[3.5] Celestial Spheres: Tales of Kadur IC II

[Piggy Knowles]

"Murderer?" He shakes his head. "Yes, I suppose," he says. "I have done many things I regret. But most of those lives were small lives. That caravan you are so worried about - I can see how the knot of destiny unties itself, you know. I can see the hidden potential that lies deep within you all. There was no potential among that caravan, none at all. They could have all lived a thousand years and never made even a footnote in the history books. This guard whose body I am bound in - even he was little more than a bully, and not even an inspired bully. Had there not been such a paucity of choice, any frame would have been more fitting."

He looks around from his awkward position suspended between Aleister and Alexei. "All of you have great potential, I can see that plainly," he says. "Not all potential is realized. Jacquelyn Assari had great potential, though she was wasting away, devoting her life to drink and sorrow. I uncovered that potential when I shared her form. I turned her into what she should have been all along. Her life was cut short, alas, but is that truly worse than how it was spent until that point? I would happily see a thousand small deaths, just to see those few great ones burn like a torch, a flame that will cut through the fog of time." He smiles at Desmond. "You were a fine flame yourself, Desmond," he adds. "That militia in the desert is an army now, you know. The machine drives itself now, without needing my guiding hand. If I were you, I would be proud."

He turns to the rest, the smile still playing on his lips, his oil-black eyes searching. "What I could do with any of you, given a chance... Why, the earth would shake."

[The Viscount]

Are you a god that knows the inner soul of every man? No life can be judged until it is finished. You see potential in me like a fire sees potential in a tree. You burn up people to destroy them and release their energy. When you do it, they cannot grow to great heights. Your age has cost you your senses, old one. You are a genius only to yourself.

[OMG PONIES]

RRRRRARRGH! Sasha's voice swells up and explodes out like a thunderbolt. She glares daggers at Shass as her hands and feet are swallowed by fire. The brawler points a blazing finger at the bound guard and speaks, glowing sparks flying from her mouth as she yells.

Just shut up! Stop talking! All you do is talk with your stupid silver tongue! You're a liar and a murderer and a FOOL! Keep your empty words to yourself for a change, monster!

Desmond lets a quiet whistle escape from the corner of his mouth at Sasha's display of pyrotechnics. He drags quietly on his cigar, but his mind is churning. The only thing that impressed him more than the flames was the force behind her words. For a moment, he forgot that she was a young girl and thought of her as a comrade in arms. She definitely seemed strong enough. It's only Shass' words that shake him from his reverie.

He smiles at Desmond. "You were a fine flame yourself, Desmond," he adds. "That militia in the desert is an army now, you know. The machine drives itself now, without needing my guiding hand. If I were you, I would be proud."

At the mention of the militia, Desmond can't help but chuckle. Tiny tendrils of smoke puff out at the sides of his mouth as his scowl crackles into a wry smirk. "Is that what you think happened?" he asks Shass with an arched eyebrow. "Heh." Desmond walks on in silence, allowing his single cryptic laugh to hang in the air and gnaw at Shass. Even for those who don't know the man, it's easy to tell that his coutenance has lightened and his march has transformed into a swagger.

[Kymme]

Sasha's eyes blaze furiously for a moment, and for a second it looks as if she's tensing her muscles for a punch. But the moment subsides the flames around her hands and feet die with a quiet 'whoosh'. She breathes in deeply and exhales once, twice, then three times. When she next speaks the edge has vanished from her voice.

Empty. Words.

She raises her eyebrows at Desmond, but doesn't speak. The brawler pulls Aleister's duster tighter around herself and follows Desmond, walking beside Natsu.

[Piggy Knowles]

For the first time, there appears to be a crack in the facade. The guard's eyes flash, and you can almost feel anger radiating from the large man in waves, a palpable aura of hatred and frustration. There is the hint of a great and terrible beast hiding just beyond the seen. Then the oily black eyes dim, the possessed guard becomes as he was, and that fleeting impression is but a memory.

To your east, the Milk flows and flows...

[Morcleon]

Natsu glances over at Sasha and curls an arm around her friend. "You alright?"

She then turns to Shass, frowning at the waves of negative emotion. "Please don't try to influence our emotions like that. It's not nice..."

[Kymme]

I don't think he cares about being nice... Sasha's voice is distant, pensive. She stares straight ahead for a while before glancing down at Natsu.

I don't think he cares about anything accept for himself. I-I'm fine, Natsu. It's a funk, that's all. I'll pull through it; I always do.

[Piggy Knowles]

The guard remains silent as you trudge along the ridge just above the steep western bank of the Milk. Darkness begins to fall in earnest as you travel, but it is a clear night with a near-full moon, and the rushing Milk is a reliable guide leading you toward Malkus Bay. Thick chaparral, its dark leaves almost purple in the moonlight, spreads out from the bank and covers the land here. Down below, the Milk flows on, moving faster and growing louder as you make your way northeast and begin descending toward the bay, drowning out the occasional whine of mosquitoes.

And so you follow the river, picking your way through the thick chaparral. The Milk is a meandering river, and you follow its curves. It cuts sharply east and -

- there. A flicker of light, perhaps a lantern, catches your eye. It is a small light, barely more than a candle, but under the starry sky it shines brighter than a torch. It is coming from the east bank of the river, in a small alcove almost hidden by the curve of the bank. In its shadow, you can see three dark figures moving, carrying something bulky and wide onto a flat-bottomed boat of some kind. The light itself is coming from a small hooded lantern, held by the smallest of the three figures, perhaps a halfling. The other two figures are also humanoid, humans or half-elves most likely. The boat is small and without sail, and covered with a dark tarpaulin that causes it to almost disappear against the rocky east bank of the Milk. There is a large stack of something broad and flat, perhaps furs or rugs, and the two men not holding the lantern appear to be loading them onto the boat.

Then a small voice hisses. "Wait, I hear something," it says. "There! Across the Milk! Kill the light!" You have an instant of seeing one of the larger figures pointing across the river directly at you, and then the lantern fades, and there is only the moonlight and the bright starry sky to make out the three figures. All three figures rush to the large stack of furs, crouching behind it, and two of them reach down to pick up crossbows on the way.

[The Viscount]

<It seems we are not the only smugglers on the Milk tonight, and they are armed. Should we try to solve this without bloodshed?>

[Morcleon]

"Are you sure...?" Natsu gives Sasha a concerned look. "If there's anything bothering you, you know you can always tell me..."

As the figures on the boar notice them, Natsu sighs, whispering back. <"Yeah... it would be best if we could just get them to ignore us again.">

[Kymme]

Yeah, I'm sure.

Sasha squints, trying to find the three figures in the ghostly moonlight. <I don't like the look of those crossbows,> she whispers. <Let's just keep walking. They might leave us alone.>

[Venger]

<This seems the most prudent course of action>

[Piggy Knowles]

OOC: OK, I've gone ahead and updated the map.

Basically, you're looking at a river that is thirty to thirty-five feet wide. The river is down a steep bank twenty feet over and almost thirty feet down.

Where you are above the steep bank of the river, the chaparral bushes are common. These grant you concealment, but also count as difficult terrain as you push your way through. If you step onto the steep bank of the river, it's steep enough that you must make climb checks. It's a DC 0 climb check to move at one quarter speed, or a DC 5 climb check to move at half speed.

The river itself is moving at a moderate pace, and requires a DC 15 Swim check to cross. It moves forward at a rate of 15' per round.

Across the river, hidden by its bend, are the three smugglers. Two are holding large crossbows. Their boat is tied down, and they have a large pile of furs or carpets in front of them that is about two or three feet high.

It is night, but the moon and stars mean you can see moderately well - call it shadowy illumination for anyone without low light vision. That means you can make out the figures across the way, but they have concealment.

[The Viscount]

<Very well, but I do not think they will simply ignore us.>

Alexei pauses to draw out Gran's gnarled staff and leans on it heavily, bending the wood until he is able to string it and it takes the more familiar form of a compact, oddly shaped bow. Once this is done he begins to move cautiously forward with the rest, keeping an eye on the smugglers across the stream.

<Just in case.>

[Piggy Knowles]

The figures in the dark crouch behind the pile of rugs and furs, seemingly unsure of what to do next. From far away, you can hear one of the tall ones, the one without a crossbow, speaking in a low voice to the other two, but his words disappear as they travel over the river.

Then, suddenly, a cry pierces the night. It is coming not from the small smuggler's camp, but from your side of the river, just in between Aleister and Alexei. The scream, you realize, is coming from the guard, suspended still between the two.

"Smugglers, across the water!" he shouts, a frantic note in his voice. "Kill them now, before they see us! Kill them! I'll notify the guards!"

For half an instant, it seems as though the smugglers are unsure of what to do. The screams are loud, certainly loud enough to be heard clear across the river. Then the halfling levels his crossbow and fires. His aim seems true, and the bolt flies over the river and toward Alexei's torso, but gets caught in the chaparral around him, which redirects the bolt and causes it to pass harmlessly in front of him.

OOC: The halfling fires a bolt, and while it would ordinarily hit, it misses due to the concealment Alexei currently has from the chaparral bush. We'll go ahead and move things into initiative then. I've posted initiative in the OOC thread. Natsu, you're up first!

[Kymme]

So that's the way you're gonna play it, huh? Sasha turns to her diminutive companion, staring at her with dim black eyes. Natsu, you're coming with me. Then the brawler scoops up her companion and makes a mad dash for the river, kicking though chaparral and skidding down the steep bank. Grinning madly, Sasha explodes into a tendril of darkness that lances across the swift waters, the hapless Natsu engulfed within.

On the other bank the tendril spirals and coalesces into the boxer's form, still carrying Natsu in her arms. Sasha sets her friend down on the uneven bank and turns to address the three figures before them. I'm really tired of these needless fights. Drop your weapons and we can part ways here. Or not. It's all up to you.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Swift to go into Child of Shadow Stance. (20% concealment)
Free action to pick up Natsu.
Move to go to E14.
Standard to use Shadow Jaunt to leap to O14.
Free action to set Natsu down in O15.

[Morcleon]

Before Sasha picks her up, Natsu shifts herself into her fox form. She yips quietly and allows herself to be carried over.

[Piggy Knowles]

The man closest to the boat stands up straight and looks at you. In the darkness of night, you can make out just a hint of elfin features - a half-elf, most likely. An ornate tattoo covers his neck and part of his face. The smuggler is wearing dark clothes cinched tightly in several places around his body, and he moves noiselessly, hopping on the pile of rugs and furs and stepping towards Sasha and the small fox. His smooth movements suggest he is not wearing armor. He draws a small hand crossbow as he walks, but rather than firing it, he reaches out his free hand and points.

"No one threatens me, scum," he says, his voice so soft that it barely registers over the swiftly moving river. Then the wind grows louder and louder, rushing until it fills the air. It hits Sasha and the tiny, fox-like Natsu like a hurricane, forcing them backwards and practically lifting the small fox off her feet.

Spoiler: Spellcraft DC 17

Show

The half-elf used a spell-like ability of gust of wind, defensively.

OOC: The half-elf moves to P13, drawing a hand crossbow in the process, and then defensively uses a spell-like ability. A sixty foot line of intense wind springs out from his hand in a diagonal line, catching Sasha and Natsu.

Sasha must make a DC 13 Fortitude save or be unable to move forward for one round.

Natsu must make a DC 13 Fortitude save or be knocked prone and blown backwards 20 feet, and be unable to move forward for one round.

Up next is Siegfried!

[Morcleon]

Natsu manages to cling onto the ground with her little paws, hanging there momentarily before settling back down on the ground.

[Kymme]

Sasha stumbles back as the wind hits her full-force. She slams her staff into the ground and holds fast, shrugging of the blast's effects.

Is that all you've got?! She jeers over the howling winds.

[Amidus Drexel]

Siegfried takes aim at the human and fires, then moves down the river bank. <I will see you on the other side.>

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Eldritch blasting the human, then moving to F12

To-hit: 12 (which is sad, but it's touch and he's flat-footed, so it has a chance, I suppose)
Damage: 7

[Piggy Knowles]

The night is briefly illuminated by crackling eldritch fire shuddering across the river and striking the armored human's breastplate. You can hear a grunt from across the river, but he remains standing, his crossbow still leveled.

OOC: That will hit! Next up is Aleister.

[Venger]

Aleister dives into the water, his eyes focusing on the eddies and currents of the stream, finding a line that will take him towards the smugglers to assist the women.

Spoiler

Show

double move to J18. swim check 7.

[Piggy Knowles]

The quick current carries Aleister forward as he splashes into the river, bringing him almost to the bend. The rough waters catch him awkwardly, and he finds himself flailing to stay upright.

The halfling looks across the water and smirks at the struggling form of Aleister. "Ah, this'a barely a current," he shouts, a strange, lilting accent touching his voice. "Ain't ye never learnt ta swim?" Even shouting, his words barely carry over the rushing wind.

"How 'bout ya, girly?" he asks, a hand extended toward Sasha, the smirk still on his face. "Can ye swim better?"

An arc of electricity flies from his hands, slamming into Sasha's legs with a crackling burst. The electricity rams into Sasha with the force of a battering ram, pushing her backwards toward the rushing waters.

OOC: As Aleister failed his Swim check by more than 5, he's underwater, although he can right himself next round with another Swim check.

The halfling moves to R14 and fires a ray of electricity at Sasha, which hits for 9 damage (Reflex DC 16 for half). Sasha must also make a DC 16 Strength check or be pushed back 10', which will put her into the river. (Anyone with psicraft can attempt to identify the power used.)

Next up is Alexei!

Spoiler: Psicraft DC 17

Show

Energy Push power.

[Kymme]

Sasha steps away from the electrical onslaught, though a few stray sparks catch her in the upper thigh. The brunt of the blast threatens to send her teetering into the river, but the brawler windmills her arms furiously and brings her foot back down onto land with the weight of a mountain. She smirks at the halfling.

Seems you'll have to wait a bit and find out.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

HP: 19/30

Readied Maneuvers (unchanged from last time)
Shadow Jaunt
Mighty Throw
Cloak of Deception
Baffling Defense
Mountain Hammer

[The Viscount]

Alexei delivers a stern glance to the prone guard, still snarling from his mouth shaping to better speak Gnoll.

Keep silent you idiot, if only to protect your own hide.

He gazes across the river at the fight going on, setting his sights upon the human.

Never send a crossbowman to do an archer's job.

Drawing back on the string, he sends an arrow arcing across the river to fall with deadly aim upon the human.

Spoiler

Show

17 On attack, 10 damage total, 5 of it from Sneak Attack, if it matters.

[Piggy Knowles]

A sharp curse comes from the human as the arrow pierces his shoulder, finding a gap in his breastplate. He winces, the arrow still sticking out, and looks toward the half-elf.

"You need help, boss?" he asks.

The half-elf shakes his head. "Kevin and I can handle these two. You take out those archers," says the half-elf, his voice all but carried away by the wind and the river.

The human nods. He drops to his belly, most of his body obscured by the stack of rugs and furs, and levels his crossbow at Alexei. He lets a bolt fly, but it catches a spare breeze from the half-elf's sudden windstorm, and the shot goes wide. With a resolute expression on his face, the man pulls another bolt from a small quiver on one leg, and reloads the crossbow.

OOC: That will hit! The human drops prone and fires, but the shot misses. Next up is Desmond.

[OMG PONIES]

Desmond curses under his breath at Shass' words--that confounded saboteur! He springs into a natural combat stance, but has to take a moment to spit out his cigar. Because of this, by the time he's ready to fight his younger companions have already taken off across the river. The aging warrior is puzzled as his new compatriots stop speaking and instead begin snarling, growling and...barking? He furrows his brow as he attempts to decipher what they're saying, but it's impossible. The best he can tell is that they all seem to be fluent in Gnoll, the language of the dogmen. He appreciates the tactical significance of sharing a language that most enemies don't, but he curses his luck that it's not a language he knows. He tries to pick up some smatterings, but it's neither the time nor the place.

Instead, he sticks to Common. "Get down!" he calls to the others and drops prone just before the embankment "Half-elf evoking a Gust of Wind!" he calls out. Dez pulls a spear from his side as he drops to his stomach and narrows his eyes to slits. While he'd have to stand to use it, he didn't want to make himself a target in the meantime. It seemed like the half-elf across the river had been referred to as the boss, and he also happened to have some kind of magical ability. Desmond smirks and mutters to himself, "Target acquired." Tossing a spear that far with any accuracy would be difficult, but not impossible. Dez closes his eyes and focuses his attention, visualizing one perfect strike. He sees the spear sailing through the air...pictures it piercing his victim's chest.

Move Action: drop prone while drawing spear. This increases Desmond's AC against ranged attacks by +4, drops his AC against melee attacks by -4, and prevents him from using ranged weapons while prone.
Standard Action: cast True Strike.

[Piggy Knowles]

OOC: That concludes round 1. Up next is Natsu, followed by Sasha.

[Kymme]

Sasha steps into the windstorm, furiously clawing at the wind. One of her flailing hands seizes the half-elf's collar and the brawler attempts to heave the man into the river.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Using Mighty Throw on the half elf.

27 touch (Nat 20 =D)

8 opposed strength (Nat 1 D=)

If the dude fails he'll go flying into M13.