The Resistance(IC)

[PersonMan]

It depends on the precise manner in which the Spirit World is influenced. Some Mirroring Grasps can cause specific beings to lose consciousness while others obscure areas or cause great damage to whatever they are used upon. Seriss explains.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Kator looks around the room and down at his glaive, but he sees no reason to join in a conversation about something that'll be explained anyway.

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Danid nods at Seriss in a friendly and thankful manner, as if he understands her explanation. Still a bit confused, though, he looks around the room and tries to establish eye-contact with the others. Him being new in this team makes that he wants adapt to their methods. "So...what do we make of this? Do we move on? It seems there is no opening that door?"

[TekHed]

"So...these mirroring grasps are some kind of magical environmental phenomena? You implied earlier that these grasps might be responsible for the death of these men, but not any kind you have heard of. Explain please what you are talking about as if we have never heard of mirroring grasps and know nothing of sorcery..."

[PersonMan]

Well, Mystic and I use the spirit world to either effect the material world through Mirroring Grasps, or we see through the spirit world to enhance our sight in the material one. What mystic did before is an example of the latter. An example of the former...well, the flames that scorched the ground were probably made with them. Seriss explains. At their core, the Mirroring Grasps use one's own essence to cause a change in the spirit world, a change so great that its effects spill over into the material world. They do things that are otherwise impossible - flames that appear to burn something then disappear instantly, for example.

[TekHed]

"Well, I suppose that is interesting in the academic sense. I'm not sure how it helps us here but if you notice anything else keep us informed. Now, how the heck can we get this door opened?"

[TekHed]

"No one has any ideas? Well...I'm just going to have to risk opening it then...any remnants of the old Gnomish States military could be a valuable aid to the resistance."

Reluctantly, and poised to dodge or dash at the slightest indication of a trap, Soren attempted to pry open the vault door.

[PersonMan]

Soren's attempt to pry open the door are met with failure at first, but after a few moments of pulling something gives way and the gnome nearly falls on his back due to the sudden lack of resistance. He manages to keep his footing, however, and the door swings open on apparently well-oiled hinges, revealing a well-lit room about ten feet wide and of similar length. It's clear that the room was made primarily for gnomes and beings of similar stature, although it is high enough that humans can stay in the room without constantly ducking

The center of the room is dominated by a five foot wide stream of dirty-looking water, and apart from it the room is all but empty, although another doorway is ahead. Instead of another door, only an old curtain keeps you from seeing into the next chamber. On the right side of the room is yet another sign of recent activity: a chest, used by the militaries of various nations to store weapons, as unaffected by the ravages of time as the door. The lock has been removed, and inside are a handful of weapons, many of them clearly Erishian, and a pair of flasks set apart from everything else.

The stream flows from a roughly-cut hole in the wall at about knee height (for a gnome) and seems to simply flow down into the ground. Whatever dirtied the water is making it essentially impossible to see into it.

The curtain is obviously either older or simply less maintained than the door and chest. It seems to have been stained and scorched multiple times, the formerly red color now resembling that of dried blood.

Soren, Danid:

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You notice that edges of the stream are rough, as if a passage was cut or smashed into the floor for the water to flow through. While the edges have been smoothed a bit by the passing water, it's clear that this happened only recently.

[TekHed]

His kusari-gama jumping into his hand like liquid lightning (thanks to the new power crystal), Soren's body tensed into an acrombats poise, ready to move and primed for stealth. He motioned for the others to follow him silently as he approach the curtain, alert for any signs of an occupant.

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Litsen (1d20+5)[9]

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Danid makes the gesture, clearly visible to his wolf, that stands for stalking and follows Soren, alarmed by his sudden vigilance. Weary for any signs of danger, he peers and listens intently.

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Spot: (1d20+12)[29]
Listen: (1d20+12)[20]

[PersonMan]

The next room can only be described as a cross between an alchemist's lab and a library. Near the doorway are several bowls of what seems to be ink, each resting on a single pedestal-like piece of stone. A faint smell is in the air, a slightly stronger scent much like that of the fetid water in the chamber. Several bookshelves, short by gnomish standards and puny by human ones, are topped with dozens of vials and bottles, all filled with the same black liquid as is in the bowls. Set apart from the rest of the room by a thick rug is a 'reading area' comprised of several taller bookshelves, a small table and a large chair. Sitting in the chair is a corpse, pale and seemingly mummified, dressed in clothes that seem to be quite old.

Those are the robes that the mage of the city would wear, before the war. Seriss says.

On the table in front of the chair is a large, ancient-looking tome opened to a page covered with nonsensical scrawling in languages that none of you recognize. After a moment it becomes clear that there are four different scripts - one blocky and with long words, another flowing and with no obvious separation into words or sentences, a third made up of symbols that are arranged completely different from the others and a final one which is only barely visible as a single line curving around the page.

Behind the tome is a map of the city, with dozens of small wood pieces noting gnomish and Erishian forces. The map shows a large group of Erishians focused on the front gates of the city, with a smaller force of defenders grouped up in the walls nearby. Some of the wood pieces are circular, although only one is present in the city and seems to be at your location, the others being mixed in at random with the Erishians.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Kator steadies his glaive in his hand, ready to thrust it at the corpse if it moves.

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Ready standard action attack triggered if the corpse moves.

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Danid looks at the map and then moves towards the corpse. "Judging by our new friend's condition here, this map might be old...out of date. What do the circles stand for, you think?" When he arrives at the corpse, he starts studying it. "What killed you, little man?"

Rolls:

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Heal (1d20+9)[19]
and
Knowledge (nature) (1d20+9)[14]
To try and find out what has happened to him.

[TekHed]

Soren kept his guard up as he examined the room. Looking at the corpse (from a healthy distance) he appraised the official robes. "The 'Dead Mage' perhaps...or someone using that legend to cover their own nefarious purposes?"

[PersonMan]

Danid:

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Your knowledge of anatomy and the natural processes decomposition make it fairly simple for you to tell that something isn't quite right with the small man. Natural mummies, although quite rare in this climate, do occur, but this isn't one. Well, not quite. A natural mummy normally shrivels up as it dries, the tissues shrinking as the water is pulled from them, but this one...well, it's as if the water in its body was replaced with something else, rather than simply removed.

Although you can't tell very well due to the clothing, it's clear that whatever killed this man wasn't an animal or weapon - magic or the elements did him in.

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Danid looks up as Soren mentions dead mages again. "Well, this man did not die naturally, I think. Well, maybe he did, but his current physical state is not natural. Might be magic. Of the type I do not appreciate." He looks up at Kator. "I might be able to tell more if I could see his skin, beneath his clothes. Would you mind removing them while I investigate?" Danid smiles, feebly, though.

[TekHed]

"Careful...something about this doesn't smell right, and I'm not talking about that ichor..."

[Hiro Protagonest]

Kator sets his glaive tip against the mage's robes, seeing if the acid will do anything to the clothes.

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Danid holds his breath as Kator is manipulating the clothes of the corpse, waiting for a better chance to inspect the skin beneath.

[PersonMan]

Kator's glaive leaves slowly growing black marks on the robes which, after a few seconds of contact, stop spreading. The 'corpse' doesn't move at all.

Soren, Danid:

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You both hear something which sounds like footsteps and a low conversation, coming from the chamber outside. The voices abruptly stop, after which the movement slowes and becomes impossible to hear.

[TekHed]

Soren shifted his stance subtly and moved to flank the doorway, the flickering shadows in the room seeming to coalesce around him.

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move action switch stances, move 10 feet over to flank the entrance (staying far enough to use his reach), gain concealment for the next turn. Initiative for when needed: (1d20+5)[25]Dayum...consider his action held, ready to interrupt the intruders when they try and act...

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Danid signals Kator clearly and then places his finger over his mouth while nudging towards the door. He moves, if possible, so that there is an object between him and the foor, preventing being charged and he directs his wolf to stand before him and fight, if necessary.

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Initiative, if needed:
(1d20+1)[17]

[Hiro Protagonest]

Kator brings his glaive around, checking on the corpse every few seconds as he watches the entrance.

[PersonMan]

The curtain hides whatever is on the other side from view, although you can see flickering light, as if there was a fire on the other side of it. There is no crackling, only the sound of the burning itself is present. After a moment, someone steps in front of the flame (the long shadow on the floor betrays this) and speaks. Dogs of the Erish, prepare to meet your end! In coming here, you have only sealed off your only way to retreat! Burn and die!

The voice is full of all but supernatural hate and has an entirely unnatural tone to it, as if some sort of magic was roughly projecting the sound rather than a living being. Suddenly, the curtain explodes as a blast of dark red energy blazes through it, flying through the room and striking the opposite wall, tearing pieces of stone apart and leaving a rough hole about the breadth of a human fist (although it doesn't seem to have 'cut' very deeply into the wall).

With the curtain gone you can see, in stark contrast between the brightly lit back and the darkened front, what seems to be a walking corpse. It's a gnome, wearing tattered burial shrouds to which half a dozen bloody Erishian officer's medals are roughly clipped. The gnome's teeth are long and sharp, inhumanly white apart from where dried blood stains them. In one hand, more dark energy flits across the fingers of the gnome. It's clear that something took a blade to him, as multiple large gashes are present on his body, although all seem to have roughly pulled themselves closed.

Behind the gnome is a 6-foot-tall vaguely humanoid fire. Nothing fuels it, but its flames seem to be drawing power from somewhere, as they grow and the noise becomes a roar. Barely visible is some sort of core, white hot, within the center of the blaze - perhaps the source of the heat?

Behind the blaze, shining bright in the light, is what seems to be a floating blob of water, with small eye-like spots floating in it. Small sac-like sections are slowly forming on its edge, and what could be called a tentacle is reaching down into the stream, sucking water into the main body.

Combat Begins!
Initiative Order:
Soren - 25
Flamer - 24
Laser Gnome - 23
Watersack - 19
Danid - 17
Kator - 12
Serris - 6

Combat Map.

[TekHed]

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Soren interjected. "We're not Erish...we're the resistance! See! We're gnomes!" he added, removing his hat of disguise. He pointed at Kator, "The orc over there is a defector, he's on our side..."

He kept his weapon readied but tried diplomacy. "So...you must be the dead mage then?"

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Free action to speak, if the elemental attacks Soren will interrupt it's action.

[PersonMan]

As Soren speaks, the gnome turns towards him, another orb of energy half-formed in his hand. The roar of the flames changes, as if a different wind was sweeping through the fire. The gnome seems to listen for a moment, considering the other gnome with eye sockets filled only by flickering red light.

Hakreg and I aren't inclined to believe you - prove that you aren't traitors working for the Erish! The mummified gnome demands, indicating you all with a sweeping gesture.

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Danid swiftly taps his wolf's head, calming it, indicating to not attack or defend right now. While his eyes dart he thinks for a moment and speaks up: "For one, we are not attacking you like immoral madmen would..." He does his best to assume a non-agressive pose.

[TekHed]

Soren sighed.

"I am...Soren St. Croix." he announced, revealing his real name for the first time in his new company. "Son of the Duke and Duchess St. Croix of the gnomish nobility. My father was slain leading our forces during the Erish invasion and my mother and I fled along the underground railroads to safety. I speak to you now as a initiate of the Order of the Silent Flame, and have never before since our flight revealed my true name and title. As heir to the Duchy of St. Croix, I would be a prime target for the occupational forces were they to learn of my identity. I tell you now, as proof of my sincerity."

Slowly he puts both handles of his weapon into his off-hand, then carefully reaches underneath his armor and clothing to remove a golden signet ring concealed within upon a silver chain.

"The ring of the House of St. Croix, my father's legacy."

[PersonMan]

The mummified gnome narrows his eyes at Soren. While he no longer seems as hostile, it doesn't seem like he trusts you entirely yet. His gaze sweeps the room, and as he looks past Kator and Danid, what little reduction there has been in the hate fades slightly. Speak for yourselves, you two! Tell me who you are and why you're here! The gnome demands, the lights in his eyes glowing a bit more brightly. The crackling energy in his palm only fades slightly - none of you doubt that he can still send another blast at you, although Soren's positioning means that, if he does so, the resistance fighter can put him under immediate attack.

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Danid looks straight at the mummified gnome and answers him. "My name is Danid. A simple farmer until recently. I am here to seek out Erish to avenge my fallen comrades." He nudges at his animal companion. "The wolf is with me."