[15] Cute and Cuddly Twins

[Merc]

Session Start: Sun Apr 25, 2010

<Merc> <Merc> As they all proceed to touch the pedestal and vanish, Maya finds herself a bit dazed as the room around her seems to change, and she's all alone. This is brief as the others appear around her, and familiar voices begin giggling. "We knew it~! We knew it~! They came to play with us first~!" the twin voices sing-songed as light flooded the room, a vast room filled with oversized toys.
<Merc> <Merc> Stuffed dolls of animals, balls, wooden cubes and various other things all of them recognized, and some they did not.
<Merc> <Merc> The source of the voices are not in sight, however, giggling heard echoing all around the room
<Elise> "Come on out here, then!" Elise challenges. "You can play with the business end of my hammer!"
<Maya> "Toys don't seem like that good entertainment," Maya complained simply
<Anassia> "I'm getting a little tired of this place," Anassia says flatly, regarding the room flatly.
<Merc> "You'll have to catch us if you want to play!"
<Merc> ooc: Roll init
<Merc> roll d20+4
<Merc> roll d20+4
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 20 > [d20=16]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=17]
<Anassia> roll 1d20+2
<Penuche> Anassia invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d20=10]
<Elise> roll 1d20+2
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d20=10]
<Merc> roll d2 1= Elise goes first 2=Anassia
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 2 > [d2=2]
<Maya> roll 1d20+4
<Penuche> Maya invokes Penuche's magic: < 10 > [d20=6]
<Maya> "Isn't that playing a game of hide and seek to begin with?"
<Merc> "Quite right, quite right!" The boy's voice agrees. "With a little bit of tag...~" The girl adds.
<Merc> roll d20+4 robo-Jack
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 22 > [d20=18]
<Merc> ooc: *snorts*
<Maya> "Well, Why should we play?"
<Merc> "...you don't want to play?" the boy gasps, sounding quite shocked. "...but how will you reach the final level?" the girl whispers. The voices seem to be circling around you. "That's how the game works, you know..." both whisper in tune.
<Merc> roll d20+4 robo-Aleph
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 11 > [d20=7]
<Anassia> "And what game is this?" Anassia asks.  "I do not remember consenting for any of this."
* Merc changes topic to 'Robo-Jack > Molly > Wally > Anassia > Elise > Maya > Aleph'
* Maya walks toward the voices a bit as she ponders. "I dunno.  The first level wasn't very fun really."
<Merc> Jack keeps an eye out, holding in wait as he draws his blades, waiting for the kids to show up. "You don't like the game?" the girl asks. Her voice seems to be coming from Maya's left side. Just a while ago she was to the right? "I'm sorry, but that's just how the game works. You'll have to reach the gamemaster to change the game..." the boy states quietly, sounding like he's behind one of the large toys near Anassia.
<Merc> "So even though you don't like the game..." "...you'll just have to play for now."
<Merc> Th girl slides from behind a wooden toy by Elise's side, dashing towards her back, twirling a pair of daggers and slashing at her unprotected back. "I'm sure you'll win though! You seemed really, really strong!" the girl exclaims as her daggers flash in unison.
<Merc> roll d20+9
<Merc> roll d20+9
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 10 > [d20=1]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 14 > [d20=5]
<Merc> ooc: ouch, penuche. a 1?
<Merc> roll d4+4 damage
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 7 > [d4=3]
<Elise> roll 1d3
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 3 > [d3=3]
<Merc> As the girl's daggers flash, she seems to put a bit too much spin on her first attack, and begins to tumble through the ground, though she slashes at Elise's leg as she rolls to stop near her target instead of making her escape like planned. Jack capitalizes as he attempts to teach her it's wrong to cut up people now that she's made herself so inviting a target.
<Merc> roll d20+8
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 14 > [d20=6]
<Merc> roll 4d6+6
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d6=2,1,4,3]
<Merc> roll d2
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 1 > [d2=1]
<Merc> "Hey! Hey! Let the girls play, big guy! Molly gets the girls, I get the guys!" the boy calls out as he also makes an appearance, appearing from another blind spot as he slashes at Jack.
<Merc> roll d20+11
<Merc> roll d20+11
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 30 > [d20=19]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 14 > [d20=3]
<Merc> roll d20+11 confirm?
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d20=17]
<Merc> ooc: ...also, I forgot a d6 of sneak attack on Molly's attack for Elise
<Merc> roll d6
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 3 > [d6=3]
<Merc> roll d6+2d4+8
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d6=5][d4=1,4]
<Merc> roll d2 dr
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 1 > [d2=1]
<Merc> Jack takes a painful slash to the side, as the first dagger strikes true, stabbing into his side. Even though Aleph's arrow was removed and the wound healed, the little bastard seems to have targetted that same spot and made it much more painful. As he cuts up Jack, he smiles and dashes off, skipping off to a side.
<Merc> ooc: Elise, you get an AoO against him
<Elise> roll 1d20+12 sure
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=4]
<Merc> Elise's attempt to hammer him still fails as he dances around it, waggling his finger as he dashes off to a toy off some distance, though remaining in sight instead of hiding away.
<Merc> ooc: Anassi
<Merc> ooc: Anassia*
* Anassia glowers towards the girl as she tumbles to the ground, eyes flashing again to their blood-red pigmentation as power begins to coallesce around her hands, arcing between her fingers before it is thrown at the little bitch. (Move to get +3 AC, assuming they are prone to fear affects, standard to shoot her)
<Anassia> roll 1d20+7
<Penuche> Anassia invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d20=12]
<Merc> The girl winces at Anassia's glower and looks at her with a doe-eyed expression. "You wouldn't hurt a little girl, would yo..OW! Okay, you would! You would!" she exclaims as the burst of magic smacks her head, rocking it to the side a bit from the impact.
<Merc> ooc: hit, obviously.
<Anassia> roll 1d6+4
<Penuche> Anassia invokes Penuche's magic: < 8 > [d6=4]
<Merc> ooc: Maya
<Merc> ooc: correction! Elise!
<Elise> "I would if she was EVIL!" Elise roars in response, swinging at the girl.
<Elise> roll 1d20+12
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=9]
<Merc> ooc: hit
<Elise> roll 2d6+9 damage
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 17 > [d6=3,5]
<Merc> roll d2
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 2 > [d2=2]
<Merc> As the hammer swings towards the girl's head, it smashes against another yellow barrier, that makes a rippling impact. Maya, apparently focusing on the boy, sees a similar barrier pop up by his body's side with a rippling motion as his body bends sideway, and he stumbles. "OW!" the boy screeches as he rubs his side, letting everyone know he felt the pain. "That hurt, lady!" The girl just giggles and blows an imaginary kiss at the boy. "Thanks Wally!"
<Merc> ooc: Maya
* Maya smirks as they come into view and does somewhat of a vanishing act of her own, going fast and low, bouncing up and along the toys to come around the boy slice painfully up along his legs and back with a fierce slash.
<Maya> roll 1d20+22 Tumbling attack to remove Dex bonus
<Penuche> Maya invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d20=7]
<Maya> roll 1d20+18  Inflict penalty strike for -3 to def
<Penuche> Maya invokes Penuche's magic: < 34 > [d20=16]
<Maya> roll 1d20+14 actual attack
<Penuche> Maya invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d20=10]
<Merc> roll d20+13 counter roll 1
<Merc> roll d20+13 counter roll 2
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 15 > [d20=2]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d20=11]
<Merc> ooc: hit
<Maya> roll 2d8+6
<Penuche> Maya invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d8=8,4]
<Merc> roll d2
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 2 > [d2=2]
<Merc> The strike hits true, slashing at the boy's leg, leaving a trail of blood dripping from his side!
<Merc> ooc; Aleph
* Aleph watches both, but then notes the shield trick done by 'Wally', moving closer toward the boy, before nocking an arrow and letting it fly, keeping an eye on him if need be...
<Aleph> ooc: Moving to 25 feet distance (and lack of cover preferably), taking one shot
<Merc> ooc: no cover right now, unless you choose to put some. He stayed in clear sight there.
<Aleph> roll 1d20+11 point-blank
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d20=8]
<Merc> ooc: hit
<Aleph> roll 1d8+9 damage
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d8=3]
<Merc> roll d2
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 1 > [d2=1]
<Merc> Aleph's arrow flies and cuts off a gash by Wally's neck, making him yelp. "Hey! Be careful there!" he complains as Jack decides to try and cut up Molly into little ribbons.
<Merc> roll d20+8
<Merc> roll d20+8
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 27 > [d20=19]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=8]
<Merc> roll d20+8 confirm
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=8]
<Merc> roll 3d6+2d6+12
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d6=2,6,1,1,6]
<Merc> ooc: ewwwww
<Merc> roll d2
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 2 > [d2=2]
<Merc> The girl looks to be really cut up, as does the boy, honestly. "This game isn't as fun as I expected, Wally..." Molly notes. "Yes, Blanche and Troy will make fun of us again at this rate, Molly," Wally agrees. "Step it up?" the girl asks as she stands back up and twirls her daggers. "Sounds good to me!" the boy agrees.
<Merc> Molly's daggers flash as three attacks slash at Jack's chest.
<Merc> roll d20+9
<Merc> roll d20+9
<Merc> roll d20+9
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d20=4]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d20=19]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 25 > [d20=16]
<Merc> roll d20+9 confirm
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 26 > [d20=17]
<Merc> ooc: What's up with the robo-jack hate, Penuche?
<Merc> ooc: seriously?
<Merc> roll d6+2d4+8
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 17 > [d6=5][d4=3,1]
<Merc> roll d6+d4+4
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 8 > [d6=2][d4=2]
<Merc> roll d2
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 2 > [d2=2]
<Merc> roll d2
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 1 > [d2=1]
<Merc> "You're a bad toy! Wally wanted to play, and you're here with me!" Molly admonishes as she twirls lose from Jack and Elise, attempting to make a run for it.
<Merc> ooc: AoOs both Jack and Elise
<Merc> ooc: ladies first!
<Merc> ooc: robots second
<Elise> roll 1d20+12 SMASH
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d20=17]
<Merc> ooc: ...OW. That actually hits even with mobility bonuses and shit.
<Elise> roll 2d6+9 damage
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d6=5,5]
<Merc> roll d2
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 1 > [d2=1]
<Merc> roll d20+8 Jack's AoO
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=10]
<Merc> Elise's hammer catches Molly in the side, though it seems Molly works with the smash, letting herself be catapulted off to the side before twirling and dashing behind a toy. Briefly, there is silence before a screech of "OW! That's gonna bruise like a...!" Wally shakes his head as his own daggers flash, trying to slash at Maya in vengeance. "And you people say we're sadists. Look at you, picking on kids..." He mutters, making a tsk, tsk noise under his breath, before giggling, as if he'd made a grand joke.
<Merc> roll d20+9
<Merc> roll d20+9
<Merc> roll d20+9
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 20 > [d20=11]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 10 > [d20=1]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d20=15]
<Merc> ooc: ...PENUCHE!
<Merc> ooc: *imitates Kirk*
<Aleph> "Most kids don't try and stab the hell out of people with daggers, you know.  Your argument's null and void, I say."  Aleph snarks back at Wally.
<Merc> roll d6+d4+4
<Merc> roll d6+d4+4
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 8 > [d6=2][d4=2]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 11 > [d6=6][d4=1]
<Merc> The boy ignores Aleph's statement, instead swearing as he drops one of his dagger by accident, though the other dagger cuts Maya twice, leaving some pretty glaring, and bloodied, tears in her outfit. Rather than go for it, he decides to attempt a vanishing act of his own.
<Merc> ooc: AoO maya
<Maya> "Leaving?  Not a chance," Maya shadows and cuts the boy hard.
<Maya> roll 1d20+10 (remember -3 to his AC
<Penuche> Maya invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d20=2]
<Merc> With his free hand, the boy pulls his eyelid downward and sticks his tongue out at Maya as he backpedals away, hiding behind something. "BIDAAAAAH~~!"
<Merc> ooc: Anassia
<Anassia> "You've picked the wrong people to toy with," Anassia says, scowling as she pulls a curved dagger from its sheathe at her pick, voice low.  "You must pay for you trespasses."  (Move action to draw Parrying Dagger (can't go wrong with loading AC even higher), Standard action for a challenge'd intimidate: Demoralize at -2; -2 for 2 targets)
<Anassia> roll 1d20+16-2
<Penuche> Anassia invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=2]
<Merc> roll d20+11
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 15 > [d20=4]
<Merc> roll d20+11
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 26 > [d20=15]
<Merc> Wally shakes as a wave of cold grips him, and he takes one look at Anassia before paling, and hightailing it even faster into hiding.
<Merc> ooc: both are hidden right now. oversized toys all around the room providing hiding spots for the kiddies.
<Merc> ooc: Elise
<Elise> roll 1d20-2 listen, where are youuuu~
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=18]
<Merc> ooc: You're not sure, but you think at least one of them is behind the giant teddy bear!
<Elise> Elise turns toward the first sound she hears and charges, swinging with all her might at the oversized toy to try and knock it onto whoever's behind it! (OOC: assuming I can do a move + attack now, not sure if listen would've taken any real time).
<Merc> ooc: nah, I let you do it as a free action
<Elise> roll 1d20+12 normal attack, I figure it's hard to miss something like this
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 31 > [d20=19]
<Elise> roll 1d20+5 STR
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 23 > [d20=18]
<Merc> Elise charges at the teddy bear and pushes it back, back, back...a yelp! The teddy bear flops over with Elise on top of it, and someone struggling under the toy, getting smothered.
<Merc> ooc: Maya.
<Merc> ooc: Actually, gimme a balance check, Elise, also.
<Elise> roll 1d20+2 for not falling over?
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=14]
<Merc> ooc: you're fine
* Maya looks around, getting a sense of the room real quick.
<Maya> roll 1d20+7 listen
<Penuche> Maya invokes Penuche's magic: < 9 > [d20=2]
* Maya delays her turn until she sees or hears one.
<Merc> Maya doesn't hear or see anything with all the distracting noise as one of the kids apparently struggles from asphyxiation as Elise sits atop a giant teddy bear. It's probably very distracting.
<Merc> ooc: Aleph.
<Aleph> roll 1d20 listen check
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 14 > [d20=14]
<Merc> Aleph hears lots of things! Like a kid getting smothered! And...another kid! Sneaking up behind him! (ooc if you turn around, there'll be something between you, but you know their location to a fair degree)
* Aleph whirls around, smirking, as he looks at what's between him and the sneaking sound...
<Merc> It's a large wooden horse.
* Aleph waits until the sneaking sounds close enough to the horse, before grabbing his flask of Alchemist's Fire from the belt...and chucking it at the horse's position. If nothing else, perhaps the fire would startle Molly there...
<Aleph> roll 1d20 BURNINATION
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 17 > [d20=17]
<Merc> The horse starts to merily burn as the flask breaks and sets the toy on fire. "...HEY! THOSE ARE NOT YOUR TOYS! PUT THAT OUT, YOU JERK!!!!" the boy exclaims, sounding rather distressed. Moreso than Molly who's still getting smothered, honestly!
<Merc> Jack attempts to do the same as the others as he listens and searches his feelings for a sign! A sign telling him 'Cut these bad kids down! They're over here!'
<Merc> roll d20+9 listen
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d20=20]
<Merc> He homes in on the boy, helped by his shout! Jack proceeds to dash towards the source, short swords gleaming in the light of the dancing flames merrily burning the wooden horsey toy!
<Merc> roll d20+6
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d20=13]
<Merc> roll d6+6
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d6=6]
<Merc> roll d2
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 1 > [d2=1]
<Merc> As Jack cuts up Wally, Molly continues to struggle against Elise's weight, trying to free herself as she stabs blindly through the body of the toy, trying to cut up Elise.
<Merc> roll d20+9
<Merc> roll d20+9
<Merc> roll d20+9
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=12]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 27 > [d20=18]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 17 > [d20=8]
<Merc> roll d100 concealment
<Merc> roll d100 concealment
<Merc> roll d100 concealment
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 86 > [d100=86]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 57 > [d100=57]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 35 > [d100=35]
* Maya follows jack, stabbing wherever stabbed as she takes the other side.
<Merc> roll d4+4
<Merc> roll d4+4
<Merc> roll d4+4
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 5 > [d4=1]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 8 > [d4=4]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 7 > [d4=3]
<Maya> roll 1d20+14 against Wally
<Penuche> Maya invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=4]
<Elise> roll 1d3
<Elise> roll 1d3
<Elise> roll 1d3
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 3 > [d3=3]
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 3 > [d3=3]
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 2 > [d3=2]
<Merc> Maya misses in her swing as Elise gets small stab wounds as the girl tries to wildly stab for freedom! Wally scowls and tries to cut up Maya. "You know, you people just don't play nice!" he complains childishly.
<Merc> roll d20+9
<Merc> roll d20+9
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 26 > [d20=17]
<Merc> roll d20+9
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=9]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=9]
<Merc> roll d4+4
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 8 > [d4=4]
<Merc> Wally slashes through Maya's outfit as he again tries to pull a disappearing trick! ooc: you know the drill. AoO for maya and robo-jack.
<Maya> roll 1d20+10
<Penuche> Maya invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=6]
<Merc> roll d20+8
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 22 > [d20=14]
<Merc> roll 4d6+6
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 15 > [d6=2,3,1,3]
<Merc> As Wally tries to flee, both Maya and Jack try to catch him before he does, their blades slashing in concerto. Maya's goes wide, but Jack somehow catches him in the side as Wally grimaces. "...well, we knew we were going to lose," he mutters as he bursts into golden dust. Molly screeches as she continues flailing wildly under Elise and the teddy bear.
<Merc> ooc: Anassia
<Anassia> How far away is the child that's being killed?
<Merc> ooc: Molly is about...let's say 25 ft away. Dust boy/Maya/Jack are about 35.
* Anassia blinks a few times as she catches a glimpse of golden dust instead of a corpse; at least that will make it all easier to justify. She glances over towards Elise, lifting her hands to cast a commonly-used spell lately, the almost-familiar sickly yellow light coming forth yet again...
<Anassia> roll 1d20+2+2 v. DC 7
<Penuche> Anassia invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=12]
* Maya pulls at her shredded bikini with the horrible child gone, trying to ty it into reasonable modesty...well, by her standards.
<Merc> Elise begins to grow bigger, putting more weight on Molly, whose struggles get weaker and weaker before stopping. Elise feels as if the mass underneath her lessens...although it probably has a bit to do with her being bigger and stuff.
* Merc changes topic to 'Most embarassing death award goes to Molly. Courtesy of Fat-butt Elise. With a little help from Anassia.'
<Maya> "You know, I wish my bags were here rather than at the inn," Maya ripped some cloth from the dolls nearby, patching her outfit a bit.
<Merc> As this happens, the toys vanish into dust, swirling around the room before vanishing upwards, leaving another empty room. Two pedastals raise up from the ground as the one they entered through goes dark. Both glow blue, as the earlier ones did.
* Elise climbs off the bear, ready to push it off and see if the girl is still alive, when--suddenly everything's gone! She looks around quickly. "Is everyone alright?"
<Maya> "Look, we really don't want to have to kill you all...because if we have to, we might really kill you all~!" Maya remarked.
* Aleph 's eyes widen as he watches the scene. "...eh? That was...weird." ...before turning his attention to the pedestals
<Merc> "<Insert witty remark here about spanking kids>" Robo-Jack states as he looks at his swords, which look remarkably unbloodied.
<Aleph> "I don't think they're dead, Maya.  Dead people don't do that gold dust thing."
<Anassia> "Whatever they were, they weren't children," Anassia comments as she glances over towards the pedistals.
* Aleph looks over, refuses to make any comments about Elise's butt, as tempting as it would be.
<Maya> "Well, yes...but that doesn't mean we won't be so annoyed we actually DO kill them after their games are over~"
<Merc> The pedestals have the same image as the two you did not go near from the previous room, Anassia notes.
<Elise> "Right, so I for one am not about to show any mercy to the rest of these people. Creatures. Whatever they are! It doesn't look like they're going to give us any other option than smashing through them, so...let's find the next villain before I return to normal!"
<Anassia> "Although it seems our options have changed," Anassia comments, moving closer to inspect the new symbols curiously.
<Aleph> "Have they?"
* Maya turns to take a look herself.
* Aleph looks at them as well
<Elise> "Right, so I for one am not about to show any mercy to the rest of these people. Creatures. Whatever they are! It doesn't look like they're going to give us any other option than smashing through them, so...let's find the next villain before I return to normal!" (OOC: just in case this didn't make it through before the disconnect.)
<Merc> ooc: since I'm lazy about redescribing... <Merc> As Maya approaches, she notes the glowing circles are atop a set of three pedestals. The only light in the darkened room is from those circles, each circle showing a different image. The first pedestal has within the circle the image of beasts around the border, each feasting on the next's tail. The second...xxxdonexxx. The last shows the image of a mountain.
<Aleph> "hmm...well, looks like they just count down."
* Maya stabs the animals with her sword. "Let's get on with this."
* Aleph touches the animal-pedestal as well.
* Elise follows suit!
* Anassia places her hand on the same pedistal as well. "Hurrah, animals," she gripes.
<Merc> Jack also follows, secretly hoping for another one of those blue gate pick-me ups! As they all teleport, Jack does feel some of his strength returning, though he still feels a tad wasted, as do the others injured. [ooc - more]
<Merc> Rather than finding themselves crowded around a pedestal as with Molly's and Wally's room, they each find themselves separated, a smaller pedastal besides them, and metal gates in front of them. Again the room lights up, and they can see they are in a colosseum, sandy floor beneath them, with a large empty stage in the center and various gated doors around. [ooc - more]
<Merc> At each of the gates, they can spot each other as well a variety of animals, some they recognize, and others they do not. At the center of the otherwise empty colosseum is a chair, with the beast tamer sitting, staring, with a whip in hand.
<Merc> "Welcome to the colosseum, darlings. Is it Blanche's time to shine with her pets?" she acts, winking at Aleph and Jack as she stands.
<Aleph> Aleph simply grins at Blanche.  "Well, perhaps.  It depends on what you mean by 'pets'," he retorts with a wink of his own.
<Maya> "Sorry, miss, I don't play tiger for such a bland girl," Maya smirked.
<Merc> Blanche blows a kiss to Aleph. "Well now, if you want those sort of games, darling, Blanche might be willing to play them too..." she proposes as she taps her lip. "'Course, we need to see how the others feel too, right?"
* Elise tries opening her gate. "Going to make your animals fight us? You coward! You should fight us yourself! That way when you lose horribly it'll happen faster for you!"
<Merc> The beast tamer scowls at Maya's description, but turns to Elise's exclamation. "Now hang on, little lady, don't go guessing at the game before it's offered," she states as she waggles her finger at Elise.
<Merc> "That's just rude, you know," she adds.
<Aleph> "Elise, you really know how to kill a mood," he glares in a deadpan manner over at the hammer-wielding woman
* Anassia watches the stranger for a moment. "Perhaps you would be willing to explain why, exactly, we are here?" she asks, quirking an eyebrow slightly.
* Elise narrows her eyes. "Everyone else we've met here has only been interested in fighting just for their own sick amusement."
<Aleph> "Oi, oi.  She sounds like she might be up for something else.  You have to give her some room to explain, you know."
<Elise> "Fine. I'm *waiting*. And it had better be good!"
<Merc> "Well, see here, my original plan was to let you have one on one fights with my pets, and then duking it out with the most interesting of you all, but it did strike me as a tad unfair," she explains. "Of course, I do need to hold you up for a bit and all. You fancy a card game or something? Loser of each game strips a piece of clothing, keep going till someone's naked!"
<Merc> She doesn't appear too hopeful of you bunch being receptive, particularly Elise.
<Merc> "Or something else, I guess, just as long as it's entertaining, darlings!" she adds.
* Aleph raises an eyebrow. "I'm up for the card game myself."
<Merc> Jack nods his agreement as well.
<Maya> "Well, that's not too bad..but, I deal the cards then," Maya smirked.
<Anassia> "...a card game?" Anassia asks, blinking a few times.  "That seems hardly as diabolical as I expected."
<Elise> "I--what? That's terrible! You're a terrible person for thinking of this! What's wrong with you? Why isn't anyone else upset about this?"
<Merc> "Nu-uh, darling. House rules, dealer's deck and all," she immediately vetoes Maya's idea. "I want to be entertained, not fleeced!"
<Merc> "Shush, child, the grownups are talking now," she makes a shoo!-shoo! gesture at Elise as she focuses on those receptive to the idea so far. "Either that, or come up with something more entertaining!"
* Elise rattles the bars of her cage, looking on her teammates with an annoyed glare.
<Anassia> "How can we trust you?" Anassia asks, crossing her arms slightly.  "You could simply be baiting us into a trap."
<Aleph> "But the fact that she's willing to do something other than fight, just for the fun of it, Elise...means that she clearly can't be evil." He assures her.  "House rules, dealer's deck, I can go with it."  He turns toward Blanche, grinning.
<Elise> "Of course she could be!" Elise huffs. "She's just trying to bait everyone into acts of licentiousness instead."
<Aleph> "Oh, learn to let go already."
<Anassia> "...Did you really just say licentiousness?" Anassia asks, glancing over to Elise.
<Maya> "Well, it's the same for me.  I want to be entertained.  Not fleeced.  How about we let Elise deal.  She's too slow to cheat," Maya smirked, wanting the cards out of that girls hands.
<Maya> roll 1d20+12 diplomacy
<Penuche> Maya invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d20=16]
<Elise> "Yes? Is there something wrong with that, Anassia? --Hey, Maya! Who's side are you on?"
<Merc> "Hrm...she does seem prudish enough to be an honest sort," Blanche admits as she considers Maya's idea.
<Maya> "Well, of course, Elise can't take part in the game.  So she's not tempted," Maya continued her line easily.
<Anassia> "Uh, just didn't expect you to say a word like that's all," Anassia says, shrugging a little.
<Elise> "If I didn't know the word, I couldn't be against it."
* Aleph arguably looks a bit...eager.
* Aleph is a damn pervert, though. As to be expected.
<Elise> "Well...fine. I guess I can deal the cards. And I will pray for all of your souls, too! Except yours," Elise says to Blanche.
<Merc> "So come up with any ideas, darling, or do you get to hand out the cards that tell us who gets to show off their goods?" Blanche throws the remark at Elise as she plops back on the chair. "You're almost as entertaining as actually fighting, you know that?"
<Maya> "What's the losing condition?  Being naked?" Maya smirked.
<Anassia> "That... doesn't make sense, Elise." Anassia points out flatly.
<Merc> ooc: switch Elise/Blache's lines for logs
<Elise> "It makes sense to me."
<Merc> "Well, since there's one of me and four of you, being naked works if I get more clothing, or we can just count out who loses the most pieces after say...30 rounds?"
<Aleph> "Works for me."  Aleph nods.
<Anassia> "Ten at most," Anassia says, shaking her head.  "You've admitted to seeking to delay us."
<Maya> "Thirty hands?  Well, that sounds like more than have ever reached for you.  Let us out and we'll begin your game," She smiled.
<Merc> "Your friend seems satisfied with thirty, so thirty it shall be, darling," Blanche waggles her finger at Anassia, before snapping her finger as a swing lowers itself from the ceiling. Sitting on it she snaps her fingers again as she is raised high up, still within sight, but hardly within reach. Snapping a third time, the room bursts into dust and swirls, before reshaping itself into nothing but a table, five seats, and a deck of cards.
<Anassia> "That's because they're not always the brightest." Anassia mutters.  "Or thinking with the right head at all."
<Merc> Flicking her wrist, a gorilla appears and shambles over to one of the chairs, taking the seat. "He can play the cards for me. I'm staying up here in case you decided to try to just kill me," she admits. "I don't appreciate cheaters."
* Maya steps out. "A gorilla?  What a fitting look for you, dear." Maya smiled, sitting in the chair across from it. "If it cheats, it might lose its head though."
<Elise> "And what's to keep you from cheating?" Elise calls up to the woman. "You made all this stuff appear out of thin air! Maybe you can do that with the cards, too!"