DrK's Gestalt Game IC

[Mishkov]

Jeb picks up his tiger in his arms and carries him out as the others attend to Grillin. Jeb remarks, "I worry about where his soul has roamed to. I feel his was good at heart even if his decisions had not been the best perchance." It had been a hard day, their victory seemed hollow even if they had cleared abominations from the world. He thanks Nan, and the tiger begins to move around once again. It was not the first time the beast had been injured but it still weighed heavily upon him.

He looked up to see a cottage that he hadn't seen previously. As he squinted off into the distance the druid remarked, "Was that there yesterday..?" He moves to approach it.

[Tombs]

The small cottage is made of the same stone as the ruins around it and has a thatched roof. It looks sturdy and weather-beaten - it could have been there for a long time, except it wasn't there a day or so ago. On the front porch of the cottage a female elf is sitting at a table, drinking something from a small cup. She is small, with short dark hair and is watching the party emerge with sharp, midnight blue eyes. Her face appears to be tattooed and she is dressed in a plain explorer's garb, worn loose in the heat of the jungle. There is a black scabbard of about longsword size within her easy reach, but she makes no immediate move towards it.

[Chambers]

Baervard

"Not all endings are final. There may still be a chance later..." Baervard says to Jeb as they crest the wall but stops when he sees the cottage. Taking a second look around to make sure there are no other newly sprung up cottages he slides his warhammer into it's sling. He reaches up and takes off the dark tinted glasses he wears outside and squints in the light. Without the goggles the ragged scar running along his face can be seen clearly and he keeps his eyes on the elf as he approaches and stops before the tree line.

"Illyanas." He says in elven, the fey tongue sounding rough and abrasive coming from a dwarf. << Fair be our meeting, for our hearts are light and our swords sheathed, we hold peace in our hands and its light guides us. >> He clears his throat and nods. "I am Baervard Deepaxe, elf-friend to Prince Aldain Lillian. These are my companions." He says in the trade tongue and waves his hand towards everyone, then folds his arms and waits. If she has business with us, she'll tell us herself. No use in questioning.

Spoiler

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Baervard is a Ruathar and is speaking the elven Word of Friendship. The scar is one of his identifying marks to elves as he got it when he was fighting alongside the elven Prince.

[infomatic]

It had been a somber business, gathering what remained of Grillin and retreating from the temple to lick their wounds in the safety beyond the stone circle. With most of the others carrying sadder burdens, Pergrim carried the swords over one shoulder and dragged the suits of armor behind, lashed together with rope.

Eyes downcast, he began making his way to the spot where he and the gnome had buried the other looted weapons a day earlier when he hears Jeb's exclamation upon seeing the cottage, an incongruous bit of normalcy in the midst of this dark, unnatural place.

He follows the others over and nods as the Baevard makes his introduction. Though he can't help but raise an eyebrow at the "our hearts are light" part, he's not about to correct a priest of Moradin on niceties.

[Mishkov]

Jeb

Jeb whispers back to Baervard, "We owe him though for his service. I do not know what forces he has conspired with in the past, but if evil holds him, later I will find him and free him. That's a promise. We can hope he's moved on to better places and does not wish to return, but I worry that he would have been inclined to come back to assist us..." Having made his vow, Jeb moves on.

In front of the elf in the cottage, Jeb finds himself in a diplomatic situation as a troll. He changes shape back into an elf, letting Baervard do the talking for obvious reasons. He bows to the woman awkwardly in respect and apology for his previous impression.

[Tombs]

The elf rises, slowly enough to make it obvious she is not a threat, and offers a bow to the approaching dwarf.

Iston i nîf lîn, Meldonya. Le nathlam hí.

She gestures to the empty chairs at her table and switches to common, assuming not all present speak Elven.

The humans call me Amy. Please, allow me to offer you some hospitality.

She seats herself and pours some tea from the pot into the delicate china mugs on the table, carefully avoiding one of the mugs which has a petite white rat sitting in it, watching the newcomers closely.

Baervard, I know of Prince Aldain Lillian. He is not one to give his trust easily. You must have performed a great service to my people.

It was strongly suggested to me that I made my way up here to meet you and your five companions she pauses for a moment, noting the lack of a sixth party member and offer you aid. It was hinted that your quest is important in some way, although the details were sketchy at best. I can certainly offer you all a safe place to rest while you all recover. Perhaps we can discuss the rest?

Despite being slightly formal, Amy seems to be making a genuine effort to be friendly however her dress is very plain and understated and does do not immediately suggest how she could offer much in the way of aid - although she did manage to create a cottage overnight out of the ruins.

[Chambers]

Baervard

"Glad to be here myself." Baervard says and relaxes. He steps up to the porch and eases his bulk into one of the chairs and sips at the offered tea. "Any help that can be given is appreciated." He says and nods, then slips the tinted goggles back on. "It's a bit bright for my liking."

"Archmages aren't given to have loose lips, that's for sure." He says and then waves to the ziggurat not far away. "We've been fighting for every room gained in that place, snake-men and undead servants of the Worm King. Haven't seen any sign of the missing magister...though from what I've seen of that place I'm not really looking forward to finding him."

Spoiler

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Do we have a grand tally of the gear we've recovered, including Grillin's?

[Toliudar]

At the fair words between Baervard and this Amy, Nan lowers her spear. Almost as an afterthought, she releases another enchantment, and quickly transforms back from spindly reptilian to proud human warrior. She glanced around. This was clearly important, but she was also interested in finding a safe place for Grillin's remains. Perhaps this new hut...

"Should we, uh, talk inside?"

[Tombs]

This area has been quiet since I arrived, but if you'd feel safer inside by all means.

Amy picks up the cup with the rat in it and tickles her behind her ears.

I'm afraid I don't know any archmage. Or rather, I very much doubt I know your archmage. I was sent here by someone with an interest in seeing your activities succeed - from what you say, either they want this ziggurat cleansed or the magister found or maybe they support action against this Worm King. I would strongly suspect this last.

She looks at Jeb.

I'm surprised to see another Elf out here. I'd have thought that, of all things, would have been mentioned.

[Mishkov]

Jeb pursed his lips and replied, "Mmm..no, mi'lady, not most of the time. I just felt it might be more pleasing for you to gaze upon than a troll at the moment. I can change it again if you are so inclined..."

[Tombs]

Amy smiles.

Oh I agree - that is a better form than a troll. Troll fingers would break the china.

[infomatic]

Pergrim shifts uncomfortably. "Shouldn't we, ah …" his eyes move to the wrapped form in Nan's arms. "… bury him?"

[Mishkov]

Jeb smiled and replied, "I don't eat anyway," Turning to Pergrim, he said, "Yes...return him to the ground or burn him to return him to the air. Does anyone know which god or rites might be appropriate for the gnome?"

[Starbin]

Alyssa watched the others, her eyes narrowing in on the elf who so fortuitously had appeared. She checked to see if the woman was evil, uncertain what things might be living beyond the barrier, called to the lair of Kyuss perhaps. As the others greeted each other and chatted like old friends, Alyssa shook her head and remained outside. She took the evil weapons they had found, intent on burying them in the same spot as before, and she cast a powerful protection upon the spot.

Once completed, she laid Grillin's remains on the ground, then proceeded to burn them via a pyre. She let anyone else help that wanted to, but she seemed intent on using the cleansing power of flame to send the gnome on to the next world. She murmured a few words, but none could hear what she said, although she waited for everyone to have their opportunity to speak ... if they wanted.

After this was done, she joined the others near the cottage (not entering), and spoke quickly. "I am Alyssa, a purger of evil, and I bid you greeting. I do not know what your full tale is, but you seem to be of good stock. We seek a man lost in the temple of evil that lies beyond the barrier, but now our goal has become something more, I believe. If you wish to aid our efforts, then be welcome. If you wish to plunder the place for dark knowledge or foul artifacts, regardless of your purported 'good intentions,' we will have a problem."

[Toliudar]

Nan

Nan brings the bundle of Grellin around to the front, nodding.

"So. This place has been safe recently, but still seems so close to a place that does awful things to the dead. Since we do not know his own beliefs or preferences...yes, burning the remains. Let the smoke of his passing rise to the gods, to ask for their blessing and speak of his courage."

Looking for an open place of stone, Nan carefully lays down and upwraps her cloak.

"Uh. Alyssa, do you have enough of your holy fire remaining to help with this?"

[Tombs]

Alyssa's slightly frosty greeting doesn't seem to concern Amy.

From what I understand, this entire city was built - and destroyed - on a prophecy contained on a series of discs. Such a prophecy could help reveal some of the axiomatic laws on which our plane runs. For myself, I have no interest in seeing the prophecy actually come to pass - an Age of Worms does not sound appealing. As I said before you arrived, I suspect offering you aid in preventing it is the reason I was sent here.

Dark knowledge and foul artifacts? I'm sure those will be present. An attempt on attaining godhood usually involves them. There is always a price, it is usually heavy and not worth paying.

During this last, Amy's hand drifts slowly to her sword but it seems to be an unconscious movement to touch the hilt, not a move to actually draw it.

[infomatic]

Obviously this is a bit out of sequence, but it presumably happens separate from finishing up introductions with Amy.

Pergrim lingers for a moment, watching the smoke from Grillin's pyre rise 'til it was lost in the low clouds. Then he again bundles up the weapons and armor, save one set that looked as if it'd be suitable for patching up Baevard's plate, and drags it to their makeshift cache.

Pulling aside the foliage they'd used to cover the pit, he tosses the newly captured swords in, and notices again the Ghaele's blade, lying a few inches away from the others. He thought'd he'd stacked them all together the day before. Frowning, he continues filling the pit with armor as Alyssa behind him finishes her words of consecration, before nodding to himself and plucking the greatsword from the hole and hefting it judiciously, following her back to the strange cottage. Something would have to be done about the lack of a scabbard, but there was plenty of daylight left. He could probably cobble together something from branches and whatever was left of the armor Baevard was cutting apart.

[Chambers]

Baervard

"Work still to be done." Baervard says and finishes his tea. He stands by Alyssa as she burns Grillin's corpse, letting the priestess take care of the ceremony. He's silent throughout and helps Pergrimm sort through the arms and armor. "I'm not one for burning, but in a place like this...better ash then the alternative." He says to him. "Hmm. That can be put to some use." He says and hauls pieces of a suit of full plate to the nearest stump and goes about dissembling it. He pulls out some tools from his pack and finally sheds his own armor. Without the suit of adamantine plate Baervard looks awkwardly mortal, as if he's bothered by not wearing it.

"A useful blade, though not to my liking." He says and nods at the Ghaele's sword. "Here, think we can make something for it." He unbolts some of the leather support straps from inside the platemail and ties them to make a long sling. "Got one around here somewhere..." He mumbles and takes one of the gauntlets and lays it on the stump, then smashes it with his hammer until the layers of metal fall apart. Taking two of them he bends them with his pliers until they form a U shape, then sews it onto the top of the sling.

"It'll do in a pinch, just be careful about quick turns." He says and hands the improvised sling to Pergrimm. He turns towards Amy and Alyssa and eyes the two of them. "If you're here to stop that from happening then I welcome the help." He says and pauses, then eyes the cottage. "Any chance there's room enough in there for us to sleep? I don't welcome another night under these starts."

Spoiler

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Baervard actually has Forging Tools and ranks in Armorsmithing (+20 mod) and Weaponsmithing (+9 mod), so I figure he can make a sling for Pergrimm. Other than that I'm good to go for the evening.

[infomatic]

"It's a better tool for this work," Pergrim replies. Gesturing to the saber, still at his waist, he adds, "My assistant made this; it's a good sword but it's made for flesh-and-blood foes, not these horrors. And I'm not doing the edge any favors by treating it like a cleaver."

He nods appreciatively as the priest's works, and thanks him graciously — though he can't help tinkering with it more, much later and out of sight.

Spoiler

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Pergrim's actually at 20+ in both armor/weapon craft (admittedly he should've done something more campaign-useful with those skill points), but he's not fool enough to show up somebody who has Moradin's ear.

[DrK]

The evening passes pleasantly, if sadly. The embers of Grillin's pyre crackling and smoking slightly and helping to keep away the thousands of small buzzing and biting insects that flit and whiz around the humid jungle. The next morning dawns, the same as the previous one. Hot, humid with a thick blanket of warm fog blanketing the jungle. The massive forks of the Spire of Long Shadows dominating the bowl filled with the ruins of Kuluth Mar. As with the previous 2 days the natural sounds quieten and fade as you approach the massive and imposing obsidian ring. Even as the city crumbles animals still loathe to approach the birthplace of such and evil.

For the others the parade grounds writhing and wriggling with millions of worms is now of no consequence but it is somewhat a surprise to Amy to see the very ground shifting slightly with the sheer number of fat worms of Kyuss. The broken corpses of pair of massive beetles with shiny carapaces and viscious teeth and a fallen form of undead knight, undignified in death with pallid dead flesh on display from where the corpse was stripped. Inside the Ziggurat is still, the depictions of the undead rising up and destroying the worlds of mortals eye catching in the glowing celestial light streaming from Alyssa's body. Once more the party descend down into the bowels of the Ziggurat, the broken stairs and cracked walls a testament to the foul eldritch sorceries unleashed here before you reach the room where Grilling met his end still filled with the colossal rotting corpse of the great worm that writhes with tiny worms still seeking to return to the rolling lake of worms that fills the central cavern. The doorway to the right with it fountain cold and empty, the doorway to the left with mounds that look like bodies on the floor dark and very.... quiet!

Spoiler: back in action

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Please note down your day's spells / vestiges/ incarnum binds
Please let me know what Buffs you cast as you begin your day of adventuring fun!

[Tombs]

Amy looks at the ground with an expression of revulsion on her face. Anyone listening will hear her mutter under her breath

By the ... where have you sent me, wolf?

She looks at the others.

I think ... I think I need to know a bit more about what has been happening. Can anyone fill me in on what we might encounter in here?

Spoiler

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Spells / invocations cast:
Extended Greater Mage Armour
Spiderwalk
Entropic warding
See the unseen

[Chambers]

Baervard

"Stop a moment." Baervard says as they mount the steps to the ziggurat. He tugs at a strap on his armor, adjusting the fit. "This is our third trip inside and each time it's been worse than before. I'll be brief." He says and unties a small pouch from his belt and holds it up. "I've got enough diamonds in here to bring back one of you. I'd rather not have to use them."

He turns to Pergrimm. "That blade has been put to the work of the devils. I'd like to see you redeem it, put it to better use." he says and holds his holy symbol out above the blade. "All-Father, watch over Pergrimm and keep his weapon true. Reforge it to be a slayer of the dead." A pale gray light settles over the blade for a moment, the prayer competing with the true enchantment of the blade before fading away. "It's a start. Let's go."

Spoiler

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Spells cast on himself: Magic Vestment on Shield, 10 hours, +3 enhancement bonus.
Spells cast on the party: Mass Conviction, 100 minutes, +3 morale bonus on saving throws.
Spells cast on Pergrimm's blade: Greater Magic Weapon, 10 hours, +2 enhancement bonus.

His sheets been updated to 12th level. Added a level in Fighter and Cleric, took ranks in Knowledge (Religion), and took the feat Armor Specialization (Heavy).

[infomatic]

Pergrim bows his head at the blessing. "The blade's lost its way," he concurs. "It needs to be pointed in the proper direction again."

As they made their way through the writhing city, he chanced a few looks at the newcomer. He wasn't quite sure what to make of her, with her cottage and talk of tea, and hoped she wasn't out of her element here. Sure enough, her face seemed to grow more drawn the farther they went — though, he acknowledged, it might not be too different from his own expression.

"It's a church of horrors, all right," he says in reply. "As for what's inside — if it wiggles, I wouldn't be surprised to see it. Tiny worms, big worms … that's the biggest one we've seen so far," he gestures to the festering mass of the overworm. "And deathless priests herding the lot of them like sheep."

He turns and looks into the room filled with the body-shaped mounds. "I don't think there's been one spot yet without some sort of nasty surprise."

Spoiler: status

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Greater Magic Weapon +2

HP 104/104
AC 25
Vs. Ranged: 27
Vs. Touch: 16
Vs. Incorp Touch: 21
Vs. Ranged Touch: 18 (19 vs. spells)
Vs. Traps: 30

Soulmelds

Feet: Impulse Boots (bound) Uncanny Dodge, Evasion [3E]
Head: Crystal Helm [3E]
Waist: Vitality Belt (Bound); +11hp/ess, imm to Con dmg/Drain [2E]
Arms: Lifebond Vestments (bound), healing at range
Soul: Incarnate Avatar
Neck: Planar Ward
Hands: Mauling Gauntlets

Armor: 2E
Shield: 3E

Upshot: Adding the lifebond vestments for pinch-hit healing. Airstep sandals no longer bound to chakra, so flying is limited to one-round bursts; no more hovering.

[Toliudar]

Nan

Nan has been even more grim than usual during the morning preparations. She seems determined not to repeat the mistakes she made with Grillin. Again, she assumes the reptilian form, that makes her strange, flat tones even harder to read.

"There are also these visions that come over you. After you kill some of the Kyuss-followers. They can't hurt you, but they don't make any sense."

She shrugged.

"Maybe when we have killed them all, they visions will stop."

Spoiler: Preparations

Show

Taking levels in Bard and Champion of Gwynharwyf. Surprise surprise.

In preparation for going through, Nan will cast See Invisibility, Alter Self (sticking with troglodyte for now) and Resist Energy (Fire 10).

[Tombs]

Amy shakes her head.

What a place of horrors. I have to wonder how it has remained standing for so long. I know it is a prison, but I'd have thought someone would have been oath-bound to cleanse the place before now.

So we're likely to face worms and priests?

She nods in appreciate to Baervard as the protective magic settles over her.

Here, outside of her comfortable cottage, Amy does look very out of place - a slight elven woman in simple grey clothing standing with a sword at her waist amongst dwarves, shapeshifters, a giant barbarian and a woman glowing with righteous fire. Aside from Baervard's protective spell, the only anomaly are the occasional ripple of colour which break up her form slightly.

Spoiler

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For the spellcasters, the visual effect of Entropic Warding.

[infomatic]

"A nest of Nagas, too," Pergrim replies. "Be too lucky if we'd got 'em all."

He peers into the shadows of the room ahead, eyeing the mounds suspiciously. "And I'm sure we haven't seen everything."

[Mishkov]

"We've seen plenty," Jeb says solemnly even though he is now in a very strange and unseemly shape. "I too am confused why no one has cleansed this place. It seems to have lasted for a long time, but we have seen angels who were corrupted by this place. Perhaps some tried and died. Let us proceed now lest we let this evil stay on this earth a moment longer..."

Jeb's tiger growls in agreement. The beast had been growling softly ever since they re-entered this place. He perhaps remembered the worms and the swordsmen of death who tried to wipe its mind earlier.

[Toliudar]

Nan

The shieldmaiden released her shield with a murmured grunt, and it began to circle her slowly. Her scaled head tilted in thought.

"Maybe the evil of this place is not readily put aside. Maybe there have been others, like us, who have killed and died and reached the bottom of its secrets, but then the place draws itself back. Back to what we see."

[infomatic]

"Well, let's see what else we'll see, then." Pergrim draws his sword, and, slinging the empty scabbard across his back, moves forward to the mysterious mound-filled room.

There's little chance of taking anyone who might be lying in wait by surprise — the group hadn't been taking care to be quiet — but he moves slowly all the same, lest the seemingly quiet chamber hold some deadly surprise, living or otherwise. And while he doesn't share his fellows' ability to sense the deathless or wicked, he keeps his senses alert for any wrongness that might be present

Spoiler: actions/rolls

Show

Detect Opposition (chaos), as detect evil.

Move into mound room, keeping eye for traps

Spot (1d20+9)[22]
Search (1d20+20)[40]

[Toliudar]

Nan

Back in the grimness below, Nan tightens her grip on her spear and points it forward, the tip wavering only slightly as she steps lightly forward. The shieldmaiden pauses only briefly, and suddenly an array of duplicates spring up around her. She coughs and then begins the high-pitched keening again, the tone seeming to rattle the bones

Then, hurrying to catch up with Pergrim, she pokes forward.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Casting Mirror Image for (1d4+4)[7] duplicates.
Then inspirational boost and starting to sing, providing Inspire Courage +3 to everybody. She'll maintain the song as they move forward.