Predators of Xendrik [IC]

[Chambers]

Predators of Xendrik

falling....

...falling

...falling...




The cold wind whips around you as you tumble and fall through the air. Turning head over heels the sky and earth twist and spin in a nasueating kaleidescope. A blast of frigid air rightens you and you see the sky above you, large white clouds hiding the sun. An immense jungle covers the earth below you, a massive canyon snaking through it. Far off, that a way, sunlight shines off a distant sea.

As you race to meet the ground you catch a glimpse of some other things, falling through the sky. Before you can gather your wits the air beneath you warms and flames lick off an invisible shell around you. You are rocked back and forth, slowing down for a few moments before the tall trees of the jungle reach out and claim you. Tumbling through the branches and leaves you bounce off a tree and slam into the soft dirt.

No birds chirp in the silence of the jungle. Within moments the oppresive humidity soaks through you and you can hear rustling sounds coming from a few places around you, out of sight. The noonday light is filtered through the canopy and soft shadows and shade cover the ground.

Spoiler

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If you're subject to non-lethal damage, have 10 points of non-lethal damage. The other characters are the rustlings and noises you hear, and for simplicity you're all within 100ft of each other. Go ahead and post about meeting each other and talking and such.

The last you remember was being in combat and then seeing a bright light.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

An armored gnome dressed all in browns and grays stands up to take a look around. He doesn't bother brushing off the dirt; he's seen worse. "Donil?" he calls out. "Iloren? Archer 7? Anyone else here?" Hearing no immediate response, he shrugs and bends down to inspect the soil and plants around him. "Hmm. Still in Xen'drik, looks like. Not too far from where I was, either...maybe. Thank the Host for small favors." Returning to his feet, he calls out, "All right, then, if you're not my expedition team, who are you? I know someone's there."

[Chrono22]

Sollux

Sollux's eyes snap awake. His red-and-blue gaze scans his surroundings as he carefully stands up, brushing off the loose soil in the process. His right hand pats a sword pommel at his waist in a reassuring fashion.

Did you catch any of that? I think I got knocked out in the transition. That's the last time I buy discount liquor.
Your jokes are wasted on me, mortal. It seems you are not alone.
Yes, I see. Please stay quiet, just this once, ok? I don't need these strangers thinking I'm some deranged possessed maniac.
Fool! What hubris, to command my cooperation... but very well. I'll remain silent for now. Let them believe you are their friend. It will make their deaths more entertaining for me.

Sollux lets out an aggravated sigh, and responds to the diminutive man,
"I am here. My name is Sollux Captor...
Where are we? What is this place?"

Spoiler

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Would my ring of feather falling have reduced or removed the nonlethal damage?

[true_shinken]

A tall, slender human with flowing long black hair falls on his back in the jungle. Van blinks tears of pain away from his blue eyes and stands up. He wears a breastplate with a tint of blue on it and a diamond engraved in collar, a shirt decorated with lightning bolts, worn boots and black leather gloves. He has two swords sheathed behind his black - and his royal blue cloak is very dirty from the fall.
This can only be a trick of house Orien., he mutters to himself. I must have really stepped on their toes this time... Where the heck am I?
He looks around for a time, until he sees other people. He weaves from a distance.
Hey! Where the hell is the place?

[Keld Denar]

Denaru

A tall man wearing a spiked shield stands up from the ground. The first thing you notice about him is his piercing blue eyes. They seem to bore into your very soul, searching it for any shadows that lurk within. It is almost unsettling.

Who are you, and what have you done to me? Answer me, in the name of the Silver Flame!

[PairO'Dice Lost]

"Hold your horses, Flameite," the gnome says. "We didn't do any of this. At least, I didn't do any of this, and everyone else seems as confused as you and I. Don't start smiting anyone just yet, okay?" He turns to Sollux and smiles. "Nice to meet you, Sollux. I'm Jorden, Jorden d'Sivis. I really have no idea where we are, but I was in Xen'drik up until this whole"--he points up at the sky and waggles his finger around--"falling and crashing and burning thing. It looks the same and the biosphere is pretty similar, so I'm guessing that's where we are, but we could be in the middle of Sarlona for all I know. Who are the rest of you?"

[true_shinken]

Van hears the gnome patiently. Hm, I see. So it seems like the same thing got us all here. He draws his blades slowly. The longer one crackles with electricity, sparkles sizzling around the crystal in the pommel. The shorter one is surround by small snowflakes that soon fall to the ground.Well, if we are in Xen'drik or Sarlona, having my babies Tempestade and Nevasca here in my hands makes me a lot more comfortable. Oh, you can call me Blitz. I suggest we stick together, at least we know what the hell is going on.

[Grendus]

Garret stands up from the crater and pile of broken branches his fall left. "Yea, we're in Xen'drik. Can't you smell the drow ****," he says, taking stock of his surroundings. This was a part of the forest he wasn't familiar with. Granted, of course, the drow's forest seemed to change on it's own sometimes, but this was different, totally wrong. "I think we're closer to the middle, or maybe the east. Geography was never my strong suit. Lots of trees though."

[true_shinken]

So Xen'drik it is. Van shrugs. He turns towards Garret. And... who would you be, really? Also... drow? Never heard of them. I'm not that good with history or geography myself, as well.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Jorden gives Van a skeptical look. "Not heard of drow? Really? Black skin, pointy ears, scorpion fetish? Where are you from?"

[true_shinken]

Van smiles, a little embarassed, at Jorden. I'm from Khorvaire. Sorry, I'm just more of an urban guy. The scorpion thing... kind of rings a bell, though.
OOC: I just thought I should point out that the intro reminded him of The Offspring's song Have You Ever.

[Chrono22]

Sollux

At Garret's remark about the dark elves' scent, Sollux inhales the earthy, musky smell of the jungle.
There may be enemies nearby, stay alert.
Your sparing mortal intellect has no comprehension of awareness-
Oh shut up.

Sollux climbs (or rather, walks) up the nearest tree to get a better vantage on their location.
From over his shoulder he calls down the to the others,
"You can call me Sol for short."
After scouting, he'll return to the party and tell them about any noteworthy terrain or geographic features, such as rivers, mountains or trails he sees.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Jorden waves off Van's apology. "Don't worry about it. I didn't get out much for most of my life, spent a lot of time at the Korranberg Library. I forget that most sane people don't spend much time out here." Jorden puts his hands on his hips and looks up at Sollux appraisingly. "Okay, Sol. That's a pretty fancy trick you have there, walking up a tree without climbing or magic. How'd you manage it?"

[Chambers]

Sollux

The nearest tree is the one right next to you. This part of the jungle is dense and you can place your hand on one tree and reach out, touching three more. The top of the tree is around 60ft off the ground and from there you can see the jungle canopy extending for miles and miles in all directions. A break in the treeline lies a handful of miles north of you; perhaps the winding canyon you saw in your fall.

On the other side of the break the jungle thins out and you can see the tops of some stone structures poking out above the treeline.

As everyone gathers together and finds each other, you see a body lying on the ground. A human male, dressed in leather armor with daggers strapped all over, his neck twisted at an odd angle. A trickle of blood drips from his mouth and his eyes are glazed over, seeing nothing.

[true_shinken]

I wouldn't call myself exactly sane. He smiles at Jorden. But what do you mean about Sol, he is just climbing... holy crap, he is walking on that tree, how the hell did he do that?! he stares surprised as Sol does his thing. Hm, without spells, I mean. Is he one of...? Van finally mutters to himself. He is so surprised with Sol's stunt he does not notice the corpse.

[Ladorak]

A tall human, with jet black hair and many battle scars steps out from behind a tree. He is wide of shoulder yet slim of hip, looking every inch like the blademaster he is.
His weapons (Or as he would have it, his instruments) are strapped to each hip. The Kukri are so unnaturally sharp they cannot be shealthed by normal means. Ducking low, as if fearing attack at any second, he rushes to the center of the group. Only then does he straighten his posture, turning his eyes upward and turning on the spot, scanning the countless branches of the jungle.
'You with the shiny blade, put that thing out! I'll not be eaten for your decadence.'

[Chrono22]

Sollux

Sollux returns to the others to report his information, but stops short when he gets an eyefull of the corpse and the crazy looking character with the mop top.

"Yeah.. I saw a canyon a few miles that way." *thumbs the direction , "Who is this? Don't tell me we've already resorted to cannibalism to survive.."

[true_shinken]

Who, me? Van puts the blades down almost as a reflex. Hey, it's not even that shiny to begin with... He begins looking around. Holy crap where did that corpse came from?!, as he finally notices the body. This place just gets getting weirder and weirder!, he thinks to himself. He then realizes something interesting.
No, wait a second. Is he actually dead? You can probably tell for sure, right, sir priest?, he says as he turns toward Denaru. Wait another second, you are a priest, right? Damn, I'm confused.

[Ladorak]

The stranger grimances 'It's simply really. We've all pissed someone off...' He snarls to himself and mutters 'Probably a wizard. It's always a wizard. Louder he says 'So we've been dumped in the middle of the most dangerous place on Eberron.' He waves his arms around him, indicating the group 'Take a good look round. These are the only people you'll see for hundreds of miles who aren't going to try and kill you.'

[true_shinken]

Well, if that means you are not gonna try to kill me, I'm glad enough. the duskblade smirks. Oh, you can call me Blitz. But you probably already heard that... Who are you, anyway?

[Ladorak]

He regards Denaru coolly for a second before turning his attention back to Blitz 'For now, I am Stalker, although suddenly there is a grim irony to that. He steps forward and offers his hand to Blitz 'Honoured to meet you, Blitz.'

[Chrono22]

Sollux

Sollux searches the corpse and takes the knives on it.

[true_shinken]

Van sheathes Nevasca and shakes Stalker's hand. Honoured to meet you as well, Stalker. He points towards Sol with his head. Tree-walker slash body pilferer there spotted a canyon. I guess it's somewhat of a destination...
He keeps his look fixed on Sol for a few seconds. I will have to ask him a few questions. But not now., he thinks.

[Chambers]

The knives slide out of the sheathes without a sound. A second glance at the corpse shows an open satchel slung over one shoulder. A stoppered potion sticks out of the satchel.

A voice whispers from the trees around you all "...always a wizard...". The voice speaks in a heavily accented Common and then chuckles.

Spoiler

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If anyone speaks Drow they recognize that it is a Drow speaking common.

Intelligence checks
Jorden (1d20+5)[20]
Sollux (1d20+2)[15]
Van (1d20+2)[20]
Garret (1d20+2)[8]
Grant (1d20+1)[11]

If you beat DC 20, then...

Spoiler

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You notice a magical sensor floating barely off the ground, 10ft away from the corpse.

[true_shinken]

Looks like you were right, Stalker. Van points towards the sensor with his longsword. Someone is watching us. And probably finding this to be very entertaining. He turns towards Denaru. Master flameite, I believe you can do something about this scrying sensor?

[Chrono22]

Sollux

"I'll take care of it."
Sollux flings a knife a the hovering sensor.

Dagger attack (1d20+8)[20] Damage (1d4+2)[5]

[Chambers]

The knife flies true but passes right through the sensor, embedding itself in a tree behind the sensor. The voice whispers again, "...care of it?"

[true_shinken]

Nice try, bad guy. Van sighs. I'm guessing only master flameite there can do anything about this. You can't just stab a scrying sensor.

[Chrono22]

Sollux

"Oh, you can't? I don't know about magic, I just figured, if you stab an eye, it can't see. And I ain't a bad guy. Most of the time."

Spoiler

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Totally got the guilty gear reference.

[true_shinken]

OOC:

Spoiler

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Chrono, I think you are looking at the wrong spell.
Nice that you got the reference, I've been waiting for a moment to use it ever since you said to call him Sol. ^^