Three Goddesses - IC (Thread #2)

[Debbie_D]

Melinda' spell takes effect on Carlita, rendering her insane. She charges down the stairs, attempting to flee from the battle.

[lostsole31]

Drisae brings forth a horrifying demonic insectoid with a putrid stench in front of the lead fleeing guardsman. In Abyssal she shouts, "Slay all of those guardsmen and return for my commands."

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DM: Bebilith ... a DC 25 K: Planes just denotes Outsider, and then every 5 from there brings forth more info. I have to run out now so can't set up the spoiler-in-spoiler.

She points out which guardsmen it must kill pointing it more towards the forward-most one.

A bebility takes up 15' square as a Huge creature, has a 10' reach, and has Improved Grapple.

Drisae, figuring that the rest of the party has Carlita well in hand, gives chase herself after the guards. How far are they when their turn has ended? What were they wearing for armor (and how does that affect speed)?

How far are the guards when the turn started, since they only had one round to move (heavier armor slows them)?

[Debbie_D]

The bebilith snarls and pounces on the first guardsman, snapping at him with a bite and rending him with its claws. The guardsman is unable to escape, and it looks like he will be torn apart next round.

The other guards moved their full movement in chain mail armour, so Drisae could cover the distance to one of them, but that would take up the rest of her turn. (since she was still casting on this turn, then issued an order, then made a move action)

Clyde up, Dot to follow.

[Toliudar]

Dot/Clyde

Dot peered over the edge of the temple roof. She saw Carlita throw her head back, and saw the wildness in her eyes as she made to bolt from the stairs. Dot reminded herself that, although many in their group had the power to shape and reshape minds, Melinda had made it a life's work.

Dot's methods, by contrast, would continue to be rather crude and inelegant. But generally almost as effective.

Gesturing towards the crazed priestess, Dot made a clutching motion, and a mass of transparent tendrils formed around Carlita, trying to drag her to the ground. Her mental voice sought out her colleagues.

"Well. Kill now and leave her corpse on the steps, or take her with us to try to reason with her later? Melinda?"

Taking a firmer hold on the edge of the roof, Clyde grins and reshapes himself into a stony-looking gargoyle.

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Dot casts Telekinesis, using it to try to grapple Carlita.
Touch attack: (1d20+35)[53]
Opposed grapple: (1d20+35)[53]
Nonlethal damage on successful grapple: (1d2+12)[14]

Clyde uses his hat of disguise to look like a gargoyle.

[lostsole31]

Drisae moves 30' and quick draws/ throws a single dagger at once to strike two of the guards running next to each other (the assumption is that they started moving, but hadn't yet scattered ... and only really scatter after the bebilith bars their way).

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MA: Move 30'.
SA: Two w/ One blow allows a single attack against two opponenents next to each other, but at a -4 penalty. Dagger hits either or both, depending on AC. Weak Spot means that these attacks are resolved as RTAs.
* Guard #1 = (1d20+13)[29], damage (1d4+1)[4] + (6d6)[21]
* Guard #2 = (1d20+13)[18], damage (1d4+1)[4] + (6d6)[18]

[Debbie_D]

Carlita managed to take about one step in her urge to flee, and then the shadowy tendrils of Dot's spell reach forth and grapple her down to the ground. Denied the chance to flee, she simply babbles incoherantly.
Meanwhile, Drisae does a dazzling display with her blades, managing to hit two of them with one dagger throw.

Taleira up with Carlita pinned in front of her.

[Kalirren]

Believe me, I'm tempted, responds Melinda. Killing her now will remove the temptation for me to enslave her later. And she did have me killed. She'd never wanted any of this to happen. Maybe she was just living in the past. There would be time to think of that later, she thought, as she marched off to confront the drow and her trigger-happy demon-summoning antics.

Perhaps somewhat annoyingly, she left Dot and Tali without an actual answer.

[Telasi]

Taleira Ulharvyth

Taleira looks disappointed for a second, then her face twists into a diabolic grin. "Well, it isn't the duel I wanted, but there's something satisfying about being able to do whatever I want with you. Just killing you this way is too easy." The succubus leans down, whispering to her captive audience. "No, if you're lucky, you'll just die begging. I'm hoping more for complete betrayal of everything you stood for, though." Tali concludes by planting a draining kiss on the pinned priestess. If she can break her, great. Otherwise, Carlita can find out firsthand what Nocticula thinks of her.

[Toliudar]

Dot rolls her eyes. Usually, it took a good minute after the disappearance of an external threat for this group to start back in with fighting amongst themselves. She gestures to Clyde, and the demon/gargoyle teleports the two of them down to the ground, next to Taleira and Carlita. The transparent tendrils continue to squeeze the high priestess more and more tightly. Several of the strands criss-cross Carlita's face, and enter her gaping mouth.

"Fine. We can resolve this somewhere else. What we can't do is start squabbling here, waiting for city guards or temple forces to wander over. That is not the image we want to project to new friends.

"Clyde's going to bring Carlita and me over to the stables of an old inn where I stayed outside of Paramibo. Tali, Atareth, I'll send you a mental image of the destination in a moment. Clyde will come back here for the rest of you. Then we can start in on the endless recriminations in private, and Taleira can continue her ministrations, if she wishes. All right?"

Not waiting for a response, Dot reaches out to the twitching Carlita. Priestess, gargoyle and mage disappear in an acrid puff of smoke. A few seconds later, Tasha also vanishes, and then Clyde reappears, still looking decidedly gargoyle-ish, and extends a hand of in unspoken offering. Zippy moves to take his hand, and looks around to see who else is joining him.

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Dot uses swift concentration to maintain the telekinesis, and expands the grapple to a pin - using the pin option to deny Carlita the power of speech. The telekinesis continues to do about 13 nonlethal damage each round.

Clyde teleports the three of them to what Dot remembers is a fairly secluded area behind the stables. If it turns out to be not secluded any more, she'll have him teleport them a mile back down the road in search of some privacy. Tasha follows under her own power.

Clyde can take two at a time when teleporting, which is why Dot's heading off with Carlita alone.

[lostsole31]

Drisae, hearing Dot's mental plan, nods to herself. She looks to the bebilith, and points to the temple. "Go in there and kill whatever you can, except for a horse or anyone with these necklaces, until your time here is done."

Drisae strolls back, gathers her dagger, and then hustles back to the group.

[Debbie_D]

The demonic insect would grin with pleasure if it had such facial features. As it is, it just bounds into the temple. As there is no exit from the structure, the screams of terror and death fill the area quite quickly, however, they begin to fade in moments.

Meanwhile, Carlita continues to struggle against her bonds, however when Tali plants her draining kiss on her, a look of blissful ecstasy comes over her face.

Please...again?

Before she can continue to drain the priestess however, Dots teleportation takes effect, and the trio disappear. Moments later, the demon reappears, and those who have the power of self-teleportation recieve a mental image of the stable Dot mentioned.

With several applications of teleport, both self and demon generated, the party is, in moments, standing in the stables of the Star of Paramibo.

[Toliudar]

Dot

Blissfully unaware of the chaos sown back in the temple, Dot nods as Clyde and Shadow appear in a final 'bamf.' The gargoyle drops a hand to help Dot back up onto his shoulder, and, after a brief mental conversation, assumes the form of a uniformed human footman. The Dot of battle is clearly gone again, and the businesswoman is back in charge.

Dot gestures to the slack form of the high priestess, now pressed into the ground nearby. At a gesture from Dot, Tasha nods and begins systematically stripping off robes, jewelry, and other things that would either identify the body or be of intrinsic interest. As items comes off, Dot quickly outlines their power and purpose for the group, the better to put these unwilling offerings to the service of the Triune.

After a few moments, Dot glances up from watching Tasha's work, and around at her colleagues.

"Well, in my opinion, this woman cannot be allowed to live. That kind of combination of bull-headed, reckless, politically powerful and personally powerful is too dangerous. I suppose that what we've just done will have to serve as a warning to others who seek to harm us - that if we can be found and killed, so can they. Melinda's vengeance on Carlita's mind, brilliant though it is, can be undone. I say we kill her now and scatter the ashes."

She nods at Atareth.

"But I suspect that not everyone is going to feel that way. So I'm open to other suggestions."

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It'll take about a minute to complete all of the teleporting back and forth. I'm assuming that it's trivial for Dot's telekinesis to eventually do enough nonlethal damage to render Carlita unconscious.

Lewt from Carlita's body, aside from priestly robes and the like:
Bracers of Armour +8
Cloak of Resistance +5
Scimitar +5
Amulet of Natural Armour +5, Health +6
Periapt of Wisdom +6
Belt of Strength +6
Ring of Protection +4

[Kalirren]

If it takes a good minute to complete the teleport transfers, then something gets to happen...

Edit: This scene shifted into PM, because not everyone is there to see it.

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* post roll count doesn't match database

[Debbie_D]

With one final BAMF, the last two members of the group, Melinda and Drisae, arrive in the stable, courtesy of Clyde's teleport efforts. The First Priestess overcomes her teleport nausea more quickly than you have ever seen her do, and is glowering at Drisea. Obviously, someting transpired between the two.

[Kalirren]

So what's our topic now? Melinda asks. She visibly abandons the stare she is giving Drisae, forcibly refocusing herself upon the new scenery. We haven't descended into bickering yet?

"I say we kill her now and scatter the ashes...But I suspect that not everyone is going to feel that way. So I'm open to other suggestions."

Same topic, seems like. Funny how that works. Melinda's eyes do the beginning of an eyeroll. Actually, as Drisae and I were discussing earlier, those of us who follow Nocticula are in fact forbidden from taking the lives of those who have not given themselves over to lust. She looks around bemusedly for reactions. So we shouldn't just kill her, as convenient as it may be to do so. opines Melinda. And I won't.

No, we'll just have to break her first. She looks over to Tali. Do I have any volunteers for that?

[Telasi]

Taleira Ulharvyth

We are? I must have been asleep for that part. Back on the topic at hand, though, I was working on doing that before we switched locales. I will quite happily get back on it as soon as Dot gets the magic tentacles out of her mouth. She did ask nicely, after all.

[Toliudar]

Dot shrugged.

"Well, you don't need me for this. I'll make sure you're not disturbed. Give a shout when you're ready to go."

Leaving the priestess and her equipment scattered in the dirt, Dot and Clyde file out to the front of the stables, followed by Tasha and, after he gives Carlita a lingering look, Zippy.

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Work kicks into overdrive tomorrow, for a period of two weeks. Happy to have a scene go on without for a bit.

[Telasi]

Taleira Ulharvyth

Tali doesn't wait for objections once Dot steps aside. "All right, you asked nicely, so you can have another." True to her word, Taleira drains Carlita a second time.

[lostsole31]

Taleira

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Wow. We're not supposed to kill. And yet, at least of what I know of your exploits and having lived the life I have .... we are pretty terrible Nocticulans.

[Telasi]

Taleira Ulharvyth

Drisae

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I've managed to miss that one my whole life, apparently. Not that many people complain about who I kill when a fight starts. Maybe I get a pass because I'm not a priestess? I'd think Nocticula would have said something if she had a problem with me, though.

[Debbie_D]

Carlita struggles a bit and her eyes go wide with fear as Taleira approaches her...No...NO...but as soon as the kiss is applied, the blissful ecstasy takes her, and her whole body relaxes. Its just so wonderful...again?

[Telasi]

Taleira Ulharvyth

"After that little performance of yours? I've already kissed you twice - for free - and you're still alive. The list of people who can say that is very short, but you don't strike me as the least bit grateful. Tell me, why should I even consider giving you a third?" Taleira tries to keep a straight face and even look a little offended as she asks the question, though she seems amused across the mindlink.

[Debbie_D]

Carlita looks horrified that you would deny her.
No...please...you have to...Ive never felt anything like this before...PLEASE

[lostsole31]

Taleira (RP)

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I am a priestess, sure. And the overall focus is not lost on us. But within our own ranks there are those of us who must protect or avenge when we need to. I am no succubus, and even my charms are minimal. My entire life was spent more as a street warrior supported by a goddess, rather than a priestess buoyed by some dagger tricks.

[Telasi]

Taleira Ulharvyth

Tali hovers just out of reach, taunting Carlita. "Nothing, hmm? I'd feel sorry for you, but you were busy snubbing me and mine not two minutes ago. Are you saying you were wrong and you want me now?" If she gives the right answer, she gets another kiss.

Drisae

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The succubus thing is new for me. Up until recently, I was just an adventurer affiliated with the church. Then the Cup, then I make an off-hand remark, then Nocticula shows up personally offering to make me hot and immortal. My life is pretty awesome, actually.

[PSinger]

To keep mind and vision off of what she doesn't want to see, Atareth rides Sword around in a wide perimeter of the party. Sometimes its easier to see ground threats from the ground. After that, she'll have Sword by the party and take to the air for the same. She'll try to be stealthy.

[Kalirren]

The First Priestess watches the developments with undisguised interest. She'd seen confused people react single-mindedly to the first stimulus that entered their sphere of awareness. But for that stimulus to be a succubus's kiss was unprecedented in Melinda's experience. She had some idea of what it was like - but she had welcomed it when fate had brought that experience her way. You know, I pity her, Tali, remarks Melinda. Do you?

Melinda crosses over the scene and stoops behind the kneeling Carlita. Her round face appears just behind the prisoner's head, framing the Silescian's dishevelled tresses. Look, she's already out of answers. She's not ready for this at all. Do you need her to have an advocate?

[Debbie_D]

Carlita ignores Melinda (and pretty much everyone else for that matter), her attention is focused solely on Taleira. She looks like she is ready to burst into tears at your hesitance and is practically begging.

I was wrong, Silescia is wrong. Shes blind to what you offer. Ive never felt bliss and release like that before. Please?

[Telasi]

Taleira Ulharvyth

Tali's reply to Melinda seems a little confused. Why? You were the one who wanted me to break her, and I'm doing that. If you want to help, though, be my guest.

Taleira looks genuinely pleased by Carlita's latest statement. "Good." For a correct answer, the priestess gets a kiss. "And you're getting ahead of me now. Keep telling me things I want to hear, and I will keep doing this." Tali drains her a fourth time, since she earned a little extra credit. "So, Silescia is wrong. Does that mean you won't serve her anymore?"

[Debbie_D]

The combination of two kisses in a row has Carlita reeling, she is now totally lost in the experience, and her answers are getting a bit disjointed. Her voice sounds almost drunk.

serve?...why?...who?...i feel like a goddess...i dont need a goddess...lest of all one that denies me this

You notice her holy symbol, taken and strewn on the floor earlier by Dot, it was a bright silver when she wore it, but now, a tarnish has overtaken it, and it seems shrunk and slightly mangled.

ha, ha, ha, wheeee, im flying in the clouds, kiss me into ecstasy please