Age of Ruin IC: When all your friends are dead

[Ozzy_G]

Livina, Lucci and Krashnix have another look around, but cannot see Rego or any clue as to his whereabouts.

[Lycar]

Orin looks around for clues, but maybe it's the big magic field that is around them and the spell, while enabling him to sense magic with is sight, also obscures more subtle traces.

Either way, he finds nothing.

Then he listens to what both Lucidae and Krashnix have to say and sighs.

Turning to the cleric, he asks "Is that so, Sir Krashnix ? You were with me, in the inn, right next to Livina when she admitted to being a bounty hunter, set out to capture one Orin Stillwater for six thousand gold pieces. Is this the worth you place on anyone's live ?"

He turns around, gesturing at the tomb surrounding tem.

"Look around you. This level may be a trap but somewhere inside here rest valuables worth several lives if that is you recogning."

Orin stops and looks directly at Krashnix again "I pretended to be someone else to elude my pursuers, who would think nothing about delivering me to a fate as a sacrifice in a ritual designed to summon even more demonic hordes into our world. Are you really holding that against me ?"

"And if you are tired of the constant bickering between me and the halfling thief, well, that makes two of us. But she just insits to be rude and vain and intolerant... i don't know why she hates me so much, i never did anything to her to deserve any of this."

Orin ponders for just a moment before continuing "Except being born maybe. To noble parents as it were. Well, one noble parent actually..."

"So Sir Krashnix, why is it you are accompanying us ? I sadly have to admit that i know next to nothing about Isana. Maybe you should tell us more about her and her teachings."

Then he adresses Lucidae.

"I understand that you wonder why we insist on staying here when our stated goal for this expedition was to raise funds to get our slain comrades resurrected. And now we have ample funds, thanks to you. It may be hard to understand but i believe, you will understand that i gave my word to master Rego Vel to help him on his expedition. And as a noble.. well... i know that many, if not even most davethran.. 'nobles' these days do little to deserve this title beyond having been born to members of the ruling class."

He turns his gaze upwards, as if looking for a distant star before continuiung "Call me a fool if you wish, i won't even object. But i have this... dream if you want, a dream about being ..well.. worthy of the title that was bestowed upon me by chance of birth. I have that dream of helping the people of Davethtra, my people, to shake off the tyranny of the archmages and become a free people again."

He looks down again between Krashnix and Lucidae both. "But i am just one person and not a warrior. I am not even a proper scholar, i read a lot as a child and still know a lot, but who can break the archmages iron grip on the land of my ancestrs if not courageous heroes ? And make no mistake, i'm a lot of things but courageous... courageous i'm not..."

Orin's voice sounds bitter at the last few words.

"But Sir Krashnix... people like Sumner Kesh are heroes ! And if anything, i can do my very best to ensure they get a chance to save our people ! And i will ! And i would just hope you could find it in your heart not to hate the people of Davethra so much as to deprive them of what little hope they have to be free again one day."

He pauses, waiting for the reaction of the others to gauge if his words had the desired effect.

Lycar

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
The Mokai woman unfortunately is the type to appreciate a soapbox only as a container for soap. She sighs her herself as Orin hits his rhetorical stride, but after a while a smile creeps over her face as she continues her methodical search for a trace of the missing Rego.
A thought strikes her.
"Hey, wait a minute. What if Rego didn't go anywhere? What if we all went somewhere when you pressed the button and opened the door? Maybe if we try closing the door again? Or pressing the button?"

[Moechi_Vill]

Lucidae

Lucci nods at Akim "All correct then. And for your knowledge scholar - racism aside, your talk about aspiring to nobility may be what disturbs the Thief." then listens to Livina. She gingerly attempts to drive the door shut sideways thus not putting her hands within the room at any time. If this fails she'll push the crown button again and if nothing happens, the scepter.

[Regwon]

Krashnix

Krashnix is obviously not impressed by Orins speech.

You will beggar no sympathy from me Akim. We much each live out the lot we are given in life. It is absurd to think that any soul has a choice about the life they are born into. Only the Grey Watcher can make that decision. If you wish to stay then very well. Despite what you may think your knowledge is appreciated, scholar or not. All i request if you keep your newly acquired consort of a shorter tether, or bid her begone.

[Ozzy_G]

Lucci pulls the door back out and closed.
Then she presses the crown. The door simply opens again.
So she pulls it closed once more, and presses the button on the hand holding the sceptre.
The door slides open again.

[Lycar]

Orin smiles slightly. "Thank you for your honest opinion, Sir Krashnix. You are a man of faith and have the strength to bear whatever fate may have in store for you. Unfortunately, i do not posess your strenght of conviction and can only draw solace from the hope of having any say in my future fate at all."

Putting his hands on his hips,he looks around and ponders.

"You know, your theory of us having triggered a .. effect of sorts by opening the door is certainly given credit to by the fact that we are all inside ine huge transmutation field... still, if only we could find the real tomb..."

Orin frowns a bit and then seems to have an idea "Stupid, stupid, stupid.. of course, why not just ask the guardian of the tomb ! If anything, this construct ought to know where the real entrance is.... "

So he goes up the stairs again, collects his wit and courage and, looking around for a moment to find out where the halfling thief went, speaks up to the golem.

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"My humble apologies, honourable guardian. I am afraid i have to ask your aid in our task to retrieve the knowledge stored in this tomb. We have by now secured all the trivial records that were stored in the false tomb, but we also must save the scrolls and tomes of the real grave. Unfortunately, we seem to be unable to locate the entrance to the true tomb. Ach, if only our master was with us to guide our steps... but as he is still unavailable to aid us here, we have to beg your help. Please allow us acces to the true tomb and open the way for us.

Lycar

[Ozzy_G]

The bronze giant looks at Orin carefully, for a moment, and then steps forward, raising his arms, Dwarven speech coming out of his mouth incredibly loudly.

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You lie! You tried to steal the master's gold, or you would not need to ask this question!

[Brickwall]

Kizima

Kizima looks up from inspecting the door trap, and stands calmly.

"You know what? You're right, I should have congratulated you on calming that golem. If you didn't, we might have had to fight it!"

Of course, in the minimal lighting, it's still clear she was just waiting for something like this to happen.

[Lycar]

Orin blinks (Aw crap... push your luck too far....) and then turns around to run for the treacherous safety of the stairwell.

"Less gloating, more running !"

Lycar

[Ozzy_G]

Orin runs to the staircase, the construct just behind him, roaring. He manages to dive down the steps just before the creature reaches him. It kneels down and tries to reach him down the stairs, but cannot reach.

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Livina unslings her pack for a moment and sifts through the assembled weaponry she's accumulated in the past two days.
Lessee...mace, mace, scourge.
She looks up as Orin dives down the stairs, and she gives him a cool look.
"I'm not gonna say anything. But I guess now we'll have to magic our way out. So... We need to find Rego, take what we can, and get out. I figure we can spend maybe a day here..."

[Moechi_Vill]

Lucidae

"Akim, tactical retreat for tanked out mages, now!"
Lucci grabs the donkey and the other temporarily noncombatant (if willing) who's similarly out of spells to join her on dimension dooring to outside the tomb to a place in total cover from the entrance, if necessary on the other side of the tower, but preferably a good all-round hiding place. She spares at least a few hundred feet on her spell in case they've already been transmuted elsewhere unknowingly.
If the spell doesn't work she'll retreat several steps away from the entrance along the wall.

[Lycar]

After tumbling down the stairs, Orin barely gets time to gather his wit again before Lucidae tries to teleport him to 'safety' .

"Wait, what ? No !"

Lycar

[Ozzy_G]

Confused by falling down the stairs, Orin is unable to muster the mental strength to resist.
Lucci grabs him and the mule and the two humans vanish. The mule however, just stands there looking nervous.

They reappear:

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Outside the tower, on the side opposite the door. The fog's lifted a bit now, so they can see the grass stretching off for about a mile before it gets too foggy to see any further.

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Livina blinks.
"That's lovely." she glances over at Krashnix.
"Do you think they planned this all along?"

[Moechi_Vill]

Lucidae

Orin Stillwater and Ozzy_G/GM

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Let us wait for a while Akim, then assume them to be dead. Perhaps your murderous racist friend will rejoin us. Do you know the directions to the nearest safe place?
She smiles at her accomplice. "Would you not rather we forge ahead together and forget about these foolish adventurers? Your sense of noblesse oblige is tactically defunct. I suppose you are all professionals, but this party has been unprepared for this Dwarven resting place in most conceivable ways. It is courageous yet ignoble to commit suicide."

"Either way the Mokai was nice enough. We could be back for them yet and teleport in and out. Should they survive the next few minutes they will survive a week. Sadly I only have one charge left and I would not advise staying in the wild.
So, what is your decision? Please tell me you do not wish to run into the arms of death once again! The safety of a tomb is not gentle succor. We must flee and rejoin forces with civilization." "And as an aside..." she says disspirited. "Who knows what the Knight will do to me?"
"Yet... I shall attempt to stand by your choice, if foolish it may be."
She looks apprehensive. "Which will it be?"

[Regwon]

Krashnix

Krashnix takes a moment to let what has just happened. Then his eyes narrow and his voice, that is usually quite melodic becomes deeper and quieter.

I do not believe it was Akims intention to leave us down here. It appears to me that it was that woman who is at fault. It appears my suspicion of her was justified. We should have left her to rot in those ruins. As it is we may have a difficult task ahead of us. It is unlikely that the guardian will have noticed them leaving, so its attention will either be on us or the small woman. I hope that Akim will try to return for us, if he does not Gothul himself will not be able to keep me from tearing those two apart.

[Brickwall]

Kizima

Livina and Krashnix are trapped down there...I gotta do something.

Kizima draws her rapier and gets settled into stance behind the golem. She gives it a quick jab before preparing herself to jump away at a moment's notice.

"Hey, fatso! Come on over here, you could use the exercise!"

[Lycar]

Orin

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Orin looks around wide-eyed. "Oh no... we are outside.... and the golem.... " He takes a moment to calm himself down and continues, somewhat quieter "I am grateful for your kind gesture Lady Misallo, yet i must warn you that the golem might be able to sense our presence, so we should put some distance between us and the tomb. Also, i am afraid i have to notice, we both exhausted our arcane strength for today and require a full nigh's rest to recover it. Which is a lot easier to get in a tomb where the guardian golem can't reach us. Out here, however, we are at the mercy of whatever marauding beasts might be stalking this place."

"Oh yes.. then there is also the matter of the remaining cultists in the ruins we need to go through to reach civilisation again.... "

(Goramesh ! What should i do ? Can i really trust her ? Can i afford to ? Can i afford not to ? Also the little halfling **** is on the wrong side of the golem....) Orin wonders, while his hand subconsciously feels for his throat as he thinks of Kizima.

"This is all so confusing... i can't get a clear thought... let us rest and after a good night's sleep, we can make a sensible decision. Sounds good ?"

Also, as an afterthought, Orin checks if he still has his staff (assuming he didn't drop it while falling down the stairs).

"Say, what do you make of these runes on this staff ?"

Lycar

[Ozzy_G]

The Golem stands up, and turns around to look at Kizima. It opens its mouth, and says something at her in Dwarven, but she cannot understand it. It raises its eyes threateningly.

Outside, Orin shows Lucci his staff. She notices that the runes on it...

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are Elven runes of strengthening, to make it a more effective weapon. They are not, however, particularly elaborate or powerful ones.

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Hearing the diminutive woman's taunt echo down the stairwell, Livina looks at Krashnix.
"I think she's trying to distract it! C'mon!"
Drawing forth Dravens mace with a grunt, she vaults up the stairs.
Crap crap crap. Gotta see if I can get Krashnix and the mule out, at least. That thing looks slow...we can probably outrun it. Aaand...if we can lure it into a swamp, it'll probably sink like a stone. Okay.
Cresting the top of the stairs, Livina blanches a little at the bronze giant towering over her, but she strikes out with the mace anyways, taking advantage of Kizima's distraction.
"Move!" she calls down the stairs.

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Attack - (1d20+11)[15] (not including any enhancement bonuses)
Damage - (1d8+3)[8] (not including any enhancement bonuses/magic effects)

[Moechi_Vill]

Lucidae

Orin Stillwater and Ozzy_G/GM

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"Elven runes of strengthening, Akim. Basic ones." Lucci answers.
"I have one shot left at teleportation so we are not completely helpless."

"Perhaps we should go back to the entrance and wait for the others to escape with us. Despite their subethical working standards we should perhaps show our loyalty to them by staying within the general area waiting for their safe extraction. If they fail to do so or the knight and thief wish to massacre us as a default or we are pursued by the giant I can teleport us away again. It should work for a second escape, but it might not be far enough."

Lucci takes his hand and the reins of the mule and indicates she's ready to move in either direction.
"As far as I am concerned you and the Mokai saved my life Akim. You make the decision."

"I will not require much meditation during the first watch if you chose to flee. Then perhaps we can pursue your agenda of safety and resurrection of friends Akim. I will watch diligently over us during the second watch. Perhaps in the meantime we can inform each other of our magical abilities. She smiles.

Then she looks thoughtful for a moment.
"Akim, I doubt you would be willing to forsake them permanently to adventure with me." She sighs. "We would never be able to meet with them again." Lucci hands the mule's reigns over to Akim. "You stay behind scholar, or follow me!" Lucci begins to run around the temple, leaving a considerable margin between herself and the wall, just in case the golem appeared and suddenly charged her. She starts yelling insults against the deceased Dwarven Provincial Overseer in the Golem's language.

You hear a faint voice from the outside that sounds like Lucci yelling a dwarven sentence over and over again at the top of her voice.

Dwarven

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"I have personally come to desecrate your master's grave Golem!"

[Lycar]

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Orin just stands there and listens to Lucidae's rambling.

(She is crazy. Insane. Nuts. Totally out of it. At least she's a nice shade of crazy. But.... )

And that is when she runs off, starting to shout at the golem.

(Okay, now what ? She actually wants to help save the others now ? And a moment ago she was ready to abandon them... but why does she want to stay with me of all possible people ? Because she's crazy, that's why stupid. Oh well. Maybe i better stick with the homicidal halfling. At least with her i know she only wants to kill me.)


"Wait, do you know anything about golems ? This would be a great time to learn about golems, you know ? Like, any weak points ?"

He goes to follow Lucidae at a short distance, hoping that by the time he reaches the other side of the structure, the situation will be sufficently clear to make a sensible decision.

Lycar

[Moechi_Vill]

Lucidae

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"No, they do not have weaknesses!" Lucci shouts back. "But if we can distract it from the entrance giving the others time to flee we can teleport away."

[Ozzy_G]

Livina swings the mace at the Golem, but it bounces off the creature's armoured skin, leaving bits of green fluid sizzling splattered on the giant's bronze skin.
Enraged, it swings one arm at Livina's head and the other at Kizima's.

[Brickwall]

Kizima

Kizima clutches her arm where the golem hit it. Just a nasty bruise, but a really nasty one nonetheless.

"Livina, what are you doing? I need to get this thing away from the staircase, and I certainly can't do that if you're provoking it!"

It's probably able to reach me from farther distances than I can reach it...can't use my usual tactics, then.

Kizima gives the golem another careful jab, then hops backwards in a strange zigzag pattern, hoping to avoid provoking any advantageous blows from the golem.

"Over here, you glorified kettle!" she yells, waving her rapier tauntingly.

[Regwon]

Krashnix

Following Livina up the stairs he mutters something when he sees the two women being attacked by the guardian. Immediately he looks more poised but still remains furious.

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Casts Divine Favour

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Livina reels from the crushing blow, but she still finds the strength to lash out once more with the heavy mace, trying to at least put a dent in the creature's massive leg.
She nods at Kizima
I hope you've got a plan...
Regardless of the effect, Livina leaps and curls inward as she passes directly over Krashnix's head, back down the stairwell. once past, she shoots her arms and legs outwards to catch the walls of the narrow stairwell before dropping harmlessly to the ground.

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(assuming Flanking)
Attack - (1d20+11)[17] (magical effects of mace not added)
Damage - (1d8+3)[9] (magical effects not added)

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Livina reels from the crushing blow, but she still finds the strength to lash out once more with the heavy mace, trying to at least put a dent in the creature's massive leg.
She nods at Kizima
I hope you've got a plan...
Regardless of the effect, Livina leaps and curls inward as she passes directly over Krashnix's head, back down the stairwell. once past, she shoots her arms and legs outwards to catch the walls of the narrow stairwell before dropping harmlessly to the ground.

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(assuming Flanking)
Attack - (1d20+11)[26] (magical effects of mace not added)
Damage - (1d8+3)[9] (magical effects not added)
Tumble - (1d20+13)[19]
Oops, double-post. I suppose it's fair to use the first attack roll, and let the tumble roll stand?