lich ruler

[wingover gimble]

After the tale has been told and the tale of the two abandoners and the one cannibal dead girl chuck stands up. well what are we doing now? Do we have new recruits? Oh ya uhh were are we going to go to becuase i get kinda bored in town after i've been kicked out of the bars. Looking around seeing the elf with her armour and sword and bow and the council members until he stops on one person who wasnt there last time. You man with glasses are you to come with us as well? studying him for a little until he replies.

[bchilders]

Tristan, a little timid after being questioned directly, stammers,"Well..I...um..I arrived here looking for a group..I mean...travellers to accompany and after listening to your tale it seems that I might could be of....that is, that I might could...help." Tristan holds his gaze for only a moment before looking away, ashamed at how easily he was unnerved. After a few deep breaths he steadies himself and says, much more confidently, "My name is Tristan Gamaliel by the way, and I would be intrigued to hear more about your journeys thus far."

[Grrth]

Nina:

The idea of a "blood-pact" with the hobgoblins almost makde Nina laugh out loud, but this ... Neshi seemed earnest enough. From the looks of him, he was a holy warrior of some kind, though of no order Nina had ever heard of. He was honest and sincere, two qualities Nina has found to be in short supply these days. After his tale, she found herself sympathizing with his plight. The dead woman appeared to be of some import, to both him and the silent warrior at his side.

Well, if there was truly peace, Nina had to find out. It would also prove interesting to see how the city would react to these news. Peace was certainly better than war, and this peace sounded hard-won enough to even possibly be true. But would the hobgoblins honor such a pact?

She narrowed her eyes but otherwise conscienciously ignored the monk, again surprised to find that the cleric nearby was being ... assigned to this group? A volunteer, perhaps? Hmmm ...

"Well," she said, standing beside Tristan. "I am Nina, and I, too, would hear more of this journey of yours. If truly have you brought us peace, then I would be obliged to further this brief acquaintance. If a journey you are going on, then you shall need someone with my skills."

She grinned wolfishly. "And if the hobgoblins have broken this faith you seem to have with them, then I should greatly like to help you remedy that!"

[Miraqariftsky]

Neshi looks the two adventurers over. One has the look of a tracker and a wanderer of the wilderlands. Her travel-stained raiment smells of the bush while the well-worn grips on both her bow and sword as well as the hard glint of her eyes tell him of her warrior's blood. The other, a bespectacled man has the look of a scholar yet also that of a templar with his trappings-of-war.

"Hail, Nina, maiden of gold and steel! Hail Tristan of Gamaliel, the crystal sage! We shall be honoured by thy aid. May the Lord of Victory and Virtue, the Sunsword and Scarabshield, the King of Falcons, the mighty Horus-Re, upon thee rain his blessings", Neshi says in greeting and thanksgiving, spreading his hands wide in benediction.

Neshi locks Nina's gaze with his own grim countenance and, with hand on hilt, replies, "If the Mosid'ar dare to break their oaths, they are damned in this world and the next. It shall be war unto the hilt. If so they transgress, they must be punished. Their cities shall be razed, their fields sown with salt and their remnant shall be reduced to slaves as restitution"

He steps closer to Chuck, slaps him upside the head lightly and remarks to Tristan good-naturedly, "Forgive our erstwhile companion here, master Gamaliel for putting ye ill at ease. Thou art no evil man, art thou not? Therefore, fear thou not"

Just then, Neshi feels a burning, throbbing pain in his head. He puts his hand to his temple...

Spoiler

Show

I desire VENGEANCE! She may have been of Good heart and Pure soul, but damn, she was still the best host I've ever had!

For once, with thee, Ssssekhmet, Queen of Chaos, I aggrreeee...

Let me out, then, thou knavish templar! Let me out that I, with thee, might visit the full fury of the Abyss upon this puny miscreant!

Neshi, dearling, that runt just called me dead! Let me out to show him the REAL meaning of death and damnation!

Coooome, Neshi, let down the walls of your soul, let me lend you our power and together, we shall bring... GAHAHAHA... ahem... justice into this world!

NO! No, Neshi, don't do it! Don't give in to their temptation, their corruption! Not here, not now, not ever!

SHUDDUP, YA SNIVELING, DO-GOODING TWIT!

VWANGGSHH!*Smite Evil*

GRRROOOAAARR! *KRAGASSHHKKK!* *Smite Good*

nooo! No, Neshi! Doooon't dooooo iiiiittt!

...and then rips his khopesh free. The curving blade gleams wickedly in the shifting brazier fires as he holds it to his eyes somewhat complacently.

Suddenly, an inhuman, unearthly growl tears itself from the templar's throat, low and loud, like that of a stalking lion. "GRAAAAAGGGHHH!", he throws back his head and roars to the rafters.

When he brings his head back down, his eyes are of a solid scarlet hue, burning with unhallowed hatred. A black mane erupts from his head, neck and shoulders, thick as that of the fiercest lion.

Yelling with savage glee, he brings the khopesh's wicked blade screaming towards Chuck's neck but fumbles and the sword slams into the woodwork of a nearby table, flying free of his grip. Frustrated, the possessed templar roars again, froth running from his now-fanged maw. Black fires of unholy fumes blaze on his fists and he slams them into the shocked monk, hurling him against a pillar.

Spoiler

Show

Sorry, bub.

Neshi roars again and hunches over. His jaws elongate into a long, black, many-fanged canine snout. Strange horns burst from the back of his head, finally destroying his long-battered helmet.

The black fires from his fists shoot forth and shatter the paving-stones around Korkash's sword. Shards of stone erupt from the floor in a storm of pain. Neshi leaps toward the bastard blade and draws it from the stones in one fell swoop.

Lunging torwards Lord Norros Vanridge, he roars in the unholy language of the Abyss, "GH# HJGHgJRghG RHG$ $IUGFgugfjgj Gh9y gh$ty4t hg*#! FOE OF MY SON THOU HAST GONE TOO FAR! I SUMMON THEE, STRENGTH OF SET, FLOOD THESSE FEEBLE SINEWS WITH THY UNHALLOWED POW'R! MALIDOR SHALL RISE AGAIN AND NAUGHT THOU CANST DO SHALL..."

At the last moment, right before the Sharaat du'Kerma cleaves Vanridge asunder, Neshi collapses and convulses. When he stands once more, his eyes gleam bright blue. "...stop it", he finishes his sentence.

He bows to the ground, then growls. Claws erupt from his hands but he stops before laying waste to the Councillor. He then thrusts one hand behind him and throws a seething ball of black flame at the doors of the Hall. They burst open, sending in the bright sunlight of the new-risen dawn.

Neshi collapses, writhing. He struggles to his knees and says, "Purify the evil, in the name of Horakhe! So mote it be! FOR VIRTUE! FOR VENGEANCE!" With twitching hands, he grips the hilt of the bastard sword and thrusts it through a chink in the chest-piece of his armour with enough force to send the blade slamming through his back.

All the signs of fiendish taint recede from his body in a puff of black smoke, all except the lion's mane. He withdraws the blade from his body, almost passing out from the agony of the wound. He again bows low, looks Vanridge in the eyes with his own grey gaze and says, "I. Am. Sorry. That was Sekhmet, by the way, the Abyssal spirit-shard to whom we lost three comrades"

He walks slowly, dejectedly back, the way he'd come, sheathing both swords along the way. Calling upon Horakhe's healing, he burns away the injuries that he had inflicted upon Chuck and says to him simply, "Sorry, pilgrim"

Neshi walks slowly away, framed by the bright morning sunlight. At the door he turns back and says, "Thus it is shown that time is truly of the essence. We must move swiftly, or all shall be lost. Come, comrades, let us break our fast and gather our supplies swiftly. We leave an hour after noontide. Oh, and one more boon I beg of thee, milord Vanridge--- wilt thou grant a goodly supply of holy water for thy warriors?"

Behind him, the shattered and shorn pieces of his olden copper helm skitter away, carried off by the morning breeze...

[Grrth]

Nina:

"GRAAAAAGGGHHH!", he throws back his head and roars to the rafters.

When he brings his head back down, his eyes are of a solid scarlet hue, burning with unhallowed hatred. A black mane erupts from his head, neck and shoulders, thick as that of the fiercest lion.

Yelling with savage glee, he brings the khopesh's wicked blade screaming towards Chuck's neck but fumbles and the sword slams into the woodwork of a nearby table, flying free of his grip. Frustrated, the possessed templar roars again, froth running from his now-fanged maw. Black fires of unholy fumes blaze on his fists and he slams them into the shocked monk, hurling him against a pillar.

WHAT THE ******!

Nina dives away from the maddened warrior, scuttling to the side, staying flat on her stomach and peering around a pillar as the ... whatever that was ... did whatever it was doing.

Possessed indeed! she thinks, wide-eyed. That is so not right! Am I out of my mind? I can't help this man! He's dangerous! But then, he seemed so gentle before, even if I couldn't understand a word he was saying. Was that (insert name of common language here) "English"?

She stays where she is until after the warrior exits and slowly stands up as the inevitable chaos of noise fills the room. She looks around, undecided. Keep her word or preserve her own skin and sanity? And yet, something that unnatural could not be allowed to continue its perversion of what nature had intended. Surely the easiest way to protect her homeland was to stand guard over this unholy terror herself.

She shudders. I must be out of my mind.

Outloud, she says, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually agree with that mad-man. The sooner we're out of town, the better. Where are we going?"

[bchilders]

Tristan was mixed with both fear and fascination. He stood still, staring as the whole transformation took place. He thought to himself, about the possibility of observing and writing about this entire process. Intrigued with the whole transformation process, he couldn't help but want to learn more about it. He started paying attention to every bit of the transformation so he could transcribe notes later from his memory.

After everything quiets down he listens as Nina speaks and waits to hear what is the destination.

[wingover gimble]

Chuck looks to neshi when he smacks him in the side of the head lightly. He just about sparksa a remark when neshi's eyes go blank then spark with hatred as daiy was when he preformed the ritual on her. Oh sh-. without even being able to finish his sentence chucks small form is flung by neshi's unnatural strength.

After the stars go from his vision he sees the claws erupt from neshis hands.
Cleric, help this man. martin yorrick ty to stop him before he gets to the councillor or else this isnt going to be a walk in the park getting out!!!just as he finishes he watches neshi leaps infront of the councillor and is about to hit him he convulses.Holy Crap! cleric dont just sit there you fool.

chuck gets up just as neshi talks a bunch of sacred stuff. Then when neshi comes over and calls him a pilgrim chuck gets angry. PILGRIM!! PILGRIM! I'LL SHOW YOU WHO'S A PILGRIM DEMON BO- oops sorry bout that i aimed low. Uh mr uh guy with glasses. I would really appreciate it if you could see if you could help my friend about his problem or have something in time to post pone it. If you cant do that it would be pretty sweet if you could be ready for it. Then he starts to dust himself off.

[Miraqariftsky]

Outloud, she says, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually agree with that mad-man. The sooner we're out of town, the better. Where are we going?"

Neshi looks up sadly, tiredly, at the tracker’s comment. He unbuckles the scabbard that holds the Sharaat du’Kerma and sets it down gently at the threshold of the Hall. Straightening, he turns toward the company with his hands held behind his head, his gaze turned heavenward and with his eyes closed in prayer.

Finally, he sighs, gestures towards the East, towards the still-rising Sun and declares, "We march far to the East... unto my homeland of old, the Red Land of Mulhorand. 'Tis a sea of sand, a desert for miles uncountable--- we must drink but sparingly. We must also keep sharp our eyes and noses and make swift for any oases whereupon to replenish our supplies with water, wood, dates, seeds and meats alike"

His fingers point idly at the sky, tracing the lines of constellations that have always guided his people in times of trouble. "After silvern Djawety, the moon-god of old hath turned full once more and we see among the stars the Broken Khopesh, Isis' Girdle and The Great Hunter, we must beware our footfalls for then we are come unto a dread wasteland of many spirits restless. Beware indeed our footfalls for then, soon shall we be come unto the Gorge of Gimilgammash, a multitude of myriad ravines riven from red rocks by ages of wasting winds and waters unseen."

His voice is parched and yet there still courses a lone tear from his left eye, tarrying over the ancient claw-scars on his face. "Here was Sanctum, the temple I hailed from..."

Neshi breathes with pride of his homeland yet growls at the tragedy of his life. "Beyond those badlands, there stretches from horizon to breathless horizon, the great river of El-inar, the lifegiver. Along its banks, near unto the Cliffs of Krandorg was the once-glorious city of Efer-nim, my home-city a thousand years past.”

Neshi's breathing becomes harsh and, barely holding back from growling, he continues thusly, “Beyond those ruins yet there stand in their eternal majesty the Pyramids of Ptakheper and within that valley is a fane forgot... one frequented by the corrupt king Jomash. The father of my liege and along with some of his best assassins, among whom was my father, tried to stage a coup and kill that misbegotten son of Set, Jomash. Alas, they failed. Eventually, though that false Pharaoh receded ito the shadows and nevermore held court in the capital. My former lord, the Nomarch Nimlot, was declared Vizier-Steward in his stead, but rightly, the throne was his"

Suddenly, Neshi slaps his forehead and bows to the ground, prostrating himself before Nina and Tristan. He stands with a rueful grin and gestures toward his companions. "A thousand apologies, eminent comrades! I forgot to introduce thee to our battered band. Here stands before thee, Chuck of Norris, a warrior of swift simplicity. Yon silent giant is Yorrick the Goblinsbane, and in the shadows over there is Martin, a mage of might..."

The templar bows again and continues, "...and I am Neshi of Nimlot's Nome, formerly a Captain of the Royal Guard and a commander of the Amun Corps. I am a servant of SssssekhmeTTT! er, Horus-Re, the Lord of Vengeance and Virtue, Scion of the Sun. I am the last templar lightbringer of the Sanctum of Sekhmet ere it was overthrown a thousand years past in the War of Shadows. By some unfathomable blast of flame, I was hurled into this current age when, it seems, you are dealing with the descendant of the Evil that I and my brethren had fought so long ago..."

Neshi's brow suddenly darkens and his fists clench, blood seeping between his fingers. Through grit teeth, he seethes, "I heard that, thou son of a scarab!"

His eyes widenand he consciously unclenches his hands, blood dripping onto the grassy ground. He heaves a mighty sigh and says aloud, "'Tis just as well if thou dost as he suggests, master Gamaliel. My curse might indeed become a liability but, gods-willing, it shall be burned by the hallowed fires of my faith, perseverance and sacrifice"

[Grrth]

Nina:

In all of that Nina only catches a few words.

Sand?? She closes her eyes briefly, lips moving slightly, a look of utter disgust on her face.

"Well met," she says, looking over each of the four adventurers appraisingly. "Now, lest there be something you wish to do whilest in town, then let it be as the, er, as Neshi says, and be off at once."

She turns her attention back to the Mayor. "If this place we go is as far as he says," a gesture over her shoulder at Neshi, "then is there anyone here who would suffer to teleport us even some of the distance?"

[bchilders]

"Good to meet you all," Tristan says looking over the group and directed to Chuck, "I'll meditate over what might be done to...alleviate your friends malady and hopefully by the morning Oghma will have blessed me with the knowledge and understanding of what might be done."

[de-trick]

Yes it is far away past the border....wait I remember that in the old throne room, their was a gate when you looked into it you would fell the heat of the sun of a hot day. The only problem is that the old throne room is guarded by something from beyond the grave, we have barred it, but I trust you can free the guardsmen of deathless

[Miraqariftsky]

"Let us be off, then", Neshi remarks. He bows to the elder and motions for the company to follow. Tapping the captain of their escort, he says, "Lead us thither, if ye please"

((What? I'm entitled to a short post every now and then!))

[bchilders]

Tristan nods his acknowledgement and then heads off with the group. Very soon after they leave the room a bolt goes off in Tristans head and he stops Neshi. "It just dawned on me where I had heard all those names you were speaking of earlier. I found this in the archives at my church and felt that it was of some importance. I know little of what it is reffering to but maybe it will make more sense to you." With this he hands the scroll to Neshi.

[Miraqariftsky]

NEshi takes but the briefest look at the scroll and flies into a rage. He grabs Tristan by the collar, hoisting him up and shaking him mightily then screams into his face, "GYAAH! Ye bloody knave! It's CURSED, I tell thee, CURSED! Pray to the dead gods and they on high that slumber, pray to the mighty ones far-forsook that thy church and thee have not been CORRUPTED by this EEEVIL text!"

"DOOOM!" He cries aloud. Suddenly, he claps Tristan on the shoulder and laughs long and deep and hard, "HAAAHAHAHAHA! 'Tis well and good, ye've brought this vile parchment hither, comrade Gamaliel, that its evil shall be purified and its remains utterly destroyed!"

His grey eyes widen to an incredible paroxysm of fear and, seizing the scroll in both hands, tears it apart with unconcealed glee. The ancient papyrus parchment crumbles easily, flaking away into scraps of faded gold. These scraps had not even all landed when he rips out his khopesh and madly slashes the scraps out of the air. Not content, he spits upon them and stomps them into the dirt.

Still not appeased, he opens his hands lets spew the wounds that he had inflicted upon himself earlier. Dripping blood upon the ruined scroll and into a border around the scroll's remains, he slashes out the Sign of the Falcon to the cardinal points, all the while chanting guttural and unintelligible prayers.

Suddenly, a flash of bright sunlight erupts around the binding circle. Lo! The remains of the cursed scroll come together of their own volition and congeal into the form of a scorpion with eyes deep as the Abyss itself, flaming pincers and a smoking stinger. Neshi promptly comes forward and crushes the vile creature beneath his armoured heel, taking delight in the unhallowed squelching. "YEEES! DIE, SERVANT OF SET! DIE AND TAKE THY CURSE WITH THEE!"

Neshi then leaves the spot as if nothing had happened and dusts himself off. Noting the aghast faces of his comrades, he asks them, "What? An explanation? Very well. In brief, that was a missive from a king of my people during my time. Jomash was unrighteous and corrupt, feeding off the sufferig of the people. He had them tortured and slain for no reason but his enjoyment. It was he who tore my father's heart out in front of my very eyes. He also made an evil pact with the Dark Lord, the Scion of Set, Malindor and built for him a temple complex and gave unto his dominion my homeland. That, I now believe, was the beginning of the War of Shadows. He was a lord of flesh, ruling over the pain of both the living and the dead... but there came the time that my former lord, Nomarch Nimlot, defeated him and cast him unto the Pits..."

[Grrth]

Nina:

"Um, yeah," says Nina slowly, "whatever. Look ... Neshi, we're going to be companions now ... and you're really starting to ... that is to say -- Look, can you not fly into a rage about everything?" She throws her hands up in frustration.

"We can't properly deal with what we're going to be dealing with, whatever that is, if we're constantly having to worry about being throttled by you!"

Letting her anger loose, she advances on Neshi, eyes flashing and finger pointing at him accusingly, coming to stand between him and Tristan.

"We can't trust you, that much is obvious, but, by Solonor, you are now going to warn us before you do anything like that again, do you hear me?"

Her hand goes to the rapier at her side. "You will never strike one of us in anger again -- or we'll bind you and carry you like the mad-man you are, curse, possessed, or whatever the excuse is!"

[Miraqariftsky]

Neshi looks at her bemusedly and replies, "What? I was angry?"

His eyes dart past her and see Tristan bruised and mangled on the ground. He gasps in shock and stutters in denial, "Wh-wh-WHAT?! I did that?"

Realization hits him like a buffeting sandstorm and he stands back up and walks slowly away with his face clutched tightly in his hands. With a mighty heave, he rips a couple of clumps of thick, wiry hair from his mane. Speaking through grit teeth, he says, "She..., no, they came out again, didn't they?"

He bows to Tristan, putting his face in the dirt and hitting his head against a rock to show his penance. "I thousand pardons I beg, master Gamaliel". Getting up, he sighs sadly and says to the company, "Believe me, what came out today was not even a thousandth of Sekhmet's true power. It took the full might of the gods of three lands merely to imprison her. If ever it becomes clear that I can no longer hold her back, I beg you, have no mercy. Beat me to a pulp"

Then, with his gaze grave, he cautions them, "Only under the direst circumstances must you kill me. Why? Because all these spirit-shards that I bear shall pass onto you and I do not want any of you to suffer as I do. Nobody deserves my suffering more than I... after all that I have done..."

"My demons are my own to bear...", With one final sad look at the company, Neshi turns to follow their escort once more, hoping that he will not break his word and lead them verily unto the forsaken portal...

[bchilders]

Tristan brushes himself off and decides that it might be best if he spent more than a little time this evening thinking of a way to ease the suffering of his new companion...even if only for his own sake.

[de-trick]

before you go to the portal do you guys do anything? Shop? sell stuff?

[Miraqariftsky]

((OOC: At this point in the plot, I do believe Neshi's sanity has just suffered a critical fumble and stabbed itself. Heck, he'd go into battle with Malindor himself naked and wielding only a knife just to get the mission done. So, no, the idea of shopping would likely never cross his mind at this point.

If the majority of the other PCs clamour for shopping, then maybe he could be persuaded... but then, think about it. The portal's fired up, the deathless guards have been removed and everybody's good to go,when suddenly...

*DING*

Hey, we forgot to go shopping!

I now hereby leave the IC impetus to the others, thankee kindly.))

[Grrth]

(( ))

Nina would like to send her ranger band a letter to let them know all that's she's learned and that she's leaving with these crazy adventurers. Other than that, she's ready to go!

[Methalor]

(OOC:

Why, HELLO. It's been a damn long while since I posted, and I'm sorry for that.

I do suggest we equip ourselves before we go out. Derek, can you give us the run-down on approx. remaining cash? Let's say we sell the meager loot that we gathered (those swords and the such)... What do we have left? The character sheet crash kinda messed things up for us...

Saving on the IC until I get an idea of if we really do have anything to spend. Obviously we'd keep those slippers of spiderclimbing and bag of holding...
)

[bchilders]

Tristan says he too is ready to go. If there is some time while the others sort out inventory then Tristan will take that time to write down his observations about Neshi's transformation.

[de-trick]

for the old people
neshi

Spoiler

Show

+2 flaming kopask, wand of cure light caster level 5, cloak of resistance 1

martin

Spoiler

Show

wand of magic missile caster level 7, ring of protection +2

yorrick

Spoiler

Show

+2 mitral full plate, Figurine of wondrous power bronze griffon

chuck you are given

Spoiler

Show

a +2 holy katanna, boots of speed

all the old stuff you took from encounters gave you 1000 gp
magic items you still have

hand of the mage
bag of holding
slippers of spider climbing

[Miraqariftsky]

((OOC:

Spoiler

Show

Thousand thanks for all the items, chief!

Y'know, I'm smelling an incoming ecounter of some sort... and it reeks of "tough".

Anyhow, you said "given". Who gave us all these things? Did they just suddenly appear? Are they cuuuuurrrrssseeed?

Does a "kopask" have the same stats as a "khopesh"? Y'know, over in my side of the world, a bit of wrong spelling or pronuciation or even enunciation can literally mean the difference between a good word and an insult.

Hey, ot complaining, just joking. Thousand thanks again!

Oh, and is it just me or is Neshi currently a parody of Miko?

))

[de-trick]

whoops my bad
kopask=khopesh
I had the right spelling in my spell check then I had to reboot my computer so lost spelling

[Miraqariftsky]

Neshi stalks over to the captain of their escort and asks, "Thou walker! Are we there yet? Where be this portal thy lord spake of?

Unfortunately, their guide has some sort of faraway look in his eyes--- glazed over and grey...

As they march on in a seemingly endless corridor, unlit for some suttering torches ever and anon, NEshi stumbles in the darkness and, in trying to catch himself, trips a lever on the wall unseen.

Suddenly, a thousand inset gems light up on the archway that they are passing through. The passageway glows ominously with magical light emanating, pulsating from myriad sapphires, emeralds, topazes and rubies into the very masonry of the walls.

Neshi rips out his khopesh and yells hoarsely, "BEWARE, comrades! Make haste! Swift, swift! Run to the portal!"

Suddenly, his voice turns womanly high and he continues his warning, gripping his sword with both hands. RUN FOR IT! My sisters are summoning nether-spirits using the magical actuators of this hallway! "

Slinging his shield behind him, Neshi gestures wildly for the others to run past him and towards the ancient Hothmalorran-Mulhorandi portal. His voice resumes its normal gravelly tone and he says confidently, "DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME! RUN ON, I'LL HOLD THEM OFF!"

Slashing the air in the pattern of the Sign of the Falcon, his hands pass through ritual gestures of warding. "Sak'mher khere meto'rii zhape'nde khepere!"

Bursting into a maelstrom of activity, he first violently shoves the captain of their escort away from him, yelling, "GO! Go, damnit, go and lead them to safety thither!"

Then, always careful to move as swift as a serpent and always step like a jackal, he slashes and hacks away at the walls, scattering shards and chips and dust of precious gems hither and yon. Slowly, a wall of gem-dust piles into a wall both around him and sealing off the corridor. "Khere! Mer'dak hotep! Ankh'ar khepere!", he shouts in his native tongue.

"Ankh'ar khepere! S-s-spirits of Sekhmet! I place upo thee a bane and a banishment! BEGONE! ANKH'AR KHEPERE!" At the third blast of his incantation the gem-dust flares with holy light, blasting the corridor with the myriad colors of the rainbow.

But then, when the flare fades, the vision revealed is not as gay. Several shadow-spirits stand just at the threshold of the barrier. Their faces are but skulls bleached and befanged. Unhallowed flames of scarlet sin flicker in empty eye-sockets and, instead of shreds of rotten flesh clinging to rotten bones, shreds of shadow-stuff and blackest ectoplasm swirl therefrom.

As the fiends open their mouths and move their limbs, infernal fumes reeking wretchedly spew from their joints, making Neshi double over, gagging. The templar stumbles backward, clutching his throat and gasping. His sword trembles in a shaking hand just as his voice trembles weakly, "B-back! BACK! Y-you sh-sh-SHALL n-NOT P-P-PASS!"

The shadow-spirits speak, mockingly of him, barely wincing as they scratch at the barrier idly. "Thou art weeeaaak."

"Pathetic templar thou knowest not what thou dealst with!"

"Thou art a flawed vessel, incapable of holding Her Majesty's true power..."

Just then, one of their claws pierced the energy barrier, slipping through with a sizzling noise. Neshi's eyes flood with tears as he screams, "BEGONE, BY HORUS, BEGONE!" At his shout, the flames of the barrier flare all the higher and burn off a couple of arms from the fiends who scuttle back, hissing.

"Hah!" Neshi says, gloating. "My faith is stro-stro-stooonnggg-GAAAAHHH!" He drops his khopesh with a mad clanging and collapses to his knees, clutching his head and chest, muttering incoherently, "thepainthepainohgodsthePAINthepainthepainohgodsth ePAINthepainthepainohgodsthePAINthepainthepainohgo dsthePAINthepainthepainohgodsthePAIN..."

Suddenly as, he stands with renewed conviction, idly retrieving his ancestral honour-blade, all the fires of the divine barrier that he had but a moment ago erected extinguish themselves without the slightest smoke. The corridor is shrouded in darkness--- all except for the unhallowed lights burning in the eyes of the shadow-spirits... and of Neshi.

They are startled as well but recover their nerve shortly thereafter. They hiss and sputter, their taloned hands clacking hungrily, rotten drool dripping from yellowed jaws, desirious of the flesh and blood of the living.

Then, Neshi stretches forth his hands towards them right before they pounce upon him and he declaims in a mighy voice, "DOWN ON YOUR KNEES, MISERABLE JACKALS! Down, my loyal servants, DOWN AND GROVEL, give me my proper HOMAGE! I, thy mistress of old, am come once more to devour the light of the world!"

They start back and cringe horribly, muttering ecstatically. Behold! I have returned from the captivity of a thousand UPON a thousand years! Call forth thy...

Suddenly, Neshi's visage twists in a rictus of pain and pleasure. His eyes blaze with a piercing blue light and he screams, "FOR VIRTUE!", as he grips his khopesh with both hands and sunders the foremost fiend in twain. Turning swiftly and sharply, he chops into another fiend struggling to rise and reduces that other one into a pile of bone-shards. "FOR VENGEANCE!"

The shadow-spirits then swarm forward, a sea of draining fangs and claws. The templar charges forward, beheading a monstrous demonspawn and shouting, "I smite thee by Torm's fiery fury!" Neshi spins into them, slashing and hacking madly cracking, "By Horakhe, to the Abyss with thee, abominations!"

Suddenly, his sword clangs off another blade. He looks up to see a lord of the wastes, encased in plates of chitiuous black armour and wielding a falchion of pitted iron. The fiend's rictus breaks into a fanged grin as he rams his pommel forward then leans into a savage slash, the reverse-curved black metal of his sword sweeping towards Neshi like a gigantic scorpion's sting.

A blade of flaring gold-bronze clashes with a longer blade of shadowspawned iron in a shower of sparks. Both warriors lean into their blows, locked hilt to hilt then Neshi gives a mighty downward shove and the black blade shatters into a dozen shards. Even before the last shards have hit the floor, Neshi slashes out in a riposte, neatly cleaving through the wastelord's neck just as the fiend's clawed hand plunges into the templar's chest in a spurting of blood.

Before the fiend could deliver a finishing blow, its body crumbles into ash that forthwith becomes a swarm of ravening locusts that streak towards Neshi's comrades. The evil vermin swarm is nearly upon them--- verily swirling about their noses when the templar stretches forth a hand and says, "return. i command it..."

Dutifully, the fiend obeys its mistress but when it returns, Neshi's sword suddenly blazes with a fire that would not die. "...I command it in Horus' name. To the Abyss I send thee and come thou never back", He intones right before his blade slashes down, burning every last manifested spirit-shard to a crackling crisp.

Suddenly, a holy light flashes down and every single mote of gem-dust sparkles with a sacred sheen. They coalesce and form into items of power that fly at the companions and within but a moment, gird themselves upon their new masters. Neshi opens his eyes and sees a thick crimson clerical cloak hanging from his shoulders and a wand at his belt, exuding the beauteous smell of fresh lotus flowers. He glances at his companions, resplendent in their newfangled magic.

He lifts his hands to heaven slowly and then lets loose a primal yell, "PRAISE HORAKHE, LORD OF VICTORY! PRAISE THE FALCONLORD! PRAISE THE SCARABSHIELD AND SUNSWORD! PRAISE HORUS-RE, LOTUS-BORN LORD OF VIRTUE AND VENGEANCE!”

Then, drained, he slumps and walks wearily back to his companions. There is nothing weary about the beaming grin on his face, however as he goes amongst them, patting their backs affectionately and encouraging them to join him in praising both Torm and Horus-Re.

[Miraqariftsky]

((OOC! Disclaimer: The above post had nothing to do with in-game mechanics. My inner storyteller just ran rampant and told me to write that or else it'd blow my brains out. ))

[Grrth]

Nina:

"Go! Go!" screams Nina, with a quick glance behind her at the slavering mad-man.

She pushes and shoves the other in front of her and they collapse in a heap together on the far side. Turning, she gazes back inside.

"Neshi, you fool! Get out of there before the thing collapses on you!"

He draws her bow, preparing to attack any foul creature that happens to come towards the group.

[bchilders]

At the sign of the spirits Tristan brandishes his holy symbol, "In the name of Oghma, father of all knowledge, I command you...begone." His hands tremble as the scene unfurls and he doesn't know if the fight will break out with the spirits or his new companion. For the first time ever Tristan wonders if his search for knowledge has taken him too far.

[de-trick]

As neshi screams and the rest of the party start running you see a 13ft skeleton with 2 heads perk up Thou break in to thy confounds of the emperor

it gets a surprise round

and it smashes one of its large morningstars at neshi and another at yorrick
neshi's
(1d20+10)[21]
(2d6+6)[9]
yorrick
(1d20+10)[30]
(2d6+6)[11]