[Nexus] Temples of Dalachrech I

[happyturtle]

Hermitage Slave Quarters

Brand will likewise not discover the keys, as he's busy trying to comfort / charm the slaves.

[Darkcomet]

[Hermitage - Air/Gate]

DC is...pretty much just waiting on the others while he's up in the air.

He did keep listening down there (cheating psychic) and he's not about to get everyone stuck in traps because he felt trigger-happy.

Unless there's actually something else to do here? Can't tell.

[Earl of Purple]

Hermitage- Outside/Across the Gate

"OK. You follow good, now." The ettercap will carefully walk out, taking a weaving and irregular path across to the gate. There's lots of turns, and without the ettercap finding the path would be very difficult, if not impossible.

And DC could have thrown across some trees to make a bridge, or tried to pull the spiders out from their burrows beneath the trap doors. Although I don't know if DC's telekinesis would enable him to feel the spiders hiding beneath the earth or not, so the last might not be a viable option.

Inside Temple

When Hekta touches the gold idol, she might just get a divine vision from Dalachrech, and see herself tied to a rock surrounded by beetles. She's not alone; several others are also tied to the rock. The beetles slowly rise and as they do, they'll slowly and painfully eat her flesh. After she's been completely devoured, the beetles sink again and her flesh regenerates. A booming divine voice will then state: If you take that statue, this will be your fate for the rest of eternity. Take it, and die twice a day for the rest of time. Or leave, and live the rest of your life cold, hungry and alone. Or serve Me. The choice is yours.

If Hekta doesn't get the vision, the idol won't resist being taken.

[Morty]

[Across the Gate]

Wenomir follows the ettercap, eager to finally get inside the temple.

[UncleWolf]

Hermitage - Slave Quarters

As Waterstrider sets down the bar inside the room, he spots the keys on the back of the door when he goes to shut it behind them. Once he does so, he grabs them and offers them to Justin. "These should help." He offers.

[OrchestraHc]

Justin takes the key, a little surprised these guys were so confident in that they put their shackle keys in the same room as the shackled. He'll use the keys on the shackles.

[Shadowcaller]

Inside Temple

Eww! We! Ew! EW!

The little demon retreats back for a moment and looks around the room in panic, trying to get off the non-existing beetles. In her panic she accidentally knocks the idol over (unless it resists this somehow) before realizing it was some sort of trick.

She peers at the idol which now rests on the floor was there like a tiny person inside it trying to scare her with some sort of illusion? Well, she was much smarter then that!

Grabbing the idol she sticks her tongue out and loudly tells it, "Not so booming now huh? You can't trick me!" She will then stuff it under her shirt and attempt to leave the same way she came.

Hermitage- Outside/Across the Gate

The Cessie-elemental follows the ettercap along with Wenomir I suppose?
Her player can hardly remember the original plan anymore.

[Earl of Purple]

Inside Temple- Altar Room

Nothing stops Hekta from knocking the idol, nor from taking it. Although when it reaches the door to the altar room it squirms and wriggles, trying to escape her grasp. No booming accompanies its movements, though it's Dalachrech's work- He doesn't want His idol falling into the hands of a non-believer.

Hermitage- Slave Quarters

It's not bold, really- the door was barred from outside and the key is out of the reach of the slaves. Even if they could reach it, they couldn't escape the room, and if they did that they'd meet centipedes on the way out.

"Thank you, master. What would you have us do?" The slave's quite meek and looks down as he says it, not daring to make eye contact.

[happyturtle]

Hermitage - Slave Quarters

"Stay quiet and keep close," Brand says. He figures they'll have better luck convincing slaves that they aren't slaves after they're free from the temple.

[Shadowcaller]

Inside Temple- Altar Room

The idol will manage to get out of the shirt before she catches it again with both her claws.

"Oh no you don't!" She exclaims before attempting to take it outside again, now with a much firmer grip. "You're going right into my stuff-pile."

[OrchestraHc]

Hermitage-Slaves quarters

Bold because a slave who was clever or bold himself would give the whole room a chance however slim.

"Annoying, but not enough time for an explanation," he comments. "Everybody stay between me in front and Waterstrider in rear," he directs them. "Guys," he asks his teammates, "What do you want to do about Mine? He's in the same room as Elizabethele."

[Halae]

[Hermitage - On the way to reeeeeescuuuuuuuue]

Harnel will follow the steps laid out by the ettercap to get to the gate, and go through. Assuming the group follows him, he'll walk straight up to the door and knock. He's knocking very hard. In fact, he may end up splintering the door a bit.

Hmm. I wonder why he's so angry?

[happyturtle]

Hermitage-Slaves quarters

Bold because a slave who was clever or bold himself would give the whole room a chance however slim.

"Annoying, but not enough time for an explanation," he comments. "Everybody stay between me in front and Waterstrider in rear," he directs them. "Guys," he asks his teammates, "What do you want to do about Mine? He's in the same room as Elizabethele."

"We'll have to kill Elizabethele, of course," Brand says, in a perfectly matter of fact tone.

[UncleWolf]

Hermitage- Slave Quarters

Waterstrider gives a bit of a growl when the word Master is tossed about, and even though Justin's suggestion is a good one, he shakes his head. "No. You two get the slaves out. I can take care of the priestess." he growls in obvious bloodlust.

[happyturtle]

Hermitage Slave Quarters

Brand is startled by the growl, but it brings him to his senses somewhat. He had seen Waterstrider like this before, when they were in the slave caravan together. And then there was the night that one of the guards came for Pansy. Waterstrider had reached right through the bars and clawed out his throat.

Waterstrider had been punished, but nobody ever came after Pansy again. Instead, they'd gone after Renetta, who had been in a separate wagon to them, where there was no Wolfen to protect her.

What if he had to go back and tell Renetta that Waterstrider was dead?

What if the six slaves they were trying to rescue now were killed because Waterstrider wasn't with them?

But how could they leave Mine to be used the way Renetta had been?

"I... No. We can't. You can't. I was wrong." Brand says, the words coming out painfully. "We can't risk six lives to save one. Maybe the others can get to Elizabethele."

[OrchestraHc]

Hermitage - Slave Quarters

Wow. From Waterstrider it was a bit expected, but Brand? Brand strikes you as the last guy to suggest killing. "To take Mine, we may have to, and that's admirable, Waterstrider, but facing anyone alone? That's like asking to be caught and killed, or caught and sacrificed, or caught and have her take out six missing slaves on you, and then sacrificed." It's a pessimistic outlook, but it's realistic. "It's not like we're splitting up. It's on the way. We can rush her together. She might actually be useful alive, if we can capture her. Not that I'm asking you to hold back on my account. Just an idea." It's pretty clear Brand isn't included in that "we."

"I'm going to make one last call to the others before we set out. Everyone be ready to move." Activating that link one more time, Blondie to Watch, we have the majority of slaves, only one left with this place's boss. The plan is to go after her ourselves. Any advice?

[Morty]

[Hermitage - On the way to reeeeeescuuuuuuuue]

Harnel will follow the steps laid out by the ettercap to get to the gate, and go through. Assuming the group follows him, he'll walk straight up to the door and knock. He's knocking very hard. In fact, he may end up splintering the door a bit.

Hmm. I wonder why he's so angry?

Wenomir also strolls up to the door and bangs on it.

[Earl of Purple]

Inside Temple

The idol will resist until it's left the Temple (unless the 'outside' is 'outside the altar room', because then it will try to return to its original place). There's more doors, though, ones Hekta hasn't tried if she wants to try and find more loot, hopefully loot that won't try to escape.

Hermitage- Slave Quarters

The four slaves just taken from their chambers will not protest or do anything they aren't asked yet. They aren't aware that they're freed.

Hermitage- Outside

There's no response to the knocking. "It be night, yes? So door be stayingk closed- none be there for the openingk." I think it's night for these guys because they're trying to do it at the same time as the guys inside, who are working at night.

[The Alexandrian]

Underside Temple

"That is interesting indeed, Sylvia. And I don't think you're less pleasant to look at, not at all. I think this form is as beautiful as your human one." Charynrae will reach out to lightly stroke the fur on Sylvia's arm, savouring the texture.

[Underside Temple]

Charynrae shall discover that Sylvia's fur is soothingly warm, thickly layered, silky-smooth, and absolutely well-groomed. Her transformation cleans her up too, ostensibly. Either way, she's evidently a salubrious...whatever she is.

Charynrae's reaction to Sylvia's metamorphosis catches her completely off-guard. Most civilized sapients she has encountered have feared her bellicose visage soon after she revealed it, whether by choice or by instinct. It is refreshing to find someone so open-minded who doesn't spurn her when she looks as she does now.

Sylvia returns to rubbing her cheek where she was struck with some palpable level of astonish. She doesn't find Charynrae's actions blameworthy. She is rather stunned that Charynrae would dare touch her as she is. The slavers hadn't if they could avoid it, but seeing as she wounded quite a few of them, it makes sense that they would be reluctant to do so and Charynrae would not. She poses no threat to Charynrae and she is aware of that fact, but still...

"Are you cccertain, Charynrae? You don't deem me distasssteful or reprobate as I am?"

-------

Percival's Quarters

"Ah, but unlike them, I understand that valuable things should be treated with the respect they deserve," Percy explains, flashing a mild smile. The demonazi deliberately left out the words 'expensive' and 'merchandise'. He turns and stoops to open up the chest at the foot of his bed, the only place where he keeps anything at all. "That is, of course, provided you can prove yourself deserving of my respect."

Apparently he's not quite done with the charismatic speeches. Percival certainly isn't giving up any secrets to eternal life - he's not even certain she would undertake the necessary steps. Rather, he's trying to befriend her. Promise vague, better futures.

Perhaps he'll eventually free her entirely and elevate her to serve the Church, if she proves both useful and loyal.

[Percival's Quarters]

That, of course, implies that the religion will persist until Eericka has proven herself worthy of such an honor, which WATCH and some of GLoG's membership seem dead set against.

Anyway, Percival's tactics may or may not prove effectual. Only time and continual practice of them will tell.

Eericka is fairly certain that Percival's schedule and tastes are strictly regimented, so when she notices him heading over to unseal his neat box of material possessions, she does her best to glance over at them to determine what types of wealth he takes pride in or, at the very least, enjoys to some extent.

Eericka is not in the least accustomed to such sweet flattery, especially from the mouth of one of her betters.

"So you don't... I mean, you..."

"You won't hurt me unnecessarily?"

[Murkus]

((Earl, is Percival's room close enough to hear Harnel splintering the door?))

[Percival's Quarters]

"I will try to avoid it," Percival explains, digging into his chest. Eericka won't see much - Percival's guns, made of a scorched, black steel - and a few of his clothes. Personal effects are scarce - an amulet, by the look of it, and a small brown pouch. A piece of crumpled paper is also hidden inside the chest.

Eericka won't get the best look before Percy shuts the lid. "I'm not an easy man to anger, Eericka." He straightens quickly. "Now, if you wouldn't mind going down to the kitchen and fetching food for this... Durant..." Percival gestures toward the steel insect to their right. The creature, eager as it had been before, has been quietly watching for the last five minutes or so.

[Darkcomet]

Hermitage- Outside

There's no response to the knocking. "It be night, yes? So door be stayingk closed- none be there for the openingk." I think it's night for these guys because they're trying to do it at the same time as the guys inside, who are working at night.

It's at this point that DC descends back down, his right hand flaring up with that red aura.

The group gets a message. Deal with the guide for me.

Then the psychic raises his hand toward the door, attempting to telekinetically grab it and blast it inward, off its hinges and into any poor sap who happens to be standing behind it at the time.

[Shadowcaller]

Inside Temple

Once she's out of the room Hekta will just look around a bit, careful to not disturb anything unless she have to. She might be greedy but the theft of the idol would probably be noticed sooner or later, not to mention that those visions had creeped her out. Better not stay too long.

Hermitage - Slave Quarters

We're at the front door now, just try to be careful so they don't take any hostages. Keep together and inform me if you run into any trouble. I'll try to keep in the back to keep you informed about our progress. Cessie replies through their link. Just remember there are traps out here so don't make the slaves rush out the front door. That would not end well.

She looks at the other two for alternatives to subdue the entercap. In this elemental form she wasn't any good at non-lethal forms of combat.

She will telepathically inform them all about what Justin just told her of course.

[Morty]

[Hermitate - Entrance]

Wenomir unseathes his sword and says to the ettercap: Get back to your post.

[Earl of Purple]

Inside Temple

Well, the door out of the Altar Room leads back into the Foyer, with six other drapes with doors behind them and the way out of the Temple. If Hekta flees the Temple entirely, the idol stops fighting, although Dalachrech will use it to send bad dreams and claiming that worshipping Him is the only way to stop them. If she heads deeper into the Temple, the idol won't stop fighting, but it won't try to hurt her or make any noise, so besides being distracting it won't cause her to reveal herself.

Underside Temple

Charynrae smiles at Sylvia's nervousness. "Above the waist, I am drow, a type of elf that, whilst inherently superior, is nearly identical to humans. Below the waist, I am a massive spider. In addition, my eyes are not humanoid eyes and are instead beetle ones. I was not born a drider- I was drow, but I displeased the goddess of the drow and was cursed with this form. My family find me distasteful and refuse to speak of me, let alone to me. I was abandoned by my friends and allies, though got my revenge by stealing eggs from a temple to the goddess of drow and converting to the Lord of Invertebrates. Am I reprehensible, distasteful or unattractive?" Charynrae tilts her head to one side. She thinks she knows the answer, but Sylvia's actions and mannerisms have convinced her that she was wrong and has caused her to re-evaluate herself. So whilst she still thinks she knows the answer, the answer she'd give now is different to the one she would have given before she met Sylvia.

Hermitage- Outside

The door is blasted inwards, or most of it is- the steel bar that was dropped into place to lock the door is bent, and the wooden door around it has completely shattered, but the bar keeps some of it up. Not enough to make an effective barrier, however that's irrelevant for now- blasting down the door triggered a wall of invisible sword blades to start swinging before them. Beyond the door is a long corridor that leads around a corner in both directions, with two doors opposite the main entrance. One door is large and carved with the symbol of a two-tailed scorpion, the other door is smaller and plainer and seems to try and blend in with the wall around it.

((Murkus, in case you missed my post in the OoC, Percival's room is on the floor above the door- potentially close enough to detect the break in, but far enough away that it may take a while to arrive- nobody sleeps on the ground floor; all the bedrooms are on the first floor))

[UncleWolf]

Hermitage Slave Quarters

When Brand and Justin speak, the image of Renetta flashes through Waterstrider's mind. His paws clench in anger before his rage begins to subside. Brand was right. They couldn't risk it. The Wolfen's next growl is directed at Justin, likely catching his attention. "Then that would have been something I would have accepted, but the halfling is right. You can go and fight the priestess yourself, but we are going to get these slaves out." His tone reveals that he's still furious at everything, but something has clearly cut through his bloodlust.

[OrchestraHc]

((Whoops, completely missed Happyturtle's post before my last, would have responded differently. Lemme see if I can't roll with it.))

Hermitage - Slave Quarters

"No. Freaking. Way. I was less than comfortable dealing with her when the plan was two on one." Getting eaten by evil bugs is a pretty big line for Justin. "Also, cool it. Being angry isn't going to solve anything. I only suggested it because I know we'd all lose sleep over Mine." He's not aware that Waterstrider is a "savage," and anger is a boost for him.

"Alright, let me call it in and ask."

Mind Link

The vote is in, any chance you can nab the last one on your path through? We can't risk the number we have, but I don't think we can just leave him.

[Morty]

[Hermitage- Outside]

While he can't see the blades the trap has conjured, Wenomir can tell they're there - the movement of the air and the unmistakable feeling of danger he has developed during his years of fighting.
Looks like a trap. We need to get rid of it. Cessie? He asks, looking at the elemental.

[happyturtle]

Hermitage Slave Quarters

"Right. Let's get moving." Brand says. Time for the party to head towards the exit!

[Shadowcaller]

[Hermitage- Outside]

"I could try, but remember I'm limited to this elemental body at the moment so I can't grantee anything." Cessie says before going up to the door and sends a powerful wall of fire through the door. The flames will dispatch before they really set fire to anything but the blast wave itself might cause the sword blades to be thrown back.

We'll try to grab the last one if you can direct us there, we are trying to force our way inside at the moment. Some sort of magical blade trap is blocking our path. She replies to Justin.

[Darkcomet]

[Hermitage - Outside]

DC, meanwhile, decides to do something vaguely convenient, and attempts to telekinetically remove the steel bar still partially blocking the doorway.

Then launch it further inside.

"I'll just get that while you're busy with the trap..."