] * @Sigmundr stops and snaps a salute to him.
[03:15] <@Carthrat> "Cleric," he replies, saluting back.
[03:18] <@Sigmundr> "Sir, Maz, the person I worked with on the job, was waiting for me at the gate. She has a plan to relieve Calenstat of his ability to cast his spell of domination, but requests my help in it. She asks that I invite Calenstat away from his tower to further strengthen our.. 'Partnership.' I believe if we employ some backing from the Temple, as a ruse, it would be sufficent to have him agree."
[03:18] <@Sigmundr> "He would likely see it as a step closer to solidifying his power in the Temple."
[03:18] <@Carthrat> "But he'll already know you're against him," replies Harken, shaking his head. "If the Captain was dominated by this one..."
[03:20] <@Sigmundr> "This is true, but if we used a third party.. Say, one of you Sergants, it could still work. An agreement between whichever Sergant and Calenstat.. A replacement agent, so to speak. With a story of hearing of the spell from me, and desiring to align himself with Calenstat."
[03:22] <@Carthrat> The sergeants blink, and consider this a moment. "It wouldn't be impossible," mutters Harken. "But deception isn't really one of our skills. One slip, and we'd be done. And even so, I doubt he's likely to trust us just on our word."
[03:23] <@Sigmundr> "Indeed.. From what Maz told me, the plan isn't to convience him.. Simply to get him out of his tower."
[03:27] <@Carthrat> "But would it really lure him out?" replies Harken, frowning.
[03:27] <@Sigmundr> "Having lost one of his higher agents, he would be anxious to at least find out, I would think.. And if not, then, really, what have we lost?"
[03:28] <@Carthrat> "A cleric?"
[03:30] <@Sigmundr> "If we have a small group waiting to assist him, then the chances of that are minimal. Calenstat still lacks his spellbook."
[03:35] <@Carthrat> "Does he lack allies? Competence? Certainly not a healthy dose of suspicion... and he'll have clear knowledge of who his enemies are."
[03:36] <@Sigmundr> "There is danger in it, but I lack any other ideas, Sir."
[03:38] <@Carthrat> "Apprehending him directly is impossible?" asks the cleric, sighing.
[03:39] <@Sigmundr> "It would require an assault on a Mage's personal quarters, inside the Mage's Guild, at the very least. If not a full assault on a Mage's Tower."
[03:40] <@Carthrat> "The spell of silence would prevent other magi from casting," replies Harken, vehemently. "We'd need harm nobody but our target, and once that's done, our righteousness will become clear."
[03:40] * @Sigmundr nods.
[03:41] <@Sigmundr> "If that is your order, Sir, then I will follow it."
[03:41] <@Carthrat> "I am not ordering you," replies the sergeant, shaking his head. "I simply believe it the best plan. Since you have knowledge of the other interested parties..."
[03:43] <@Sigmundr> ".. Let me speak to Maz again, and see if she has any other suggestions, Sir."
[03:44] <@Carthrat> "We are probably being watched," cautions Harken. "Decisive action is likely required. Be quick."
[03:45] <@Sigmundr> "Aye, Sir."
[03:45] * @Sigmundr salutes and heads back out to Maz.
[03:53] <@Carthrat> She's totally still there.
[03:54] <@Sigmundr> "I have been.. Advised that a full attack on Calenstat is more advisable than your plan."
[03:55] * @Kethean frowns. "A full attack? That is the plan?"
[03:55] * +Maz blinks, and resists the urge to wish him luck with that.
[03:56] <@Sigmundr> "It has not been settled upon yet, but we of Tempus agree that we would not be able to successfully 'pull off' your ruse. We have.. Tipped our hand, so to speak. It is likely that Calenstat knows we have discovered his influence in our Temple. Any invitation from us would be more than suspect."
[03:58] * +Maz blinks again. "And when is your full assault to take place?"
[03:58] <@Sigmundr> "As I said, we have not decided on it yet. Unless you have a better course of action for us, the planning stages of it will most likely start within the next few days."
[03:59] <+Maz> "You think you've been discovered, and yet you want to wait a few days?"
[04:00] <@Sigmundr> "We have certain things to take care of, internally first. As soon as they are solved, the assault will begin.. Unless you have another plan."
[04:01] * +Maz mutters about plans for a moment, before shrugging. "I won't try to decide your temple's plan of action for you. All I ask is to be kept appraised of any developments." She pauses, before adding, "I believe you know where to find me."
[04:03] <@Sigmundr> "Very well, then. May Tempus shield you from harm Maz, Keathen. I shall appraise you of the situation as soon as a course of action is settled upon. And, of course, keep talk of this to yourselves."
[04:04] <+Maz> "Yes, I can keep a secret," Maz responds.
[04:05] <@Sigmundr> "Guard yourselves, then. It's possible Calenstat suspects you as well, and may move against you as he as me."
[04:06] <@Kethean> "If he does, we need to find our friend in Mystra's temple. She might be in danger," Kethean comments with a frown.
[04:06] <@Sigmundr> "Caution, Keathean. We were told of an agent in Mystra's Temple specifically."
[04:06] <+Maz> "He has moved against you?" Maz asks Sigmundr. "Personally?"
[04:07] <@Sigmundr> "We believe so. The details are still being.. Investigated, but all evidence leads to it."
[04:08] <@Sigmundr> "Last night I was subject to an assassin entering my room, Maz. Such things do not happen by chance."
[04:08] <+Maz> "We should make an effort to find your friend, then, Kethean," Maz agrees, turning to look at him.
[04:09] * @Kethean nods. "It was nice meeting you, Sigmundr," Kethean says politely before he starts heading back towards the temple of Mystra.
[04:09] <@Sigmundr> "Be well, both of you."
[04:09] * @Sigmundr nods to them and returns to the temple.
<-------->
[23:17] <@Elric> Left to his thoughts and his own devices, time flows like an unstoppable waterfall for Thrall, left alone within the Atheist's Rest to contemplate and consider his options... and allies. The atmosphere- and the clientele, it seems, never change, even as day turns to dusk...
[23:19] <@Thrall> As the day winds on and none of his companions return, Thrall decides to at least check on Ardandanus and his gang. They're probably wondering when they're going to make their move on Calenstat, after all. Hoping to at least stall them until a solution is found, the half-orc makes his way up the stairs of the inn to knock on their door.
[23:19] <@Elric> There's no answer to the door.
[23:20] <@Thrall> "Open up, it's Thrall," he says through the door, assuming they're just being cautious or something.
[23:20] <@Seraphin> There's a quiet bang downstairs, some muttered cursing in a mix of Infernal and Draconic as Seraphin's voice carries, coming closer.
[23:21] <@Elric> There's still no response, the room either empty, or full of completely silent people.
[23:21] * @Thrall decides to find out! Assuming the door isn't locked, Thrall attempts to open it.
[23:23] <@Elric> The door isn't locked, Thrall opening it fairly easily. Peering in, he can see a couple of beds, a desk, a chair, with a decent carpet and pillow. All look sort of rumpled, and the window at the back is open.
[23:26] <@Seraphin> Seraphin's steps come up the stairs, the tiefling muttering as she makes her way up to there rooms, looking about for anyone. It's all strangely devoid of friendly or even possibly friendly faces so far so far.
[23:27] * @Thrall curses under his breath. So many things that could have gone wrong... Well, nothing to do now but wait for the others to return. Slamming the door, Thrall turns to go back downstairs - and bumps into Seraphin! "Seraphin," he growls. "Our new friends seem to have skipped out on us."
[23:31] <@Seraphin> Seraphin's in a most curious state for the tiefling, muddy and unarmed, unarmored and in fact...she's only got her basic clothes on her, no gear to speak of. "Yeah, I've got some other news for you, Thrall," she growls, bright blood red eyes fixing him. "The killing already started," she mutters, her chin coming up, and a distinct scar running across her neck where there hadn't been one before revealed.
[23:31] <@Seraphin> "Your 'friend' Etna cut my throat earlier."
[23:32] * Kethean (Merc@cpe-72-181-117-211.houston.res.rr.com) has joined #evildunes
[23:32] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Kethean Kethean
[23:32] <@Thrall> That manages to catch Thrall off guard. "What?" he stares at the tiefling's neck, evidence all to clear, there. "What the hell happened?!"
[23:38] <@Seraphin> "Walking, walking walking, oh I can hear some chanting, oh look, I'm paralyzed, hm, what's this? It's that elvish-looking woman you broke off to talk when we got back, what happens when I escape? I pass out between her magic and a mace to the back of my head, end up in Fugue of all the Gods forsaken places, and talk my way past my family into coming back here," she snaps.
[23:38] <@Seraphin> "So I wake up in the darkest alley the slums have to offer, with my throat looking rather thouroughly cut, and feeling like Tarrasque dung."
[23:42] * @Thrall curses and punches his fist into his palm. "Dammit, looks like their patience must have worn out... did she say anything about why?" Thrall asks, already starting towards his room so he can get his gear.
[23:44] <@Seraphin> "That it was about damned time she killed me? That was about it," Seraphin mutters, deep, painful breaths as she forces herself to calm down. "She was more concerned trying to torch me, and I was more interested in stabbing her, aand the thug was more interested in braining me."
[23:47] <@Thrall> "I don't understand... I thought they wanted to use us. Must've decided Calenstat was more important... dammit!" Thrall curses, throwing open his door and going to gather his stuff. "We need to find Maz and Kethean."
[23:50] <@Seraphin> "You can go ahead, I fell on my face a few times on the way I'm so out of it, I don't have any weapons besides a hatchet I hardly use, and I need a bath," Seraphin sighs, more exasperated now as she leans against the doorframe. I'll put together some minimal equipment for myself by tomorrow, but until then, I'm essentially useless as anything but a translator."
[23:52] <@Thrall> "You can use a rapier, right?" Thrall asks, unwrapping said silvery sword he found in that magic well. "Going around unarmed now is asking for trouble, unless you're Kethean."
[23:54] * @Seraphin blinks. "Yeah, not my favorite method of putting bloody gaps in peoples' bodies, but I can," she murmurs, taking the blade. "When'd you pick up a rapier?"
[23:55] <@Thrall> Handing the blade over and starting to don his armour, "It was in that well in the desert. Figure it's to do with the dream I had..." Frowning, he adds, "Should've paid more attention at the time..."
[23:56] <@Elric> OOC: Masterwork Rapier yeah.
[23:57] * @Seraphin shakes her head. "That well was just full of wonderful surprises," she murmurs, the weapon flickering in her hands a moment, before she lets it relax down. "My family says hi, by the way."
Session Time: Sun Jun 04 00:00:00 2006
[00:00] <@Thrall> "I'll worry about them when... Hells, I don't even know what I can do about Elric and his guild. But we should at least warn the others - do you have any idea where Maz and Kethean went?"
[00:02] * @Seraphin shakes her head. "Where might mages go? I can't remember a bloody thing. Market of strange things? Thei guild? In the current situation, Hell knows what Maz is thinking," she snorts.
[00:04] <@Thrall> Finishing with his armour, Thrall sets his axe into its harness. "I'm not used to being a target, like this..." he sighs. "Where were you attacked, anyway?"
[00:05] <@Seraphin> "Wandering into the slums," Seraphin answers, giving off the nearest landmark she can remember. "In an alley, they dragged me inside from there."
[00:08] <@Thrall> "Mmm... could be a safehouse anywhere. It's a start, but we're better off sticking together. Go take your bath and then we can look for Kethean and Maz if they aren't back?" he suggests, grabbing his pack.
[00:09] <@Seraphin> "Okay," Seraphin murmurs, rubbing at her headache as she goes to do just that. Dying and coming back isn't all it's cracked up to be.
[00:10] * @Thrall waits up here so that if assassins do attack Seraphin in the bath he at least should hear it happening.
[00:12] <@Elric> Seraphin's bath is uneventful (the water could've been heated more, but no complaints apart from that.)
[00:14] * @Seraphin returns, feeling a little more human perhaps, her damp silver hair pulled into a ponytail as she carries the rapier. "Well, I guess we'll be off?"
[00:16] * @Thrall nods. "We'll see if those two have returned, and if not we'll start searching - no telling if they've been targeted already." With that, the half-orc leads the way downstairs!
[00:17] <@Elric> The inn is empty of (other) tieflings, and, rather unsurprisingly, members of any kind of clergy.
[00:20] <@Elric> OOC: HOW... do you search?
[00:20] <@Elric> OOC: WHERE? Darromar is Not Small (though not beyond huge), so.. gonna just hunt/look around/talk to people/etc?
[00:21] <@Thrall> Heading out of the inn, "Didn't Kethean mention some acolyte of Mystra that Maz was interested in meeting? Maybe we should start around the temple," Thrall suggests to his fiendish friend.
[00:22] <@Seraphin> "Mm? Yeah," Seraphin agrees, using the hulking half-orc as something of a shadow. Who'll notice the darkly dressed miniscule tiefling next to him?
[00:23] <@Elric> The Temple of Mystra, in all it's bold glory, stands before Seraphin and Thrall. The doors are locked, the guards are stern, and a palpable magical feel hangs about the place, helped along by the glowing balls of light and the mystic runes on the walls.
[00:26] * @Thrall walks up to the guards. "Excuse me," he murmurs, looking down at them but keeping his tone civil, "Have a cleric of Savras and a short female mage in blue robes visited the temple, today?"
[00:27] <@Elric> OOC: Make a sense motive check.
[00:27] <@Thrall> roll 1d20
[00:27] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d20 --> 12,0 15
[00:27] <@Elric> "I'm not at liberty to say such things," he replies, after a brief pause, like he wasn't sure what to say.
[00:33] <@Thrall> "Why not?" Thrall asks, beady dark eyes glaring at the guard. "It's a simple, *friendly* question," he growls.
[00:34] <@Elric> "That so?" replies the guard, wearily. "Friends come in the, uh, other door," he adds, surrepitously.
[00:36] * @Seraphin sighs. "Not when our friends are just visitors themselves," Seraphin answers, the much smaller tiefling sounding exasperated and soft spoken. "We're just looking for our friends, hm?"
[00:37] <@Elric> The guards glance at each other. "Well..." murmurs one. OOC: Make a.. diplomacy check.
[00:40] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20
[00:40] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20 --> 12,0 5
[00:41] <@Elric> "Look, we can't talk about anything," says one, finally. "Temple's been locked down, and all. Might've seen your friends go inside, but you'll just need to wait until they come out."
[00:43] <@Thrall> "If they're in there, that's all we need to know. We can wait," Thrall nods, folding his arms and settling in to do just that.
[00:44] <@Seraphin> "The outside of the wall isn't boobytrapped, is it?" Seraphin asks, pointing at the compound's outer barrier.
[00:44] <@Seraphin> "I mean, agaisnt leaning on it," she adds after a moment, shaking her head.
[00:44] <@Elric> "We follow Mystra, not Shar," mutters one of the knights.
[00:46] * @Seraphin laughs softly, slumping into the wall a bit. She really doesn't feel like she should be walking around the city. "Some days..." she murmurs, shaking her head.
[00:47] <@Elric> The knights glance at each other, before one looks at Seraphin. "You don't look quite right," he ventures. "Perhaps you should get some healing, or at least some rest?"
[00:49] <@Seraphin> "Why do you think we came looking for our cleric friend?" Seraphin asks, covering their real reasons at least with her injuries.
[00:53] <@Elric> "Ah.." he responds, shrugging, gaze leaving you.
[00:55] <@Thrall> So much for playing on their sympathies. And isn'y Mystra meant to be a good deity? Pfah. Snorting, Thrall goes to stand next to Seraphin, handing her his last cure light wounds potion - he owes her one, after all. "In case you need it," he offers.
[00:56] <@Seraphin> "Thanks," Seraphin murmurs, downing the potion gratefully, wishing to the Heavens she could find a place to sleep right now. Alive.
[00:56] <@Elric> OOC: d8+3 yeah.
[00:57] <@Seraphin> roll 1d8+3
[00:57] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d8+3 --> 12,0 5
[00:58] <@Elric> The knights look uncomfortable as Seraphin downs the potion, giving each other knowing, and unusual glances as the two of you wait.
[00:59] * @Seraphin glances at the guards, smothering a frown. "Something up?" she asks them , offering teh warmest smile someone who's just been killed and brought back to life and not gotten any sleep since can.
[01:00] <@Elric> "...I apologize," one of them replies, sighing. "I'd like to offer you the healing services of the temple, but, well..."
[01:01] <@Thrall> "Why's the temple locked down, anyway?" Thrall asks, "For that matter, how were our friends allowed in if it is?"
[01:02] * @Seraphin shakes her head, laughing softly. "Orders are orders," she agrees softly, shaking her head.
[01:03] <@Elric> "The girl had been here before," replies the guard, before he curses. "Didn't hear me say that, or this, but one of our superiors wanted to have private words with her."
[01:06] <@Thrall> "Why's that?" Thrall frowns thoughtfully. Kethean knew an acolyte here, but why would one of the Mystran higher ups want to speak to Maz?
[01:10] <@Elric> "Some business to do with the guild, I'm guessing. I heard she was a mage after." He shrugs. "It's an open secret, anyway, but nobody's really sure what's going on around here anymore. Us, well, it's hard to help out when you're on guard duty all day..."
[01:12] * @Seraphin keeps quiet mostly, forcing her eyes to stay open and aware of what's around her and the street.
[01:13] * @Thrall glances at Seraphin and raises an eyebrow. Didn't Ardandanus say that some of the higher ups in Mystra's temple had been dominated as well? "How long ago did they enter the temple?" he asks the guards.
[01:13] <@Elric> "Not long ago," replies the guard, shrugging. "No telling how long they'll be there for."
[23:30] <@Elric> The Temple of Mystra, in all it's bold glory, stands before Kethean and Maz. The doors are locked, the guards are stern, and a palpable magical feel hangs about the place, helped along by the glowing balls of light and the mystic runes on the walls.
[23:30] <@Maz> "Got a way to get in, or should I try?" Maz asks Kethean, observing the entrance and the guards.
[23:32] <@Kethean> "I don't have any say with them, and I doubt she would appreciate it if we just walked up to them and asked for her..." Kethean notes.
[23:33] <@Maz> "We could wait for her," Maz offers. "It's either that, or I'll seek an audience with the clerics."
[23:38] <@Kethean> "How important do you think it'd be to meet with her now?" the monk ponders.
[23:39] <@Maz> "I've honestly got nothing better to do," Maz replies with a shrug. "You?"
[23:39] <@Kethean> "Not at all," he answers. "Well, let's try to set you up with an audience, I suppose."
[23:43] * @Maz walks up to the guards, and greets them, making sure that the hood of her cloak is up, as usual.
[23:44] <@Elric> "Temple's closed," one of them says, stonily... and hurriedly.
[23:46] <@Maz> "I've been sent on a mission by the clerics within some nine days ago," Maz responds smoothly, "and have now returned, bearing fruits of my success. Surely they would like to hear about this, and decide whether they would like to see me?"
[23:47] <@Elric> "A moment," he replies, and he steps inside the temple. A minute later he returns- "Please, come in," he replies, gesturing inside.
[23:47] <@Maz> "Thank you," Maz replies, and steps inside, throwing Kethean a glance. "Let us be on our way, then."
[23:47] <@Kethean> "Have a good day," Kethean says politely from behind Maz as they pass the guards.
[23:49] <@Elric> You step up to the alter again... there's only one person there, the Nar cleric (or is he a mage?) from before, glancing over the both of you with a quizzical look. "Greetings," he says. "What have you come to tell me?"
[23:51] <@Maz> "I have completed the mission you set out before me," Maz tells him, turning to give Kethean a smile before returning her attention towards the Nar cleric. "The mage's spellbook is in my possession." She pauses briefly, before asking, "Have I passed your test?"
[23:51] <@Elric> The Nar coughs. "Is that so? You should return it to him, then, and we could speak thereafter."
[23:53] <@Maz> "There's a bit of a problem," Maz says, sounding regretful. "I've heard that it might be dangerous to meet Calenstat in person these days. And I was hoping for a middleman, of sorts."
[23:54] <@Elric> "I can't imagine where you would have heard such rumors," replies the Nar. "If you wish, I will take the book for you, then."
[23:57] <@Maz> "My friends who accompanied me for the monetary reward would take that badly, I'm afraid," Maz says. "Had it been just me..." she muses, before shaking her head. "Well, we all have our circumstances. Would you know if there was a way to arrange for us to make the delivery to Calenstat and get paid, without venturing into his tower?"
[23:59] <@Elric> "You must tell me the source of your concerns," remarks the Nar, starting to pace. "It would be quite impossible to talk to Calenstat without *somebody* venturing to the tower to arrange a meeting..."
Session Time: Sun Jun 04 00:00:00 2006
[00:01] <@Maz> "My concerns stem from the possibility of Calenstat getting the wrong idea about taking trickery meant for other at face value," she replies vaguely. "However, for someone who has known him for a much longer period of time, that would not be an issue, I believe."
[00:02] <@Elric> "I hardly know the man well," replies the Nar, shrugging. "He's quite the private person- indeed, I hardly knew of his existence before this bounty was posted."
[00:03] <@Maz> "I see, then." Maz nods to herself. "Perhaps we could trouble the temple for the services of an acolyte, then, to deliver our message to Calenstat?"
[00:05] <@Elric> "Perhaps something can be arranged," he replies. "Come with me a moment, to the acolyte dorm." He begins walking off...
[00:06] <@Maz> With a glance at Kethean, Maz moves to follow.
[00:08] * @Kethean looks over at Maz and nods at the glance, following quietly behind while weaving a magic detection spell and casting it as quietly as he can from behind the two.
[00:10] <@Elric> Kethean's mind lights up with magical energy, the whole temple radiating a mild hallowing effect. The Nar himself seems to be enchanted by something, and his vestments are certainly enchanted.
[00:12] <@Elric> He leads you up a flight of stairs, towards a corridor of rooms. Kethean can pick up a couple more magical auras here, just ahead of the group as the Nar stops at the entrance to the hall.
[00:13] <@Elric> "I'll go and get one," he says. "Wait here a moment."
[00:13] * @Maz nods, and settles to wait.
[00:15] * @Kethean concentratres on the Nar's aura as he turns to leave, to see what sort of magic has been placed on him.
[00:15] <@Elric> His vestments pulsate with the thick blue of abjuration, while his body itself glows softly green, enchantment definately present.
[00:21] <@Elric> The Nar walks ahead a few steps down the corridor. OOC: Spot checks, people.
[00:23] <@Maz> roll 1d20+4 to SPOT STUFF
[00:23] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 1d20+4 12,0to SPOT STUFF --> 12,0 20
[00:25] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+9
[00:25] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+9 --> 12,0 13
[00:28] <@Maz> "Someone invisible coming our way, seems like," Maz murmurs to Kethean, moving somewhat behind him.
[00:29] <@Elric> The Nar walks between two magical auras, before bowing his head, slightly, a quite mumbling and a flicker of his hands discernable...
[00:33] * @Kethean nods. "He's got spells on him," he says quickly and quietly, hopefully before the invisible character comes close enough to overhear.
[00:33] * @Maz uses the cover granted her by Kethean's bulk to cast False Life on herself, keeping her voice down to a whisper as she chants.
[00:34] <@Maz> roll 1d10+4
[00:34] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 1d10+4 --> 12,0 14
[00:37] <@Elric> The Nar finishes casting his own spell... and the room plunges into total silence.
[00:38] <@Elric> OOC: Let's roll initiative!
[00:38] <@Elric> roll 1d20+1 Nar
[00:38] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 1d20+1 12,0Nar --> 12,0 12
[00:38] <@Elric> roll 1d20+3 ???
[00:38] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 1d20+3 12,0??? --> 12,0 11
[00:38] <@Maz> roll 1d20+4
[00:38] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 1d20+4 --> 12,0 19
[00:39] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+3
[00:39] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+3 --> 12,0 8
[00:45] * @Maz pats Kethean's shoulder, before bolting back the way they came from, waiting for the sound of her feet against the stone.
[00:45] <@Elric> The sound of your feet against stone comes just after you've gone down a few steps in the stairwell. You can *just* see the Nar's- and Kethean's- feet above it, though if he moves back you won't be able to.
[00:46] * @Kethean grimaces, but gives a curt nod to Maz before returning his focus to the Nar and the two invisible opponents, waiting for their move.
[00:47] * @Maz throws a glance further down the stares to make sure no one's coming up them, before drawing her wand of Magic Missiles and sending a pair at the Nar, targetting his feet, while keeping the activation word as quiet as she could.
[00:47] <@Maz> roll 2d4+2
[00:47] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 2d4+2 --> 12,0 8
[00:48] <@Elric> The Nar might've said something as the blasts hit him... but how would you know? Kethean certainly doesn't, and he has more troublesome things to worry about, as a pair of scoundrels appear on either side of him, and attack!
[00:48] <@Elric> roll 1d20 dude1
[00:48] <@Elric> roll 1d20 dude2
[00:48] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 1d20 12,0dude1 --> 12,0 11
[00:48] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 1d20 12,0dude2 --> 12,0 3
[00:49] <@Elric> roll 2d6+2
[00:49] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 2d6+2 --> 12,0 7
[00:50] <@Elric> Kethean dodges out the way of one sword as it lashes out, but he can't help but get caught be the other as it cuts across his stomach!
[00:51] <@Elric> The Nar raises his hands, and is saying something. But what? Kethean feels a rush of energy overtake him, in any case... OOC: WILL SAVE
[00:52] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+9
[00:52] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+9 --> 12,0 22
[00:52] <@Elric> It passes from him easily, magic unable to work itself over the monk!
[00:54] <@Elric> The pair of them, black-clad men both, hold glittering shortswords in the dim corridor, wavering back and forth.
[00:54] * @Kethean gives a wordless cry, silenced by the spell in play, as he lashes out himself with a number of punches at the face of the guy who cut him, hoping to break his nose at least, if not altogether his face. (Fist of Flurry!)
[00:54] <@Kethean> roll d20+5
[00:54] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 d20+5 --> 12,0 23
[00:54] <@Kethean> roll d20+5
[00:54] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 d20+5 --> 12,0 9
[00:55] <@Kethean> roll d6+2
[00:55] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 d6+2 --> 12,0 8
[00:56] <@Kethean> roll 1d6 for flaming fist? o_O
[00:56] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d6 12,0for flaming fist? o_O --> 12,0 6
[00:56] <@Elric> The rogue's head snaps back, and his mouth opens in a wordless cry as flames wreak his face, but nonetheless, he stays up!
[00:56] <@Elric> OOC: Maz.
[00:57] <@Elric> OOC: The rogue is NOT on fire. Grargh.,
[00:59] <@Maz> Withdrawing a scroll from her pack, Maz glances over it, arcane writings making so much more sense now that she's not trying to copy the spell into her spellbook. A few gestures follow, as she reads from the scroll, its words glowing with orange light as they are spoken out loud. When she reaches the final line, she thrusts her right hand forward, pointing towards the Nar and setting the ground at his feet as the focal point for the spell.
[00:59] <@Maz> OOC: Grease
[01:00] <@Elric> roll 1d20+3
[01:00] <@Elric> OOC: DC?
[01:00] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 1d20+3 --> 12,0 14
[01:02] <@Maz> OOC: 16, but they can walk at half the speed with a DC10 Balance check
[01:03] <@Elric> OOC: Everyone already on grease falls over if they move on it.
[01:03] <@Elric> OOC: I mean, when you cast it under them.
[01:03] <@Elric> OOC: Unless they pass a reflex save.
[01:03] <@Elric> OOC: Did you cast it under rogueboy and kethean, or just the nar?
[01:04] <@Maz> OOC: Going for the Nar, but if any rogue was close enough to hit him too, then that
[01:04] <@Elric> OOC: Not without hitting Keth.
[01:04] <@Maz> OOC: How far apart are the Nar and the rogues?
[01:04] <@Elric> OOC: Like 10 feet?
[01:04] <@Maz> OOC: Okay, then, going for everyone!
[01:05] <@Elric> roll 1d20+5
[01:05] <@Elric> roll 1d20+5
[01:05] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 1d20+5 --> 12,0 13
[01:05] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 1d20+5 --> 12,0 19
[01:05] <@Elric> OOC: Kethean?
[01:05] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+7
[01:05] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+7 --> 12,0 15
[01:06] <@Elric> Maz's slippery spell leaps out, and the Nar and a rogue trips up on it! Kethean does likewise, however, unable to easily balance! Picking himself up, the Nar woodenly begins to cast another spell... one you can't pick out.
[01:07] <@Elric> roll 1d20+1
[01:07] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 1d20+1 --> 12,0 4
[01:07] <@Elric> Even as he does so, though, he slips and falls once again!
[01:08] <@Elric> The rogue next to Kethean stands up, as the other tries to lash out with his sword again...
[01:08] <@Elric> roll 1d20+8
[01:08] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 1d20+8 --> 12,0 10
[01:09] <@Elric> Keeping his balance, he strikes at Kethean's prone form!
[01:09] <@Elric> roll 1d20+6
[01:09] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 1d20+6 --> 12,0 12
[01:09] <@Elric> roll 1d6+2
[01:09] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 1d6+2 --> 12,0 3
[01:09] <@Elric> A pittance of a wound, but they're starting to stack up!
[01:10] * Ami_no_Yuki (~ed_blacka@d207-216-158-77.bchsia.telus.net) has joined #dunes
[01:11] * @Kethean attempts to stand up and put a bit of distance between himself and the rogues.
[01:11] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+6 balance
[01:11] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+6 12,0balance --> 12,0 24
[01:13] * @Kethean changes his mind about moving back, instead brandishing his nunchukus out and whipping them out towards the standing rogue's chest.
[01:13] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+6
[01:13] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+6 --> 12,0 22
[01:14] <@Kethean> roll 1d6+2
[01:14] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d6+2 --> 12,0 8
[01:14] <@Kethean> roll 1d6
[01:14] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d6 --> 12,0 2
[01:15] <@Elric> A gout of fire spits out from Kethean's black weapon, causing the rogue to recoil and collapse, another silent scream on his lips!
[01:15] <@Elric> The other rogue swears.. probably.
[01:15] <@Elric> OOC: Maz.
[01:18] * @Maz gets out another scroll, and reads from it carefully, her hand reaching into her components pouch to withdraw a feather. Once the spell is read, she blows on the feather, ruffling it as winds gather behind her, rushing towards the Nar in a gale!
[01:18] <@Maz> OOC: Tasha's Hideous Laughter, DC17
[01:19] <@Elric> roll 1d20+7
[01:19] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 1d20+7 --> 12,0 19
[01:19] <@Elric> The Nar shrugs off your crippling magic, standing up just outside of the grease! Cursing to himself, and looking at the state of affairs... he ducks into a side door and vanishes!
[01:20] <@Elric> The rogue, too, takes a look at the opposition he faces... and stabs at his companions prone form, opening his throat before he too runs the way the cleric went!
[01:20] <@Elric> OOC: AoO on him if you want, Kethean.
[01:20] * Elaine (~elaine@katy-adsl-66-170-222-140.consolidated.net) has joined #dunes
[01:20] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Elaine Elaine
[01:21] * @Kethean (Merc@cpe-72-181-117-211.houston.res.rr.com) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Elaine))
[01:21] * Elaine is now known as Kethean
[01:21] * Elaine (Merc@cpe-72-181-117-211.houston.res.rr.com) has joined #dunes
[01:21] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Elaine Elaine
[01:22] * @Kethean (~elaine@katy-adsl-66-170-222-140.consolidated.net) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Elaine))
[01:22] * Elaine is now known as Kethean
[01:23] * @Kethean grimaces at the show of comraderie shown by the rogue for his ally, and attacks the fleeing man before he can get away, once more attacking with his nunchukus.
[01:23] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+6
[01:23] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+6 --> 12,0 10
[01:24] <@Elric> The rogue easily gets out the way, rushing towards the room!
[01:24] <@Elric> roll 1d20+6
[01:24] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 1d20+6 --> 12,0 17
[01:25] * @Kethean mouths "After them" to Maz before he decides to follow.
[01:27] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+6
[01:27] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+6 --> 12,0 15
[01:27] * @Maz raises an eyebrow, before taking the time to cast a shield about her form, following Kethean up to the edge of the grease.
[01:27] <@Elric> Kethean runs towards the room, just getting over the greasey floor! Inside, he sees... the rogue, and the cleric, in a shadowed corner. They stare up at Kethean, the cleric alarmed, but the rogue fiercely concentrating...
[01:29] <@Maz> roll 1d20+4 to go through the grease after K
[01:29] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 1d20+4 12,0to go through the grease after K --> 12,0 15
[01:29] * @Kethean runs towards the concentrating rogue and strikes with his nunchukus, hoping to put the rogue down for good.
[01:30] <@Elric> OOC: Make ye an attack.
[01:30] <@Kethean> roll d20+6
[01:30] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 d20+6 --> 12,0 9
[01:31] <@Elric> The rogue flinches as he deflects your nunchuku with his short sword, before he grabs the cleric with one hand, and.. melts into the shadowed corner of the room, simply vanishing from your sight and mind!
[01:31] <@Kethean> "...What the?" he mutters in surprise.
[01:32] * @Maz frowns, but casts Detect Magic with a little help from her wand and takes the time to examine the area.
[01:33] <@Elric> The whole room has a light, holy effect on it, the divine will of Mystra bolstering the compound, perhaps. However, apart from that force which permeates the whole building, there's nothing in this room.
[01:33] * @Maz goes to examine the immediate area, to see if there are indeed any acolytes or other clergy nearby
[01:34] <@Elric> This whole corridor doesn't seem to be a dorm at all, but rather a storage place, each of the six rooms filed with assorted junk; food here, fabric and clothes there, religious items here...
[01:35] <@Kethean> "Let's find our friend, if she's still alive," Kethean recommends. "And we should search the Nar's room for anything useful."
[01:36] <@Maz> "I rather think his colleagues would frown upon that," Maz remarks. "I believe we should try and get in touch with them to explain things before he gets a chance to or, barring that, leave immediately."
[01:36] <@Elric> The corpse in the corridor is bleeding rather quickly. In fact, it's almost as if he's melting into the floor...
[01:37] * @Maz examines the corpse with her magical sight, concentrating upon it
[01:37] <@Elric> Illusion and transmutation rip out from the vanishing corpse, but the equipment on it seems fairly mundane. The body part literally seems to drain away into the dark corners of the corridor...
[01:38] <@Kethean> "Was it something in the rogue's weapon?" he asks with a hint of worry, having been hit twice by the rogue earlier.
[01:38] * @Maz thinks back to the shadowy constructs she had faced in that abandoned temple near Saradush, mentally comparing the magical signatures.
[01:39] <@Elric> Detect magic isn't that useful or precise. Both emitted illusions (though only these emit transmutation.)
[01:39] <@Maz> Cursing, Maz shakes her head. "I don't think so, but I could check you, if you want."
[01:40] <@Maz> Having said that, she examines Kethean with that magical sight, before using a quickly-cast Detect Poison spell on his wounds.
[01:41] <@Elric> Kethean's nunchuku ripple out like a black field, obscuring other auras. Powerful evocation, transmutation, and enchantment ripple from the weapon.
[01:41] * @Kethean nods and waits for the prognosis from 'Doctor' Maz.
[01:43] <@Maz> "You're clean, as far as I can tell," she says, smiling wryly. "And you should really get that weapon of your identified."
[01:44] * @Kethean grins. "I really should. Once we get out of the mess this city's in, I suppose."
[01:45] <@Maz> "Let's go, then," she tells him, motioning towards the exit.
[01:46] <@Elric> As you head towards the exit of the temple, you can't help but notice how empty and sparse the place seems to be, like everyone's gone out or something. Still, you're hardly going through all of the place...
[01:46] <@Maz> "Do you have a spare cloak?" Maz asks Kethean as they head back.
[01:48] * @Kethean shakes his head. "No. Why do you ask?"
[01:49] <@Maz> "Let's avoid unnecessary questions when the guards or any temple residents see you with blood on your clothing." She takes her own blue cloak off, and offers it to Kethean. "You could wash and return it later."
[01:50] * @Kethean nods and places on the cloak. "Thanks."
[01:50] * @Maz nods and proceeds in silence.
[01:51] <@Elric> Leaving the temple, you don't see anyone until you're physically outside. Thrall and Seraphin, however, seem to be waiting for you- Thrall wears his armour and carries his deadly axe, while Seraphin looks wounded, tired, and isn't wearing her weapons or armour, just carrying an elegent rapier.
[01:52] * @Maz makes her way towards the two, after nudging Kethean.
[01:53] <@Kethean> "Seems we're not the only ones who stumbled onto trouble," Kethean mutters with a frown as he gets closer to the duo, already converting some spells into healing magic for Seraphin. (converting bull's strenght and owl's wisdom)
[01:53] <@Kethean> roll 2d8+3
[01:53] <@Elric> OOC: Uh... in that order?
[01:53] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 2d8+3 --> 12,0 12
[01:53] <@Elric> OOC: That's fully healed, anyhow.
[01:54] <@Kethean> ooc: is it? sheesh. I'll use the last one on myself then
[01:54] <@Maz> "Greetings," Maz says with false cheerfullness. "What a pleasant surprise finding you two here!"
[01:54] <@Kethean> roll 2d8+3 for self
[01:54] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 2d8+3 12,0for self --> 12,0 11
[01:55] <@Seraphin> "Quite pleasent," Seraphin agrees, relaxing sharply as Kethean's magic rushes into her, offering him a warm smile. "We should head back to the inn, there's more news," she provides, keeping the smile pasted in place for the guards.
[01:55] <@Thrall> "We've got trouble," Thrall agrees darkly, stepping away from the temple so they can talk without the guards hearing. "Ardandanus has vanished, and Seraphin was attacked by Etna."
[01:56] <@Maz> "We were attacked just now, as well," Maz replies, once she's certain she's out of hearing range of the guards and there's no one listening nearby. "And so did Sigmundr, last night."
[01:56] <@Kethean> "Etna is the one who attacked Seraphin?" Kethean repeats, raising an eyebrow as he looks at Thrall.
[01:57] <@Seraphin> "Well, not so much 'attacked' as 'burned and beaten into unconsciousness and then killed'," Seraphin clarifies once they're away from the temple. "Having a scar across your throat is a very disturbing feeling."
[01:57] * @Maz glances at Seraphin with a wince. "I can imagine."
[01:58] <@Maz> "As for us, we were attacked by a Dominated cleric and a pair who could melt away into the shadows."
[01:59] <@Kethean> "One of them is dead, though at the hands of the other. There doesn't seem to be much comraderie between the group," Kethean adds.
[01:59] <@Seraphin> "At least you didn't get to talk to a pit fiend amongst other friendlies in Fugue?" Seraphin offers with a smile.
[01:59] <@Maz> "No, we actually won. For a high cleric of Mystra, he sure was a pansy. Ditto for the invinsible shadow assassins."
[02:00] <@Thrall> "Explains why they were so quick to turn on us, then..." Thrall mutters to Kethean. "For better or worse, it looks like our course is set."
[02:01] <@Seraphin> "Being paralyzed and looted first didn't really help my survival," Seraphin sighs, shaking her head. "I'll need to go out and buy some backup equipment in the morning, ah well."
[02:02] <@Maz> "It's a shame," Maz laments. "I wanted to convince him to give us some space, and hopefully stall him. I wonder where Calenstat gets his information...."
[02:05] <@Kethean> "So what's the plan? I'd assume that storming the guild to get to Calenstat isn't a viable option," Kethean comments.
[02:05] <@Thrall> "Don't know, but we're all in danger, now - no telling who's been dominated in this city," Thrall clenches his fist angrily, "So killing Calenstat should be done soon if we want some breathing room."
[02:06] <@Maz> "I'm fairly certain there are no more high clerics being Dominated at the temple of Mystra," Maz says with a shrug. "If there were, they likely would have been there along with that Nar."
[02:07] * @Kethean nods. "Your friend Sigmundr took care of some of the mess as well at his temple, thankfully," Kethean adds in agreement.
[02:09] <@Maz> "Do we have any leads on Etna?" she asks bluntly, after another glance at Seraphin.
[02:09] <@Seraphin> "Nope," Seraphin shakes her head. "I just arrived at the inn from waking up when Thrall found everyone gone and we came this way."
[02:11] <@Maz> "Where were you attacked?" Maz asks her. "And any particular reason why, beyond the obvious? Perhaps you stumbled upon something she did not want you to see?"
[02:11] <@Thrall> "If we look around where you were attacked I might be able to spot any guild safehouses - assuming they still use the same symbol as in Waterdeep, anyway," Thrall offers. He didn't see any in Saradush, but Etna did wear her own symbol from back in those days, so it's possible.
[02:12] <@Seraphin> "Not really...just walking down one of the poorer streets, heard chanting, took a look, and was suddenly paralyzed laughing," Seraphin murmurs, taking a deep breath. "Things went downhill once she disapelled it."
[02:13] <@Maz> "It might be worth checking out," Maz muses out loud. "If you're up to revisiting the area, that is."
[02:15] <@Seraphin> "I was hoping to locate some kind of armor first and maybe catch some sleep, but if you want," Seraphin agrees idly, seemingly relaxed.
[02:15] * @Maz glances at her companions, searching for an answer.
[02:17] <@Thrall> "If we sleep, we should stay in the same room and have someone keeping watch at all times," Thrall offers. He'd rather do something, but if the others need to rest and regain spells, then he can understand.
[02:18] <@Kethean> "I agree, though we should keep in mind that by resting, we're giving Calenstat more time to prepare. Do we want to take that chance?" Kethean points out.
[02:19] * @Maz nods quietly in agreement.
[02:21] <@Thrall> "I'd prefer to take some action - at least take the fight to our enemies and force them to lick their wounds for a time rather than come after us relentlessly," Thrall admits. "Besides, for all we know, they could have already found Ardandanus and gotten Calenstat's spellbook back."
[02:22] <@Maz> "Unlikely, I have his book," Maz comments. "Sans Domination spell, but still."
[02:30] <@Maz> "So, lead on, Seraphin?" Maz suggests after a long pause, shrugging.
[02:34] * @Seraphin shrugs, leading the group on towards where she was ambushed.
[02:35] <@Elric> Seraphin gets plenty of strange looks as she leads the group back towards the ambush site, peasants and beggars looking alternately smug and surprised as she leads the group along. Shortly after, you're standing in an unremarkable stretch of slum, the alley down which Etna lurked just ahead.
[02:36] * Anawork is now known as Cratfails
[02:36] <@Seraphin> "I really should thin out the population here..." Seraphin murmurs, giving bright red eyed looks around. "It's the next alley," she offers, hanging back a touch without armor or her proffered weapons.
[02:37] <@Maz> "You probably should," Maz agrees with a nod, her two wands at the ready.
[02:37] * @Thrall looks around for any signs around the doors or on the walls that would indicate a safehouse as he walks carefully through the alley, axe still on his back for the moment.
[02:39] <@Thrall> roll 1d20
[02:39] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d20 --> 12,0 5
[02:40] <@Elric> Thrall can't make out any signs remniscient of his past.
[02:40] <@Kethean> "What does the symbol look like, Thrall?" Kethean asks, hoping to help in trying to find anything.
[02:40] * @Maz activates her wand of divination with a simple word, glancing at the world through the lense of magical sight.
[02:40] * @Thrall describes it!
[02:41] * @Kethean looks around using Thrall's description, searching for these safehouses.
[02:42] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+9 Spot Check!
[02:42] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+9 12,0Spot Check! --> 12,0 18
[02:42] <@Elric> Kethean can't see anything, either.
[02:43] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+7 spotting
[02:43] * @Maz joins Kethean in searching for the elusive symbol!
[02:43] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+7 12,0spotting --> 12,0 23
[02:43] <@Maz> roll 1d20+4
[02:43] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 1d20+4 --> 12,0 6
[02:43] * @Seraphin joins in, poking around the place of her assault.
[02:44] <@Elric> Seraphin can't seem to find any obvious sign like Thrall said. She does, however, find the door she was rudely shoved through.
[02:45] <@Kethean> "I don't see anything based on what you said, Thrall."
[02:45] <@Maz> "Me neither," Maz admits. "Seraphin, was Etna alone?"
[02:45] <@Seraphin> "I was carried through here," Seraphin murmurs, tapping the door with her rapier. "She dispelled the paralysis and we started fighting on a staircase past it. And no, she had one thug with her."
[02:46] <@Maz> "Mind describing him, and any recognizable features he might've had?" Maz requests.
[02:46] * @Seraphin ...describes the thug as best she can.
[02:47] <@Elric> There's very little to describe. You never even got a clear look at him. Swings a mean mace, though.
[02:47] <@Maz> "I really, really want someone... to question," Maz says by way of explanation.
[02:47] <@Thrall> "Well, let's start here," Thrall tries the door. If they thought Seraphin was dead, they'd have no reason to think this place compromised, right?
[02:48] <@Seraphin> "I'd really like to help," Seraphin murmurs, somehow managing to sound innocent.
[02:48] <@Elric> roll 1d20+10
[02:48] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 1d20+10 --> 12,0 23
[02:49] <@Elric> The door opens, a scything blade whipping out from just inside, slashing across Thrall's wrist! The heavy blade cuts between the plates of his armour, causing serious pain!
[02:49] <@Elric> roll 1d8+5
[02:49] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 1d8+5 --> 12,0 12
[02:50] <@Kethean> "Looks like we found someone for you to question, Maz," Kethean says with a frown as he pulls out his nunchukus.
[02:50] <@Thrall> "Ahhh!" Thrall hisses, pulling his hand back and wincing as he flexes his fingers. "Dammit... be careful," he warns the others unnecessarily, pulling his axe from its harness.
[02:50] <@Elric> There's a clicking sound as the door slowly opens despite Thrall's injury, serrated weapon mechanically moving back up again.
[02:51] <@Maz> Maz smiles at Kethean, letting her fangs show for a change.
[02:52] <@Kethean> "...or not. An automated trap it seems?" Kethean mutters, still staying alert though, and keeping his weapon out.
[02:52] * @Seraphin shakes her head, tossing a copper penny through the door to see if it's proximity activated, or done by opening the door.
[02:52] <@Maz> "Maybe there's someone inside," she says, disappointment covering her voice. Maz concentrates on the door and what of what lies beyond that she can see.
[02:54] <@Maz> "I'm bad with normal traps," she says after a brief moment, "but there's no magic around, at least."
[02:55] * @Thrall steps just in front of the doorway and swings his axe upwards into the base of where the trapped blade is set, intending to ruin the mechanism.
[02:56] <@Seraphin> "I'm decent enough," Seraphin shakes her head, letting Thrall do his demolition work if he wants.
[02:56] <@Elric> There's a crashing sound, bits of metal toppling from the roof. The blade drops unspectacularly to the ground.
[02:56] * @Thrall nods in satisfaction. "Safe," he pronounces, before stepping inside.
[02:57] <@Elric> No more blades lash out to strike at Thrall. A staircase goes up in front of him...
[02:58] * @Thrall walks to the base of the stairs before slowing so that Seraphin can check for traps before they advance further.
[02:58] * @Maz follows from a safe distance, scanning for any magical signatures
[02:58] * @Seraphin moves in, checking the place down for traps, using the rapier to tap a long ahead of herself.
[02:58] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+10
[02:58] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+10 --> 12,0 25
[02:59] <@Elric> Seraphin finds a tripwire on one of the stairs, a simple thing that'd probably cause an arrow to shoot out of a nearby compartment.
[03:02] <@Seraphin> "Tripwire, step over it unless you like being shot, I don't have my wire cutters on me," Seraphin advises, indicating it's location with her rapier.
[03:03] <@Thrall> "Got it," Thrall nods, follwing Seraphin and carefully stepping over the wire.
[03:04] * @Maz follows with a curt nod, giving the walls a glance before returning her eyes to the front.
[03:04] <@Elric> The stairs lead up and the corridor sharply turns right, just ahead. About ten feet in that direction lies another door, heavy and wooden.
[03:05] <@Kethean> "Trapped again, you figure?" Kethean asks as he looks at the door.
[03:05] <@Maz> "It would surprise me if it weren't."
[03:05] <@Seraphin> "Probably," Seraphin agrees, again going about searching, the rapier and it's gentle tap-ap in front of her.
[03:05] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+10
[03:05] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+10 --> 12,0 20
[03:06] <@Elric> This door isn't trapped. On the other hand, it *is* locked.
[03:06] <@Seraphin> "Locked, but not trapped. If you'd do the honors, Thrall...?" Seraphin suggests, stepping aside.
[03:06] * @Maz readies her other wand, in case there's someone behind the door.
[03:07] * @Thrall nods grimly, stepping up to the door and setting his shoulder against it before giving a heave!
[03:07] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+4
[03:07] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d20+4 --> 12,0 15
[03:07] <@Elric> The door resists Thrall's attempts to force it open, though he manages to make quite the thump as he does so.
[03:08] <@Thrall> "Oh, to hell with it," Thrall shrugs, stepping back, he raises his axe and slams it into the door where the lock is!
[03:09] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+7 (power attack -5)
[03:09] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d20+7 12,0(power attack -5) --> 12,0 9
[03:09] <@Thrall> roll 1d12+18
[03:09] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d12+18 --> 12,0 24
[03:10] <@Elric> The lock screams in protest as a few kilos of steel transforms it from an expensive and technologically advanced device of security into something that couldn't keep a blind dwarf out.
[03:11] <@Thrall> Pleased with his handiwork, Thrall idly kicks the door open.
[03:12] <@Elric> The door flies off it's hinges, revealing many distasteful things. Ahead of you is a kind of large and spacious apartment room, far better furnished than you'd expect from the slums.
[03:12] <@Elric> (More.)
[03:13] <@Elric> There are a couple of windows, letting dim light stream in; there's a large, square table, with many chairs surrounding it. Etna sits on the rear most, leisurely holding a ruby-tipped wand towards the door... though she blanches heavily when she sees Seraphin. (More)
[03:14] <@Elric> Accompanying her are about ten black-masked figures, all sticking to the perimetre of the room, shifting shadows making it impossible to get a clear view of any of them. Wicked rapiers, all of which seem to 'leak' an inky black fluid stand unsheathed in many hands.
[03:14] <@Elric> "Good evening," says Etna.
[03:14] <@Seraphin> "Hi," Seraphin notes cheerily, a dark, bloody minded smirk on her face as she faces Etna, red eyes clouding over as she smiles, fangs glimmering.
[03:15] <@Thrall> "No, Etna," Thrall shakes his head grimly as he steps into the room, axe at the ready. "This evening is anything but good."
[03:17] <@Elric> The rush of the wind, as 10 rapiers aim themselves at Thrall, is a louder sound that most people would think. "Better to cut ones losses and take that as a blessing, I think."
[03:22] <@Seraphin> "Cutting one's losses doesn't seem to be very effective recently, now does it?" Seraphin suggests brightly to AEtna, smiling and tracing the scar on her throat with one hand.
[03:22] <@Kethean> "Not what I'd call a blessing either," Kethean adds.
[03:23] <@Elric> "Of course, we'll make sure to take proper precautions, this time," smirks Etna, before she glances up at Thrall. "A pity. Your axe would be better served in our hands, but if it is as you insist..."
[03:24] <@Thrall> "It seems sides were chosen before I even realised it," Thrall replies dourly to Etna, before smirking at the shadowy rogues, not impressed by them. "But I'll let you see what this axe can do, one last time..."
[03:25] <@Elric> The wand spins in her hands. "I'll see beyond today. You won't," she promises.
[03:26] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+2
[03:26] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d20+2 --> 12,0 19
[03:26] <@Kethean> "Savras will disagree with you, I'm sure," Kethean replies.
[03:27] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+4
[03:27] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+4 --> 12,0 12
[03:27] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+3
[03:27] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+3 --> 12,0 12
[03:27] <@Elric> roll 1d20+7 Etna
[03:27] <@Maz> roll 1d20+4
[03:27] <@Elric> roll 1d20+3 Goons
[03:27] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 1d20+4 --> 12,0 20
[03:27] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 1d20+7 12,0Etna --> 12,0 23
[03:27] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 1d20+3 12,0Goons --> 12,0 10
[03:27] <@Elric> Etna speaks a Word, fire lashing out from the tip of her wand towards Thrall!
[03:27] <@Elric> roll 1d20+5
[03:28] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 1d20+5 --> 12,0 20
[03:28] <@Elric> roll 4d6
[03:28] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Elric rolled :12,0 4d6 --> 12,0 19
[03:28] <@Elric> The blast strikes him in the chest, flames searing across his body and armour!
[03:28] * @Thrall grunts, taking a half step in recoil against the blast before standing firm, burnt but undaunted!
[03:28] * @Maz moves subtly back so that she's mostly hidden from view by the wall, and reaches for a scroll she has kept for a special occasion. "Al'Tar Nebes, grant me your strength on this trying day," she implores quietly to her ancestor, who created the pair of ice spell scrolls in her possession.
[03:29] <@Maz> roll 1d20+4 to not fail caster check
[03:29] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 1d20+4 12,0to not fail caster check --> 12,0 11
[03:32] <@Maz> roll 3d6 bludgeoning damage
[03:32] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 3d6 12,0bludgeoning damage --> 12,0 14
[03:32] <@Maz> roll 2d6 cold damage
[03:32] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 2d6 12,0cold damage --> 12,0 10
[03:36] * @Maz feels light-headed, advanced magicks racing through her veins as she hears the faint whisper of her ancestor's approval! Her hands raise as if of their own volition, drawing arcane symbols in the air that begin to glow with an eerie, icy-blue light. Her voice speaks, sounding unnatureally distorted as she throws a pinch of dust into the air, flicking a drop of water after it that materializes spontaneously!
[03:36] <@Maz> Clouds of mist gather almost immediately above the room's inhabitants, swirling ominously. The clouds solidify, more and more, before large icicles emerge from them, hitting the room and all of its inhabitants while stopping just short of Thrall and the door to the room. As more and more of them impact agaist the floor, it groans loudly, audible even over the roar of the storm, before giving way altogether, dropping its inhabitants out of sight
[03:39] <@Elric> Shortly after the floor falls out of sight, part of the roof crumbles, smothering the bottom of the two-story house in tiles and rubble. Slummers on the streets gape at the sight of the ruined household, magely might evident and right in front of them both wondrous and terrible. Thrall stands at the edge of a precipice, unable to see any bodies below.
[03:40] * @Seraphin whistles softly. "I'm always glad when magic is on my side..." she murmurs, smiling a bit.
[03:40] * @Thrall twitches, now holding his axe somewhat limply as he turns towards Maz. "Guess she didn't get to see it after all...?"
[03:40] <@Maz> "She still might!" Maz chirps. "Let's go find her!"
[03:41] <@Seraphin> "Remember the tripwire," Seraphin reminds, as they head down to inspect the ruins!
[03:42] * @Maz nods, and points at the others, murmuring, "Casting Message again, just in case," as bluish translucent lines extend from her fingertips to hit her three allies softly.
[03:43] * @Kethean nods before he casts Bless on his part. "As you said, just in case," he comments.
[03:44] * @Thrall takes a look over the rubble, his orcish vision unimpeded by the shadows and twilight as he looks to see if anyone is attempting to dig their way out, before he follows the others down.
[03:44] <@Maz> "I'll wait here in case they try to go up before joining you downstairs," Maz tells them, gazing below, her Magic Missiles wand ready to be used at the slightest sign of movement in the rubble.
[03:45] * @Kethean nods at Maz before following Thrall and Seraphin downstairs.
[03:46] <@Elric> There doesn't seem to be anyone trying to dig there way out. There *are* some people yelling things like, "Call the watch!" There are some limbs and the like sticking out the debris, too... and a ruby, rolling just outside the carnage.
[03:46] * @Seraphin goes for the ruby, plucking it up.
[03:46] <@Maz> "Are you below?" Maz asks through the spell.
[03:47] <@Seraphin> "Yeah, we're here...looks like you got everyone," Seraphin answers, brushing debris off bodies with her boot, rapier held ready.
[03:47] <@Kethean> "Your spell was very...effective it seems," Kethean says in agreement.
[03:47] <@Maz> "I'm coming down," Maz announces, so her allies won't try to kill her as she descends, mindful of that trapped wire.
[03:47] <@Thrall> "We're here," Thrall looks up towards the undamaged part of the building to see if Maz is there. "But maybe we shouldn't stick around. Even in this part of town, the authorities won't ignore this - moreso if they're dominated."
[03:48] <@Elric> What bits you can see of the bodies are rapidly melting away, as if they were never there.
[03:48] <@Maz> "The Wrath of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Nebes and all that," Maz responds to Kethean, walking up to the scene of carnage.
[03:49] * @Seraphin goes looking for Etna's corpse. For personal reasons, and because she's bound to have expensive things on her.
[03:49] <@Elric> All this transmutation and illusion magic is rapidly fading away. There's a little evocation on the ruby Seraphin picked up, but it's dimming, too.
[03:49] <@Maz> "Mind helping me look for a spellbook Etna might've had?" Maz asks. "Or any book lying around, really."
[03:50] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+1
[03:50] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d20+1 --> 12,0 21
[03:50] <@Maz> roll 1d20+5
[03:50] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 1d20+5 --> 12,0 24
[03:51] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+10
[03:51] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+10 --> 12,0 25
[03:51] * @Kethean nods and searches for spellbooks and any other items that could be of importance
[03:51] <@Elric> You can't seem to find a book lying anywhere, but you do find Etna's corpse... or, at least, Etna's clothes. Thick, heavy robes that she once wore lie matted on the ground, along with a large amount of gold jewlery, and a note.
[03:51] <@Kethean> roll d20+6
[03:51] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 d20+6 --> 12,0 20
[03:52] * @Seraphin picks up the jewelry, and takes a hold of the note, reading it.
[03:53] * @Maz moves her way to Seraphin, checking the note, robes and jewelry for any magical residue.
[03:53] <@Elric> The note is pretty simple. "Resolve the situation by any means necessary. Failure will not be tolerated. -E."
[03:54] <@Elric> The tromp of armoured boots starts to make it's way down the main road.
[03:54] * @Seraphin snorts. "Friendly," she mutters, sighing softly. And her gear nowhere in sight...
[03:55] <@Kethean> "Let's go," Kethean suggests at the sound of armored boots approaching.
[03:55] <@Thrall> Hearing the boots, Thrall starts to back off, "I think we should make ourselves scarce before the Watch gets here," he suggests.
[03:55] <@Seraphin> "Yeah," Seraphin agrees, retreating since they can't find anything else.
[03:55] <@Maz> "Let's get out of here," Maz says, making sure they picked everything they found up.
[03:57] <@Maz> On a whim, Maz mutters arcane words as she moves, her right hand flashing over her face. A soft blue glow encompasses her, and when it fades, Calenstat in the robes he wore when he met with her and Sigmundr stands in her place.
[03:59] <@Elric> The inn is it's usual drab self, the clientele not looking up, even when they note the battered team re-enter.
[04:03] * @Thrall ignores the clientele, making his way upstairs so he can get out of his battered armour and relax. "Now I really do need to rest..." he mutters. Funnily enough, it does feel like a weight is off, now that his course is set, dangerous as it may be.
[04:04] * @Maz drops her disguise as soon as she's upstairs. "I'll be expecting my cloak back, you realize," she tells Kethean, giving him a half-lidded look.
[04:04] * @Kethean nods. "As soon as we're back in a room and I've patched Thrall up some. I'll take first watch while you guys sleep, if you'd like, also," he offers.
[04:05] * @Seraphin shakes her head, sighing softly. "I really wish my gear had been in there..." she half grumbles to herself, but heads towards her room, and blissful rest.
[04:05] * Cratfails is now known as Anastasia
[04:05] <@Maz> "So, which room would that be?" she asks. "How about Ardandamus's?"
[04:06] <@Thrall> "Might as well. It's already paid for, after all," Thrall grumbles, starting towards the largest room the group rented out.
[23:22] <@Carthrat> The party manages to trudge it's way back towards the Atheist's Rest, Kethean getting the usual black stares from people as the party regroups in the shadowy public house.
[23:32] <@Carthrat> <->
[23:32] <@Carthrat> A new day begins, the party once again reawakening from a remarkably restful sleep.
[23:41] <@Thrall> "So, now that Etna's out of the way, what's the plan for today?" Thrall asks after everyone's risen.
[23:43] <@Seraphin> "Trying to find enough of the right gear that I'm not relying on sheer luck to not get killed," Seraphin provides, shaking her head.
[23:43] * Seraphin sets mode: +v Maz
[23:43] * Thrall sets mode: +o Maz
[23:43] <@Maz> "I was thinking I could try and track down Seraphin's wrongly-taken equipment," Maz muses, glancing at the other tiefling. "Your sword was most distinct of design, was it not?"
[23:45] * @Seraphin nods. "Magical, and had gems along the hilt that were themselves radiating most of the magic, if we can trust the Waukeenar," Seraphin provides, along with a more detailed basic description of her favored weapon.
[23:45] * @Maz nods, mentally comparing it with her own recollections of it.
[23:47] <@Maz> "No time like the present to try this, I suppose," she says at last.
[23:49] <@Seraphin> "I'm up for just about anything to not have to buy all of it all over again," Seraphin agrees.
[23:50] <@Maz> "The rest of you should be near the center of the city," Maz suggests, packing the things she will need. "That way, I could get to you as quickly as possible and lead the way, while my spell still has power."
[23:51] <@Thrall> "What are you doing?" Thrall asks, getting his own gear ready to depart.
[23:52] <@Maz> "There is a spell," she responds, glancing at Thrall, "which allows me to scry for objects I have a clear mental image of. And since flying would be faster, I have designed a route that will cover the entire city from the skies in the time allotted to me by the first spell." She pauses, and then shrugs. "The plan is simple. Lock onto Seraphin's sword, pick the rest of you and use the remainder of the spell's power to get us as close as po
[23:53] <@Maz> OOC: to get us as close as possible.
[23:54] <@Kethean> "Be careful while flying. You don't want to attract any bad attention while you do your searching," Kethean comments. "Still, not a bad plan."
[23:55] <@Thrall> "Works for me," Thrall shrugs. "So we'll wait by the square at the end of the street outside this inn?" he asks, assuming it's central enough for their purposes.
[23:55] * @Maz briefly checks with her map of the city.
[23:56] <@Carthrat> The temple district, which the Atheist's Rest ironically sits near, is indeed towards the centre of the city, so that people from all walks of life may come to worship.. whoever they want.
[23:57] <@Maz> "Yeah, that's close enough," she says. "I'll be under invisibility most of the time, hopefully, so I propose using the messaging spell to stay in touch." Maz points at the others. "Ready?"
[23:57] <@Seraphin> "Sure," Seraphin agrees, shrugging a bit.
[23:58] * @Thrall nods.
[23:58] <@Maz> Silvery lines extends from Maz's fingers at her verbal command, attaching themselves to her allies before being drawn into them, disappearing from normal sight.
Session Time: Sun Jun 11 00:00:00 2006
[00:01] * @Maz steps back to ensure she has enough room. Her right hand moves slowly through the air in front of her, tracing blue specks of light behind it. The other hand mirrors it, and then she claps her hands abruptly, creating a glowing triangle in the air.
[00:02] <@Maz> As the glow abates, Maz is left standing with wings. She flexes them, and then white dust floats around her, obscuring her from view before her form reveals itself to Thrall, Seraphin and Kethean.
[00:05] * @Maz quickly makes her way outside, and finding a suitable place to fly, soars into the air. Once airborne, she casts her final spell, holding her two wands crossed and using them as focus.
[00:06] <@Thrall> Following Maz outside, Thrall makes his way down the street to the square they'd arranged to meet at once she finished her flight.
[00:06] * @Maz intends to fly over the city and cover it in a tight, ever-expanding spiral, focusing on Seraphin's sword all the while.
[00:06] <@Carthrat> Flying around the entirety of the city takes a while, but it's eventually done, the image of Seraphin's sword etched firmly into your mind. After some time, you get a mental *ping!* that indicates to you the object within range- down back towards the grey slums from which you left previous, the suburbs of toil and rot. Yet, it comes not from any house, but from somewhere below the ground, underneath one of the larger apartment blocks...
[00:06] <@Carthrat> apartment blocks...
[00:08] * @Maz circles the apartment block, flying lower to get a stronger feel the for place and committing it to memory
[00:09] <@Maz> Satisfied, she makes her way back to the others. Once she is within range of the message spell, she whispers, "Found something, head towards the slums we were in the other day."
[00:09] <@Carthrat> Stained with... stuff, and inhabited clearly by peasant-types and slummy 'burb dwellers, the apartment doesn't seem like a place for anyone to live...
[00:13] <@Thrall> Hearing Maz's message, Thrall starts towards the slums. "Meet by building you collapsed, yesterday?" he asks.
[00:15] * @Maz snorts. "Sure thing." Having delivered her message, she returns to the area, using her invisibility to examine it for anyone too armed or too clean to be there, as well as keeping her eyes out for any of those shadow guys.
[00:16] <@Carthrat> There's a guard around the ruined building, along with what seems to be a mage poking around it with some soldiers. Slummers look on idly, gossiping amongst themselves as the group nears...
[00:16] * @Maz uses a charge of detect magic from her wand with a simple activation word to aid in her recon.
[00:17] <@Kethean> "That was pretty fast. Looks like you'll be getting your things back then, Seraphin," Kethean comments as their group heads towards Maz.
[00:17] * @Maz searches for a better place to regroup, away from the poking mage.
[00:18] <@Seraphin> "Hopefully," Seraphin agrees, shaking her head and moving along with the group.
[00:18] <@Carthrat> The slums are remarkably nonmagical to Maz's eyes. There's no shortage of places to go; they take up almost a third of the city, if not more.
[00:19] <@Maz> "Some of the Guard are at the ruins of that bulding," Maz whispers to the others, before directing them to a suitable place she can join them at.
[00:20] * @Thrall follows Maz's directions, not wanting to be linked to mass property destruction.
[00:22] <@Carthrat> In a secluded alleyway, the group easily meets up, free of outside distractions. The sun peers right down the middle, forcing away any shadows from the otherwise desolate path.
[00:23] <@Maz> "It's somewhere below the surface," Maz tells them. "Over a sixty feet, easy."
[00:24] <@Thrall> "Don't tell me there's a dungeon down there?" Thrall scowls, looking down at the dusty and poorly cobbled street.
[00:24] * @Seraphin winces. "That's a long ways," she murmurs, frowning. "Sounds like it."
[00:24] <@Maz> "Okay, I won't!" she agrees all-too-quickly.
[00:25] <@Maz> "There's good news, at least," Maz comments with a shrug. "They don't seem to be expecting us to come after it, since the spell could have been easily blocked otherwise."
[00:26] <@Thrall> "So how are we going to get that far down? Any idea where the entrance could be?" Thrall asks, not thrilled at all with this. No doubt it will involve going through the sewers...
[00:26] * @Maz thinks back to the entrances to that building, as she drops the spell that gave her flight.
[00:27] * Kotono (dunefar@ip24-253-133-211.hr.hr.cox.net) has joined #evildunes
[00:27] * ChanServ sets mode: +qo Kotono Kotono
[00:28] <@Carthrat> A couple of doors lead into the apartment block; one through an alley, a side door, and one set of broken double doors in the front.
[00:29] <@Maz> "Two of them, a back door from the alley, and the front entrance."
[00:34] <@Thrall> "Well, let's try the back entrance?" Thrall suggests, glancing at Seraphin, "Assuming someone checks for traps, anyway."
[00:34] <@Maz> "I'll cover us where magical traps are concerned," Maz says, nodding.
[00:39] <@Seraphin> "Fine fine..." Seraphin agrees, stretching a little as the group continues onwards towards this back door.
[00:40] <@Carthrat> The party reaches the average-looking back door, part of a below-average apartment in a truly awful neighbourhood. A cat screeches in the background, and you can hear a woman angrily shouting over her husbands infidelity inside.
[00:42] * @Seraphin shakes her head, the rapier tapping about in front of her as she gets to checking the door down for traps.
[00:42] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+12
[00:42] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d20=16 ]{28}
[00:43] * @Maz shifts her concentration on her magical sight.
[00:43] <@Carthrat> The apartments seem terribly, horribly mundane- far and away from the excitement and wealth adventure brings, this place seems filled with only squalor.
[00:44] <@Seraphin> "Nothing on my end," Seraphin provides, shrugging.
[00:44] <@Maz> "I'll warn if I spot something," Maz adds.
[00:45] * @Maz keeps somewhat behind, but so she could still cover some ten feet ahead of Seraphin with her spell.
[00:45] <@Thrall> With the all clear given, Thrall pushes the door open and steps inside.
[00:45] <@Carthrat> "Who the blimey fuck are you?" snarls some peasant, holding a bucket in one hand and staring as the door opens. He's wearing dirty pants and a battered surcoat- an ancient hand-me-down from a noble, perhaps.
[00:48] <@Thrall> "Just passing through," Thrall replies dourly, beady black eyes glaring down at the peasant as he enters the hallway.
[00:49] <@Carthrat> "You won't be finding any dragons here," mutters the peasant, moving out the way as Thrall walks through.
[00:50] <@Kethean> "We're not dragon hunting," Kethean answers as he follows behind Thrall.
[00:50] <@Thrall> "Wouldn't want to," the half-orc mutters, waiting on the others to come in and start looking for the 'hidden dungeon entrance' or whatever.
[00:50] * @Seraphin just offers a fangy smirk as she heads in behind their meat wall.
[00:51] * @Maz brings in the rear, and tries to estimate the direction Seraphin's sword might be in from the triangulation she did from the air during her recon.
[00:53] <@Carthrat> Somewhere down. Further down. There's a set of stairs going both up and down shortly after the side entrance, along with the front entrance that leads onto a main street. THe building stinks of urine.
[00:53] * @Maz ignores the urine, and glances at the others. "Let's check out the basement?" she suggests, pointing at the stairs.
[00:54] * @Seraphin nods, hoping her nose kicks in and stops smelling anything at all soon. "Might as well, she agrees.
[00:54] * @Thrall nods, wrinkling his nose as he heads for the stairs yet slowly so Seraphin can keep an eye out for traps before he blunders into them.
[00:54] * @Seraphin does keep an eye out, the rapier reaching, tapping, checking for its wielder.
[00:54] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+12
[00:54] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d20=1 ]{13}
[00:55] <@Carthrat> They seem pretty stair-like, allright.
[00:55] <@Maz> roll 1d20+5
[00:55] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Maz : [ 1d20=15 ]{20}
[00:57] <@Maz> "Seems clear," Maz says with a shrug and a glance at Seraphin.
[00:58] * @Seraphin nods, waving Thrall along.
[00:59] * @Kethean nods at the two tieflings and starts going forward through the stairs at a cautious pace.
[00:59] <@Carthrat> The stairs lead downwards only a short way, still far above what MAz detected earlier. Your are lead into a vast basement area that someone seems to have converted into living space- a large, open-area place, about 60 square feet. A bunch of dirty, foul-smelling beings exist here, most lying on matted rags and possessing little in the way of anything. Some look up in surprise as you approach, but most just don't care.
[00:59] <@Carthrat> The scent of drugs and smoke is think and cloying in the air, as well- a few slugs smoke pipes of some kind somewhere down the back, and without ventilation, the place is thick.
[00:59] <@Maz> "The place we're looking for is far below this one," Maz whispers through the link, not willing to raise her voice here.
[01:00] <@Thrall> "You said sixty feet, right?" Thrall nods, assuming that'd be a few more floors. But are there any stairs down from here? Or a trapdoor?
[01:00] <@Carthrat> There don't seem to be any other stairs apparently. But there could easily be a trapdoor around.. if you could find it underneath all the bums, rags, and rubbish.
[01:02] <@Maz> "It is located somewhere between 60 and 560 feet below," she responds, "though I doubt it is that far, since I was some distance from the ground at the time. Let's say between 60 and 360 as a working estimate?"
[01:05] * @Maz takes the time to examine everything in the room for any magical signature, existing or lasting, as well as any signs of footsteps that end suddenly, disturbed dust and the like.
[01:06] * @Seraphin follows suit, checking what she can using the blade as a poker. Well, besides people, for now.
[01:06] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+12
[01:06] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d20=14 ]{26}
[01:06] <@Maz> roll 1d20+5
[01:06] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Maz : [ 1d20=5 ]{10}
[01:07] <@Carthrat> "YIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"
[01:07] * @Thrall steps further into the basement, dourly glaring around as Seraphin and Maz search.
[01:07] <@Carthrat> A random squeal comes from somewhere within the basement. "She's gotta sword! She's gotta sword!" it shrieks, followed by a thump.
[01:09] * @Seraphin whistles. "Found some planks that look easily removable," Seraphin whispers into the message spell. "We're going to have to evict people for it, but y'know.
[01:09] <@Maz> "Seraphin's got something," Maz relays, and moves towards her.
[01:09] * @Thrall makes his way over towards Seraphin. That's something he can handle, at least.
[01:11] <@Carthrat> Seraphin is standing next to some guy sleeping on the ground. He smells bad.
[01:12] <@Maz> "How large is the area these loose planks cover?" Maz asks Seraphin.
[01:15] <@Carthrat> The planks cover about one metre square, enough to make a decent hole if they were moved.
[01:16] * @Seraphin illustrates the plank and it's nearby companions with the rapier to the group, shrugging a bit. "Dunno where they head.
[01:16] <@Seraphin> "
[01:17] <@Maz> "Only one way to find out!" Maz exclaims cheerfully, and gives Kethean a smile. "I'm curious, aren't you? What a terrible shame that smelly man is in the way...."
[01:21] <@Kethean> "Careful, you don't want to anger the people here. We should get further being polite," Kethean suggests as he steps closer to the bum in question, trying not to focus on his olfatory sense. "Excuse me..." he starts, trying to get the bum's attention.
[01:22] <@Carthrat> The bum is sleeping and does not react to your kind words.
[01:22] <@Thrall> "Just roll him over. He's probably too stoned to notice," Thrall snorts.
[01:22] * @Kethean sighs. "You're probably right," the monk replies as he tries to roll the bum over, hopefully without awakening him.
[01:23] <@Carthrat> The bum easily rolls over, landing next to the planks with a solid thump.
[01:24] * @Maz gives Kethean a grateful smile. "After you," she tells Seraphin pleasantly, resuming her observations.
[01:24] * @Seraphin checks the apparent trapdoor for traps.
[01:24] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+12
[01:24] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d20=17 ]{29}
[01:26] <@Carthrat> The underside of the planks leads to some spring mechanism, probably setting off a dagger or some such from the rear!
[01:27] <@Seraphin> "We have a winner, spring based dagger trap by my guess," Seraphin provides, humming and beginning to work on disabling the darned thing.
[01:28] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+10
[01:28] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d20=13 ]{23}
[01:28] * @Maz makes sure to give Seraphin plenty of place to operate.
[01:29] <@Carthrat> It's not too hard to dismantle the mechanism- no dagger in the back from a spring-loaded plank from this tiefling.
[01:32] <@Seraphin> "We're good," Seraphin provides, smiling a bit. "Never thought I'd be messing around like this...anyway, Thrall, mind opening it, since rapiers don't make good prybars."
[01:33] * @Thrall nods, crouching down and using his spiked gauntlets to pierce one of the planks and then lift the end, before pulling it off the spikes and discarding it. That done it's simple enough to lift the others.
[01:34] <@Carthrat> A wooden ladder sits propped up against a shaft. Nobody around seems to pay much attention to you as you go about your business...
[01:38] * @Thrall sits down on the edge of the shaft and rests his feet against the ladder, testing its strength.
[01:38] <@Seraphin> "Well then," Seraphin snickers, waiting for Thrall to lead the way down.
[01:39] <@Carthrat> It's a solid wooden thing. Your darkvision peers down into shaft, revealing that it's about 50 feet down or so.
[01:39] <@Thrall> "Seems solid enough," Thrall pronounces judgement, beginning to climb down.
[01:39] * @Kethean nods and follows after Thrall down the stairs.
[01:39] <@Kethean> ooc: ladder*
[01:41] * @Maz brings in the rear, after a final glance around the room of sleeping drunks
[01:41] * @Seraphin waves Maz through behind the meat shields, and then follows her fellow tiefling. Down they go!
[01:42] <@Carthrat> Kethean finds it rather dark down here, but Thrall, Seraphin and Maz can see well enough. Around halfway down the ladder, though, someone is replacing the planks, blocking up the ceiling! Now, Kethean can't see at all.. but his companions can just fine.
[01:43] <@Maz> "You could break through, right, Thrall?" Maz asks.
[01:43] <@Kethean> "I'm casting a light spell. It's too dark for me here," Kethean warns his friends so they're not hurt by the change in lighting before casting the spell.
[01:43] * @Thrall grunts as he descends. "Probably. If not then you've got spells, right?" he answers Maz.
[01:44] <@Maz> "Sure," she agrees. "Just wondering whether we should take care of this now."
[01:45] <@Carthrat> Kethean can see again! Straight down the shaft goes, another 20 feet or so. This is one mighty tall wooden ladder... as Seraphin climbs down, though, she sees something seemingly walk out the wall at the top- a person!
[01:45] <@Thrall> "Save it for when we're leaving," Thrall decides, it not seeming like a big deal to him.
[01:45] <@Carthrat> He clings to the ladder as well, and pulls something out his pocket...
[01:46] <@Seraphin> "Guys? Above us, company," Seraphin warns sharply. "Get moving!"
[01:46] * @Thrall glances up, before increasing his pace, jumping the last six feet off the ladder and stepping back to give the others room.
[01:47] * @Maz doubles her pace, ready to bolt aside when the way below her is clear
[01:47] * @Seraphin keeps up with the others, moving to get off that darned ladder as quickly as possible.
[01:50] <@Carthrat> OOC: Init here, I think.
[01:50] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+2
[01:50] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Thrall : [ 1d20=2 ]{4}
[01:50] <@Maz> roll 1d20+4
[01:50] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Maz : [ 1d20=19 ]{23}
[01:50] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+3
[01:50] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Kethean : [ 1d20=15 ]{18}
[01:50] <@Carthrat> roll 1d20+3
[01:50] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Carthrat : [ 1d20=1 ]{4}
[01:50] * Retrieving #evildunes modes...
[01:51] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+4
[01:51] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d20=2 ]{6}
[01:51] * Carthrat changes topic to 'Maz > Kethean > Seraphin > Ladderguy = Thrall'
[01:52] <@Carthrat> At this point, Thrall and Kethean have reached the ground! Maz and Seraphin remain on the ladder. Before Thrall stands a large antechamber, a circular room that seems to have been hollowed out of the sewers! The entire area is in total darkness- apart from Kethean's light spell, but Thrall can still see thanks to darkvision! (More)
[01:53] <@Carthrat> The circular chamber is mostly taken up by a hideous pool of black, shadowy sludge, bubbling and churning like flowing lava. Sticking out of the centre of the thing is a pillar of black crystal, paradoxically shining in the monochrome Thrall sees in. (More)
[01:54] <@Carthrat> Hands reach out of the sludge in all directions, trying to claw themselves to the top. Nobody else seems to be present in the circular chamber... indeed, there appear to be no other entrances.
[01:54] <@Carthrat> OOC: Alrighty, let's go.
[01:54] <@Maz> "Enemies below, Thrall?" Maz asks tersely, judging her position.
[01:54] <@Thrall> "Not sure... stay on guard, anyway..." Thrall replies, watching the sludge warily.
[01:57] <@Carthrat> "...syralshianai!!!" yells a hideous voice, elven words spilling off a.. tounge?
[01:58] <@Maz> "The area below seems clear," Maz relays to Seraphin, as she whips out her wand of magic missiles and sends a pair headed for the man above them unerringly. Maz continues her swift descent down the ladder, jumping down and rolling away once she's far enough down, and focuses her magical senses on the room she finds herself in.
[01:59] <@Maz> roll 2d4+2
[01:59] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Maz : [ 2d4=3 ]{5}
[01:59] <@Carthrat> The man up there grunts as he cocks his hand, ready to throw something straight down!
[01:59] <@Seraphin> "They're saying 'Help us'!" Seraphin calls down, focusing on rushing out of the way.
[02:02] <@Kethean> "Captives?" Kethean mutters at Seraphin's proclaiment. If so, they'll have to wait. Focusing on his magic, he calls forth Savras' divine power to bless himself and his companions.
[02:02] <@Seraphin> And at the last moment, Seraphin, jumps from the ladder, twisting and kicking the wall to roll out on the floor.
[02:02] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+9
[02:02] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d20=8 ]{17}
[02:04] <@Carthrat> Seraphin manages to roll out the way, just as a bag of some kind of sticky glue slams on the ground next to her!
[02:04] <@Carthrat> She too can now see the black sludgepit, the crowing voices, the clawing hands.
[02:05] <@Thrall> Not having any way to hit the shadowy figure clinging to the wall, Thrall readies his axe and moves closer to the pool. Not too close, though.
[02:07] <@Carthrat> Thick ichor and humanlike bodies swirl about in the pool, the stuff forming the image of an elven man before flowing back into darkness, seperated once more. At Thrall's approach, the creatures within stir themselves into a frenzy, lunging for the sides of the pool more fiercely than before. 14"SYRALSHIANAAAI!"
[02:14] <@Maz> Maz steps forward, water swirling in her outstretched palm. A word in a strange language is spoken harshly, and the blue whirlwind freezes, becoming a creation of solid ice. With the thrust of her arm, the sphere is launched at the crystal.
[02:15] <@Maz> roll 2d8 for lesser Orb of Cold damage
[02:15] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Maz : [ 2d8=10 ]{10}
[02:16] * @Maz observes any changes in the behavior of the crystal, the sludge or the figures inside.
[02:16] <@Carthrat> The orb freezes part of the crystal. Part of the sludge frosts over, as well, straining hands locked in place by icy tendrils.
[02:16] <@Carthrat> SUDDENLY
[02:17] <@Carthrat> A section of the wall, across from the group opens, revealing an arrogant-looking young man, armed with a pair of short-swords. One remarkably-familiar short-sword...
[02:17] <@Maz> "Well, we found the sword," Maz says wryly.
[02:18] <@Carthrat> He wears a mithril shirt, too, and his black hair hangs back in a loose tail. A cocky smirk is plastered over his faces, as he sizes you all up at once...
[02:19] <@Kethean> "So we did. Let's get it back to the owner, shall we?" Kethean replies as he casts Bull's Strenght on Thrall, enhancing his already mighty muscles.
[02:20] <@Carthrat> "Heh, heh, heh. So you found this place after all. Not to worry," he says, twirling his swords from across the room. "Doesn't matter who you are, but now that you've seen it, it's into the pit with you. It won't hurt- much."
[02:21] <@Maz> "And what is the pit, exactly?" Maz inquires, interested to keep the conversation going.
[02:21] * @Seraphin glances back upa t the person on the ladder.
[02:21] <@Carthrat> There's nobody up the ladder anymore.
[02:22] <@Carthrat> "It's the Black Pit of Life," replies the young man, easily. "See, it's the black pit because it's black."
[02:22] <@Maz> "Ah, never would've worked it out myself," Maz says, nodding. "And since we'll obviously be going there once you've won, mind telling us your diabolical plans?"
[02:23] <@Carthrat> "They're pretty simple," replies the jerk, scratching his back with one of the swords. "See, I'm going to stand here and laugh at you for a while, then I guess you'll all die."
[02:24] <@Carthrat> "I mean, you're not going anywhere, so I'll take my fun while I may."
[02:24] <@Maz> "We think alike," Maz agrees readily. "That's good. So, you with Etna?"
[02:24] <@Carthrat> "Bless her departed soul, but she's one with the pit, now," replies the youth, sighing. "Thanks for killing her, by the way."
[02:25] <@Maz> "No problem, it was my pleasure. I could really use her spellbook, since she, well, can't."
[02:27] <@Carthrat> The youth shrugs his shoulders. His mithril shirt fits his body nicely, and he's about the same height and build as Seraphin. Lanky black hair spills back in a tail behind him, and dark leather pants cling to his legs. Tight leather, at that. He's got a bandoleer of daggers as well as his short-swords, and he's looking like you like someone who was hitting on you would- except, the chances of him actually *hitting* you seem rather high.
[02:27] <@Carthrat> you seem rather high.
[02:30] <@Maz> "Well, okay, I'll survive without it. Though I was hoping it would be here." Maz smirks at him, twirling a lock of hair. "You do seem to have a knack for looting corpses."
[02:30] <@Carthrat> "The same could be said for all adventurers!" he replies, snootily.
[02:31] <@Maz> "If you say so," Maz says happily, whispering to Kethean via their link, "Do you think you could do that sensing order and chaos thing?"
[02:31] <@Thrall> "Bah, enough talk. Have at you," Thrall mutters grimly, easily twirling his heavy axe with one hand before settling it into a two-handed grip and moving around the room towards sword-boy.
[02:32] <@Seraphin> With that for a signal, Seraphin's bow comes up in a blur, an arrow knocked and loosed!
[02:32] <@Carthrat> The man smirks, snapping his fingers.
[02:32] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+7
[02:32] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d20=18 ]{25}
[02:33] <@Carthrat> OOC: Hit, yeah, damage.
[02:33] <@Seraphin> roll 1d6+3
[02:33] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d6=6 ]{9}
[02:34] <@Carthrat> The man takes the arrow in the chest, still inexplicably smiling through it! OOC: Init update for now
[02:34] <@Carthrat> OOC: i.e. reroll it.
[02:34] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+2
[02:34] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Thrall : [ 1d20=15 ]{17}
[02:34] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+4
[02:34] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d20=12 ]{16}
[02:34] <@Carthrat> roll 1d20+9
[02:34] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Carthrat : [ 1d20=20 ]{29}
[02:34] <@Carthrat> roll 1d20+2
[02:34] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Carthrat : [ 1d20=4 ]{6}
[02:34] <@Carthrat> roll 1d20+1
[02:34] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Carthrat : [ 1d20=14 ]{15}
[02:34] <@Maz> roll 1d20+4
[02:34] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Maz : [ 1d20=15 ]{19}
[02:35] * Carthrat changes topic to 'Jerk > Maz > Seraphin > Thrall > ??? > ??? > kethean unless he rolls really fast'
[02:35] <@Kethean> roll d20+3
[02:35] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Kethean : [ 1d20=8 ]{11}
[02:35] * Carthrat changes topic to 'Jerk > Maz > Seraphin > Thrall > ??? > Kethean > ??? >'
[02:36] <@Carthrat> Pressing a hand against the ground, the man sinks into the shadows that lurk there, right down into the ground!
[02:37] * @Seraphin knocks another arrow, glancing about to shoot him whenever he reappears.
[02:37] <@Thrall> "Tch..." Thrall scowls as the man vanishes, taking a step back from the pit and looking around warily, ready to hurt anyone who clambers out the pit or leaps from the shadows at him.
[02:38] <@Maz> "The sludge in the pit reflects what happens to the crystal," Maz murmurs quietly to the others.
[02:38] <@Seraphin> "And they kinda want help...well, smashing it might be a good idea, if we could get to it," Seraphin adds, eyes flickering about.
[02:38] * @Maz takes the opportunity to cast Shield on herself, and move a scroll to her bandoleer.
[02:40] <@Carthrat> Hands clamber out the pit! Two, no, three vaugely humanoid figures crawl out the ooze, long, horrible hands carving cashes out the stone surrounding it as they pull themselves up! These beings seem composed of millions of faces and relfections, all covered by a layer of black sludge that binds them all together. All three appear, towering around seven-feet tall! They lurch outside the pool across from the group, and let out a piercing wail of agony!
[02:41] <@Carthrat> piercing wail of agony!
[02:41] <@Carthrat> Somewhere far away from here, you can also all hear the clang of steel on steel, as if a fight has just started somewhere else within the sewers...
[02:42] <@Kethean> Seeing more opponents seem to be showing up, Kethean casts protective magics on himself, a magic armor forming around him.
[02:44] <@Seraphin> With new targets, Seraphin lets loose the tightly wouldn arrow, flying for the closest monster!
[02:44] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+8
[02:44] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d20=5 ]{13}
[02:45] <@Carthrat> The arrow goes straight past the monster, which lurches forward with unusual quickness to avoid the blow!
[02:47] <@Carthrat> Additionally shimmering into being from across the pool is a black-robed man, wearing a turban to hide his greying hair. He points a finger at Kethean...
[02:48] <@Carthrat> ...and, flowing out from the monk's own light, a twisted, monochrome reflection of the man appears! The monks thoughts twist and churn at his doubles seperation, the smirking simulacrum reaching out and stroking the cleric's face! OOC: Make ye a will save.
[02:48] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+9
[02:48] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Kethean : [ 1d20=17 ]{26}
[02:49] <@Carthrat> roll 1d6+1
[02:49] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Carthrat : [ 1d6=3 ]{4}
[02:49] <@Carthrat> Kethean's mind is upset by the vision, which rapidly dissapates, but he keeps his faculties together! OOC: TAke 2 points temp. wisdom damage.
[02:51] <@Carthrat> Shadows swirl about, appearing besides Maz, coalcizing into the form of that young man! Twirling his swords, he lashes out towards Maz with Seraphin's former blade- but with a difference! A dark corona of energy accompanies the weapon as it arcs towards the tiefling woman!
[02:52] <@Thrall> As Maz is attacked, Thrall grunts and rapidly moves to intercept, unleashing a heavy swing of his axe right into the shadowy figure's legs (don't want to ruin Seraphin's nice armour!) with magically enhanced muscles!
[02:53] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+10 (-4 power attack)
[02:53] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Thrall : [ 1d20=18 ]{28}
[02:53] <@Carthrat> roll 1d20+10
[02:53] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Carthrat : [ 1d20=14 ]{24}
[02:53] <@Thrall> roll 1d12+17
[02:53] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Thrall : [ 1d12=11 ]{28}
[02:53] <@Carthrat> roll 1d6+6
[02:53] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Carthrat : [ 1d6=5 ]{11}
[02:53] <@Thrall> OOC: 30 damage, forgot weapon spec
[02:54] <@Carthrat> OOC: You cruel man
[02:54] <@Carthrat> The man cries out as Thrall's blade lashes across his legs, though he somehow stays standing! He dives back into the ground again- the ground is stained with blood, and part of his leg remains! Nonetheless, he gets off a brutal slash back at Maz as he leaves!
[02:58] * @Maz focuses on the crystal, driving out the pain and the blood and all other wordly matters. She withdraws a scroll, and gives another grimace, this time at the indignity of having to resort to such a foul attack. She unwraps it, and reads the arcane words, tracing the symbols with her index finger. The scroll glows briefly, orange light surrounding it, and then crumbles into ash, a beam of bright light streaming towards the ice-cover
[02:58] <@Maz> OOC: towards the ice-covered crystal!
[02:58] <@Maz> roll 4d6 fire damage
[02:58] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Maz : [ 4d6=13 ]{13}
[02:59] <@Carthrat> The ice on the crystal melts, and part of the sludge begins to literally boil, churning steam shooting out the top!
[03:01] * @Maz tries to observe any damage or strange behavior from the creatures or Calenstat
[03:01] <@Carthrat> Both seem unaffected... Calenstat seems a little worried, but also angry. So very angry.
[03:02] <@Maz> "If Calenstat is worried, perhaps the crystal holds his power," Maz speaks softly into the message spell, biting back a groan.
[03:02] * @Seraphin knocks an arrow and draws it again, waiting for either the apparent spellcaster to do something, or their thieving friend to show...
[03:03] <@Carthrat> One of the monstrosities shambles over towards Calenstat and stands guard near him. The other two, however, howl and rush foward, mindlessly throwing themselves towards battle! OOC: They double-move, glee!
[03:05] * @Kethean moves to stand by Maz so he can help protect her, even as he sacrifices his bane spell to cure some of the damage Maz took earlier.
[03:05] <@Kethean> roll 1d8+3
[03:05] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Kethean : [ 1d8=8 ]{11}
[03:06] * @Maz nods at Kethean in gratitude.
[03:06] <@Carthrat> The wizard starts casting a spell.. wait, he's pulling out a scroll, composed of inky shadowstuff! Imitating Maz's movements earlier- precisely imitating them!- he begins casting a spell! OOC: Seraphiiiiin
[03:10] * @Seraphin turns on the mage, drawn tight again and fired for whoever this man is!
[03:10] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+9
[03:10] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d20=10 ]{19}
[03:10] <@Carthrat> roll 1d100 concealment hahaha
[03:10] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Carthrat : [ 1d100=6 ]{6}
[03:11] <@Carthrat> Seraphin's arrow misses the man! Why? That shot was dead-on... is he not where he appears to be?
[03:12] <@Carthrat> He flings forth a hand, lashing out with a scorching blast, identicle to the one Maz just fired, right back at his assaliant!
[03:12] <@Carthrat> roll 1d20+5
[03:12] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Carthrat : [ 1d20=14 ]{19}
[03:12] <@Carthrat> roll 4d6
[03:12] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Carthrat : [ 4d6=9 ]{9}
[03:12] <@Carthrat> The blast hits Seraphin, but she somehow shrugs off most of the flaming effects, tiefling resistance pulling through!
[03:13] <@Carthrat> Swirling into being across the other side of the pool again, the young man reaches down into it- by the gods, he's missing half his leg! But he reaches forth, ripping humanlike shapes from the ground and using them to reforge his own body in a macabre display!
[03:18] * @Maz moves towards Seraphin rapidly, reaching for another scroll in her bandoleer, as she whispers to the others with a note of urgency, "I think I damaged a third of the crystal, but it's regenerating. We must destroy it, or they'll keep regenerating. Their power has to come from it!" Unrolling the scroll she chose, Maz casts magic weapon on Seraphin's bow, her hands glowing before she places them on it briefly.
[03:18] <@Kethean> "Well...that's an unpleasant sight," Kethean comments from Maz's side.
[03:19] * Carthrat is now known as Zombie
[03:21] * @Seraphin nods to Maz, not wasting time, but turning her bow on the crystal, and loosing another arrow at it!
[03:22] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+9
[03:22] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d20=8 ]{17}
[03:22] <@Zombie> OOC: Hit damage go
[03:22] <@Seraphin> roll 1d6+4
[03:22] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d6=2 ]{6}
[03:23] <@Zombie> Seraphin's arrow zooms foward with a shining trail, splitering off part of the crystal! As it does so, a giant splash seems to hit the sludge, sending black ichor flying everything! Some lands on Maz- it feels like a weak hand is clawing at her shoulder before is slides off, leaving a disguisting black trail!
[03:24] <@Thrall> Not having any great way to deal with the crystal himself, Thrall moves to engage the two sludge-creatures approaching! With no qualms about damaging armour here, the half-orc slams his axe right into the midsection of the nearest one!
[03:25] <@Maz> Disgusted, she makes half a step away, muttering, "Well, at least it's working."
[03:25] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+9 (power attack -5)
[03:25] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Thrall : [ 1d20=1 ]{10}
[03:25] <@Zombie> Thrall expertly misses the sludge creature.
[03:25] <@Zombie> Both of them rear up, wicked claws seeming to extend as the fiercly lash out towards the half-orc!
[03:25] <@Zombie> roll 1d20+9
[03:25] <@Zombie> roll 1d20+9
[03:25] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 1d20=4 ]{13}
[03:25] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 1d20=4 ]{13}
[03:25] <@Zombie> OOC: what
[03:26] <@Zombie> Thrall's armour saves him from pain and injury, both claws plowing to either side of him in a symmetrical pattern!
[03:28] <@Kethean> The creatures seeming to be essentially undead, Kethean attempts to turn them, hopefully giving Thrall a break, and a chance for the rest of them to take out the crystal and other opponents.
[03:28] <@Kethean> roll 1d20
[03:28] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Kethean : [ 1d20=2 ]{2}
[03:29] <@Zombie> The wizard from across the room swears as he sees the damage Seraphin's arrow caused! Cursing to himself, he throws out one hand... and a giant appendage swells up from the sludge! A great black hand, painted with the faces of dead souls, a fist built of dead hopes, anger borne of dead hate.
[03:29] <@Zombie> The mighty black fist, with a horrible slushing sound, lashes out towards Kethean, powerful force behind it as it unleashed a potent punch!
[03:29] <@Zombie> roll 1d20+15 dodge this
[03:29] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 1d20=9 ]{24}
[03:30] <@Zombie> roll 3d6+4
[03:30] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 3d6=8 ]{12}
[03:30] <@Zombie> With a sickening crack, the hand slams into Kethean, throwing him back a few paces!
[03:31] <@Zombie> Across the room, the young man smirks at the giant fist, but continues to reforges his body, the wound Seraphin gave him earlier starting to close up!
[03:34] <@Zombie> Most of the sludge in the pool has been used to form the hand- much of it has drained towards this purpose, leaving part of the ground there clear!
[03:34] * @Maz observes the clear grund briefly.
[03:35] <@Zombie> Looks like dirt.
[03:35] <@Maz> Giving the crystal a mournful look, Maz gives her wand of magic missiles a twirl, and snaps her hand in the direction of the man who cut her, sending a pair of bright bolts at him!
[03:35] <@Maz> roll 2d4+2
[03:35] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Maz : [ 2d4=4 ]{6}
[03:36] <@Zombie> He grunts as the bolts slam into him, smirk falling off his face as he balefully throws a glare at Maz.
[03:36] * @Maz scowls at him.
[03:39] * @Seraphin jsut goes through the cycle, arrow brought up in a blur, knocked and draw on the bow before another one is sent speeding on its way towards the crystal!
[03:39] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+9
[03:39] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d20=9 ]{18}
[03:39] <@Seraphin> roll 1d6+4
[03:39] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d6=3 ]{7}
[03:40] <@Zombie> The crystal is looking extremely worse for the wear, now! Seraphin's magic arrows put large dents into it- the hand itself pulsates with the impact!
[03:42] <@Thrall> Grunting, Thrall recovers from his previous misaimed swing glancing first at the zombies and then at the crystal. If that's the source of their power... "Hells, hope I don't regret this," he snarls, exposing his back to the nearest zombie as he turns and jumps into the pit, rushing across to crash his axe into the base, full force!
[03:43] <@Zombie> roll 1d20+9
[03:43] <@Zombie> roll 1d20+9
[03:43] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 1d20=2 ]{11}
[03:43] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 1d20=18 ]{27}
[03:43] <@Zombie> roll 2d6+3
[03:43] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 2d6=3 ]{6}
[03:43] <@Zombie> OOC: GARgklerhg
[03:43] <@Zombie> As Thrall leaps into the pit, one of the zombies scores a glancing blow across his back- just missing his neck, and causing but a minor wound!
[03:43] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+9 (-5 power attack)
[03:43] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Thrall : [ 1d20=3 ]{12}
[03:43] <@Thrall> roll 1d12+21
[03:43] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Thrall : [ 1d12=10 ]{31}
[03:44] <@Zombie> Thrall's mighty axe clangs into the crystal, his clumsy blow glancing off and not piercing to cause damage!
[03:45] <@Zombie> The two black creatures lurch after him, ready to sink their claws into him!
[03:45] <@Zombie> roll 1d20+9
[03:45] <@Zombie> roll 1d20+9
[03:45] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 1d20=12 ]{21}
[03:45] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 1d20=8 ]{17}
[03:45] <@Zombie> roll 2d6+3
[03:45] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 2d6=3 ]{6}
[03:45] <@Zombie> Another glancing blow to Thrall, the creatures unable to effectively get by his potent armour!
[03:46] <@Zombie> Kethean attemps to heal himself, eyeing the giant hand nervously!
[03:46] <@Zombie> roll 2d8+3
[03:46] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 2d8=7 ]{10}
[03:47] <@Zombie> The mage gestures once more, the massive hand wheeling about to plow into Thrall, evidently to stop him damaging the crystal further! But it has more trouble reaching inside the pool than out...
[03:47] <@Zombie> roll 1d20+11
[03:47] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 1d20=15 ]{26}
[03:47] <@Zombie> Not quite enough trouble, it seems, a bone-jarring blow dealt to the warrior!
[03:47] <@Zombie> roll 3d6+3
[03:47] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 3d6=8 ]{11}
[03:48] <@Zombie> The one across the pool, once again, dives into the black ground like water down a drain...
[03:52] <@Maz> "Stay near me," Maz cautions Seraphin, and her hands go through complex motions of spellcasting as she moves to within a foot of Seraphin, covering her back. A blue halo appears above Maz's head, and quickly grows in diameter, before descending all the way to the ground, where it winks out of existance.
[03:52] <@Maz> OOC: Protection from Evil
[03:53] * @Seraphin nods easily to Maz, glad for some kind of magical protection as she brings another arrow up, firing it at the crystal!
[03:53] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+9
[03:53] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d20=5 ]{14}
[03:54] <@Zombie> This time, Seraphin's arrow clangs into the black crystal, again not doing any appreciable damage!
[03:54] <@Thrall> *really* hoping that taking out this crystal will also screw up the zombies assailing him, Thrall readies another swing, lumberjack style!
[03:55] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+9 (-5 power attack)
[03:55] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Thrall : [ 1d20=17 ]{26}
[03:55] <@Thrall> roll 1d12+21
[03:55] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Thrall : [ 1d12=1 ]{22}
[03:56] <@Zombie> Thrall's axe finally hits it's mark, cracking through the crystal like the avenging scythe through grain! The combined weight of magical arrows, fire and ice, and sheer, unadulturated brutality sever the wretched thing!
[03:57] <@Zombie> A screaming howl echoes throughout the chamber! In a flash, the gigantic hand transforms into a pile of naked, broken corpses, falling into and around the pit as the magic binding them together dissapates!
[03:57] <@Zombie> The three shadows creatures wail in agony, falling to their knees and dissolving into black mist! Only the mage and the youth remain, staring aghast as the remnantes of their creation! Traces of black crystal remain scattered about the room, and both of them eye them hungrily a moment, before turning to give the party a decidedly hateful look...
[03:58] * Zombie changes topic to 'Jerk > Maz > Seraphin > Thrall > Kethean > ??? >'
[03:58] * Zombie changes topic to 'Jerk > Maz > Seraphin > Thrall > Kethean > ???'
[03:59] * @Kethean pulls out his nunchukus and goes after the mage, swinging once he gets close enough, and hopefully getting that seemingly random flame effect. It'd be rather nice to burn off Calenstat's face.
[04:01] <@Zombie> The mage across the room glares at Kethean as he approaches! Stepping back, he holds his hands apart, only the fingers touching, and a hideous cone of black knives lash out from his fingertips, ripping towards the monk! OOC: Make a WILL SAVE (no, not reflex, will. remember you have a penalty to that atm due to wisdom loss.)
[04:01] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+8
[04:01] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Kethean : [ 1d20=13 ]{21}
[04:02] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+10
[04:02] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Kethean : [ 1d20=10 ]{20}
[04:03] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+9 nunchuku charge!
[04:03] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Kethean : [ 1d20=13 ]{22}
[04:03] <@Zombie> roll 1d100 concealment haha
[04:03] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 1d100=4 ]{4}
[04:04] <@Zombie> Even though Kethean is sure he was right on target, when his nunchuku lash out, they simply pass through empty space, the wizard apparently beeing a couple feet to the left! Did he dodge, or was he always there?
[04:04] <@Zombie> Nonetheless, he takes a step back, and unleashes a fearsome storm of deadly black knives towards the offensive monk! OOC: will save, yeah yeah.
[04:04] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+8
[04:04] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Kethean : [ 1d20=7 ]{15}
[04:04] <@Zombie> roll 5d8
[04:04] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 5d8=10 ]{10}
[04:05] <@Zombie> OOC: ...HOW
[04:05] <@Zombie> The blades rip through Kethean's very soul, but it's a stronger soul than most! Or was it just a weak spell?
[04:06] <@Zombie> Swirling into place behind Maz, the young man from before lashes out once again with Seraphin's now-enhanced dagger! You can see it now- a black opal is in place where there wasn't one before! It leaves behind a black trail as it leaps towards exposed Tiefling flesh!
[04:06] <@Zombie> roll 1d20+9
[04:06] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 1d20=11 ]{20}
[04:06] <@Zombie> roll 1d6+5
[04:06] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 1d6=3 ]{8}
[04:07] <@Zombie> The wicked blade cuts through the noble(?) mage, bleeding starting straight away!
[04:08] * @Maz glares balefully at the jerk who keeps on slashing and stabbing at her, and sends a pair of magic missiles at the current bane of her existence with an infernal curse!
[04:08] <@Maz> roll 2d4+2
[04:08] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Maz : [ 2d4=5 ]{7}
[04:08] <@Zombie> The tough young man weathers through the bolts, balancing and ready to return fire! (Seraphin.)
[04:10] <@Seraphin> Her bow firing done for the moment, and with much more pressing concerns with people she absolutely despises, Seraphin's borrowed rapier lashes out, aiming to tear delightful blood and life from the man!
[04:10] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+8
[04:10] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d20=13 ]{21}
[04:10] <@Zombie> OOC: Hit, go nuts
[04:10] <@Seraphin> roll 1d6+3
[04:10] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d6=1 ]{4}
[04:11] <@Zombie> Another nick on the man's edge, but he's still up and ready, rocking back on his heels in a cautious stance!
[04:11] <@Thrall> With the mountain of corpses blocking his way back to Maz and Seraphin, Thrall moves towards the other edge of the pit, clambering up to join Kethean in beating on the mage!
[04:14] * @Kethean adjusts his step and goes for the, hopefully real this time, mage, nunchukus swinging!
[04:14] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+7
[04:14] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Kethean : [ 1d20=17 ]{24}
[04:15] <@Zombie> roll 1d100
[04:15] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 1d100=53 ]{53}
[04:15] <@Zombie> OOC: Hit~
[04:17] <@Kethean> roll 2d6+3
[04:17] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Kethean : [ 2d6=6 ]{9}
[04:18] <@Zombie> The mage's head whips around from the impact! He backs away from Kethean and Thrall, running towards a portion of the wall! He presses a button on it, and it whips around, taking him with it!
[04:19] <@Zombie> Meanwhile, his companion curses as he sees the mage leave! He backs off a moment, sizing Seraphin up, then lashes out at her with both of his swords!
[04:19] <@Zombie> roll 1d20+7
[04:19] <@Zombie> roll 1d20+7
[04:19] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 1d20=2 ]{9}
[04:19] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 1d20=6 ]{13}
[04:20] <@Zombie> Yet they're both deflected with a twist of her rapier!
[04:21] * @Thrall takes the opportunity to catch the mage with his axe as he flees!
[04:21] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+10 (-4 power attack)
[04:21] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Thrall : [ 1d20=6 ]{16}
[04:21] <@Zombie> roll 1d100 lameness
[04:21] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Zombie : [ 1d100=97 ]{97}
[04:21] <@Zombie> OOC: That's a hit!
[04:21] <@Thrall> roll 1d12+19
[04:21] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Thrall : [ 1d12=12 ]{31}
[04:22] <@Zombie> The mage twists as you kill him, screaming in agony as the axe rends him in twain!
[04:22] <@Zombie> Black blood seeps out his wounds as he dies, and the young man lets loose an angry shout as he sees the wizard die!
[04:22] * @Maz sneers at their last remaining enemy, and sends a pair of magical bolts into him with an almost negligent motion.
[04:22] <@Maz> roll 2d4+2
[04:22] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Maz : [ 2d4=5 ]{7}
[04:23] <@Zombie> He flinches as the bolts strike him, looking weary! His eyes dart around, but he prepares himself to defend against further attacks...
[04:24] * @Seraphin follows up, blade twisting and twirling, until suddenly it leaps forward, the rapier seeking more blood!
[04:24] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+8
[04:24] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Seraphin : [ 1d20=2 ]{10}
[04:26] <@Zombie> It's parried aside by the man's blade, and he concentrates fiercly, preparing a counterattack!
[04:28] <@Thrall> With the wizard now eviscerated, Thrall allows himself a grin before he turns and runs back around the pit towards the others, hearing combat continuing behind the corpse mound.
[04:31] * @Kethean joins Thrall in charging back towards the remaining combatant, and swings his nunchukus at the fighter's face.
[04:31] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+9
[04:31] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Kethean : [ 1d20=7 ]{16}
[04:32] <@Zombie> OOC: Hit
[04:33] <@Kethean> roll 2d6+3
[04:33] * +Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Kethean : [ 2d6=10 ]{13}
[04:35] <@Zombie> Grunting, the man stumbles at Kethean's last blow, as if he's given up the will to fight. He stares, almost plantively, at the pile of bodies, mouth a mute expression of horror and resolve, before toppling over, allowinh himself to die.
[04:37] <@Zombie> He begins to melt into the ground, body slowly becoming one with the floor.
[04:38] <@Zombie> His equipment, however, stays where it is.
[04:38] <@Kethean> "Well...there's your equipment. It'll probably need some washing though," Kethean comments after the familiar sight from Maz and his last encounter.
[04:38] * @Maz smirks at their success, and observes the equipment he left behind, especially the dagger and the stone in it.
[04:41] <@Zombie> The battle ended, Thrall is able to take a little less time heading back across the now-less-liquidy pool. As he does so, he sees all the corpses there, in vivid detail. Most appear to have died the same way... a single wound to the chest, the blow of a deadly rapier.
[04:41] <@Zombie> There's a familiar-looking elven woman, here... the same as his dream, all too similar.
[04:42] <@Zombie> Others abound- elves, humans, dwarves, orcs, god-knows what... and a half-orc body, familiar-looking, around twenty years old. This one doesn't have a wound through the chest.
[04:42] <@Zombie> This one has a ripped-open throat.
[04:44] * @Thrall stops as he recognises the elf-maid from his dream. "How long...?" he mutters in disbelief before stopping dead at the sight of his double. "By the Hells... What manner of foul magery is this?!" he roars.
[04:48] <@Zombie> The corpses don't respond.
[04:48] <@Kethean> "Something wrong, Thrall?"
[04:48] * @Maz raises an eyebrow at Thrall's scream, and moves over to investigate its cause.
[04:48] <@Zombie> There's a corpse there. It looks kinda like Thrall, albeit a little younger.
[04:49] <@Kethean> "A cousin?" Kethean asks.
[04:50] <@Maz> Maz's eyebrow climbs higher.
[04:50] <@Thrall> "That!" Thrall points at the corpse. Looks a lot like him, except maybe a bit skinnier and with far less tattoos. "That's me - before I left the guild the first time!"
[04:50] <@Maz> "Are you undead?" she asks him plainly.
[04:52] <@Seraphin> "O-kay..." Seraphin murmurs, taking her weapon, and trying to remove the opal from it. The opal exploded last time on those bracers...
[04:52] <@Thrall> "Not as far as I know," Thrall looks towards Maz, tense and angry, "But what kind of fell magic could be responsible for that... copy in there?" he demands irately.
[04:53] <@Maz> "I only have guesswork at the moment," she tells him, "and this is hardly the place to conduct proper research. Let me get back to you on that."
[04:53] <@Kethean> "Well...one of the few people that could have answered that truly is over there..." he says pointing at a half of Calenstat. "...and over there," he finishes pointing to the other half.
[04:54] * @Thrall growls deep in his throat. "I'll be very interested to know when you do have something..." Looking unsettled, he backs away from the corpse mound, wanting to look elsewhere.
[04:54] <@Maz> "No problem," she tells him, and studies the magical signature of the corpse one last time.
[04:55] <@Zombie> Doesn't seem magical.