When The Avatara Walk the Earth....

[H Savvy]

Tahlin smiles at the show the others put on, an entertaining bit of playfighting, and fairly informational about each of their strengths... and weaknesses.

The winged lizardman gets up and announces his departure, and Tahlin is quick to take the opporunity to retire as well. He turns to walk with his reptilian comrade, falling in step just beside him.

"Tell me, my lizard friend... Sslag, was it? Of the brood of Burz? Tell me, where and what do you plan to eat? I may have a mind to join you. It has been a long and... busy day. A bit of evening repast has a rather enticing sound to it."

[Smiley_]

Sslag pulled out his scarab.

From what I can gather, I go where this bauble tells me to go for food.

He placed it back under his cloak, and retrieved a small eliptical object easily recognizable as an ordinary egg.

Mostly, I wan't to stock up on these.

He poped the whole thing, shell and all, into his mouth and chewed excitedly.

How I lived without these things is beyond me. They're much better than the roots, fish and bits of crocodile hide I grew up on.

[H Savvy]

The elf smiles as he walks.

"I have also rather broadened my horizons since I was a child, but travel tends to do that. You're right about the eggs, though. Eggs are real marvels, and I likely would have missed out on them had I never left the High Forest. ...though I prefer mine a little more ...well-done.

...Did you say crocodile skin? I don't believe I've ever tried that..."

[Smiley_]

Nor do you want to. The stuff tastes like an old boot that's been soaking in a mire for a few decades.

Popping another egg in his mouth, he continued.

Do elves really live in trees like everyone says?

[H Savvy]

The elf laughs; it is a bright and merry sound.

"I suppose there are some who do. It really depends on how you define "in" trees. In the village of my birth the people live in elaborate tree-homes, buildings constructed against the very trunk and branches of the great old trees that comprise our forest-home... they are buildings in a fairly similar fashion to the human mode, really, but built into the forest, rather than on land cleared barren. To some, I suppose, it is living in trees, though I feel that makes elves sound a bit more... feral.. than they are.

So, Sslag, where did you grow up?"

[Greyen]

Garris

Garris follows along humming along some inane tune to himself. Listening tot he others. He is twirling an arrow on his finger as he walks, occassionally it is a drumstick other times it just spins around his finger.

[elkhantar]

Othar stretches and looks at the others depart. He decides to stay in the training room, then seek Karden for more information on the Avatara they will have to fight and where they currently are.

[Azerian Kelimon]

((Oky. Fast forward, then. Fasten your seatbelts, gentlemen, 'cause here we goooooooooooo.....))

The day passes peacefully. Apparently, the Avatara are under control, and nothing new has occurred. You all go to sleep (Or rest, for those that need not embrace Morpheus). Morning comes. All of you are already up and perfomring some kind of activity...when you hear Karden's voice thunder through your head.

TEAM! To my office, now! We've got an emergency!

Arriving at the office, you see Karden, changed. His hair is dishevelled, his skin very pale, and he seems to be shaking slightly. After everyone arrives, the bard speaks, in a low, shaky voice.

We've...we've got a report about a new Avatara who has appeared, in Greenleaf county, a nearby artist town. Consulting planar contacts, we have discovered his name is Isadore Ausphex, a swordsman of tremendous reknown in ages of old. He invented quite a few famous tricks, like the blindsider's gambit or the butterfly attack.

But that matters not. He's appeared, and he's wreaking havoc, so I want you to stop him, quick.

Now...the problem is how. Scrying has revealed that... The bard trembles a bit.

He can clone himself! he can split into clones, and they're not illusions or diminished parts. We don't know how he can do it, but...what we know is that his power is multiplied immensely by being able to perform that feat.

You'll probably need some help here...

So it's time you learn about this, he says as he holds up a strange silvery coin, which seems to have a small liquid silver wave moving on one side, not a drop falling down from it.

Coins to the Mercane market, the best source of equipment in the multiverse. We've loaded about 30 thousand gold pieces to your accounts, though you can opt to store them for later. Here, he says as he throws everyone a silver coin.

Now, you have 5 minutes to buy anything you want to with that money, or you can keep it if you want. But finish up quick, because I'm getting you teleported as soon as you're done.

[Duke of URL]

Taia

Money? Excellent. Action? Also excellent. Our host's ragged appearance? Danger sign. She hurries off to go shopping.

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Shopping List:

18,000 Amulet of Health +4
12,000 Lenses of Clarity

[H Savvy]

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Spending 16kgp on Crystal of Elemental Assault (greater) (acid) and Crystal of Mind Cloaking (greater). Other 14kgp in Bag of Holding.

"Before we depart, I have two questions, Karden. Number one: how do we stay in contact with you, to inform you of developments as they happen? Number two: As we are now in the employ of the Secret Watch, I assume it is an affiliation that does not get widely broadcasted. How will we identify fellow members of the Watch, and how should we signify this to others?"

[Smiley_]

Sslag returns grinning broadly, crumpling up a piece of parchment.

Ok, then! I'm ready!

OOC: Man, I blew 26912.5 gp on one scroll. Worth it, though.

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Scroll of Wish (1,912.5gp for scroll with a whopping 25,000 for pre paid XP cost for giving multiple breaths/day.)

[Azerian Kelimon]

((Smiley: You could have just paid for a crystal of psychic chirurgery or whatever's the name and gotten that feat that gives more breaths per day. But if Wish floats ze boate...))

Turning towards Tahlin, the bard just takes out a silver scarab, similar to the ones he distributed yesterday.

This nifty things enable a telepathic contact, just by concentrating on them. How do you think I managed to speak to you if I wasn't around?

And as for identifying members of the watch, anyone who carries a scarab somewhere on their person will glow a bright yellow once I send you to the field and activate the tracking function. To disable that on your teammates, you just need to focus on them and the light will shut down on them, though not on every agent.

[Smiley_]

((Yeh, but this is an inherant bonus, not magical. It is essentially cramming a functional draconis fundamentum gland into his neck. Also, extra breath gives only one extra breath per day, making metabreath spells silly and unworkable.))

[Greyen]

Garris

Garris take his coin and hurries out to shop. Picking up a few scrolls, a couple of potions, and trading in his boots for slightly nicer ones.

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Purchasing 2 scrolls of Greater dispel magic (Caster lvl 20) 3000each, a scroll of Break enchantment 1125gp, 1 scroll mirror image (20th caster lvl) 1000gp, and if possible upgrading boots to have both the Boots of speed effect and the boots of striding and springing effect (adding a cost of 18000gp = 1.5 x cost of boots of speed 12000gp) for a total of 26125gp.

He collects his scarab, dropping into a pouch. He says Ready to go.

[J-H]

Gars
Gars purchases an orange ioun stone, and sets it to floating a close orbit around his head.
"I'm ready."

[The Necroswanso]

Uranus was a little shocked at the information. She could definitely copy herself, but in no way like this man could.
"I am ready to go."

[H Savvy]

"We should be going before that madman causes any more trouble."

Though he was calm externally, inside, his mind was reeling. Isadore Ausphex! THE Isadore Ausphex! Tahlin had studied several of his maneuvers in the past, indeed, the blindsider's gambit was one that the elf knew quite well! It had served as the inspiration of some of Tahlin's personal repertoire, the admixtures of techniques that he had combined to more perfectly complement his specific abilities.

This was going to be... interesting. And likely, highly educational. He could hardly wait to cross blades with the old master, though for the first time in a long time, a rare thing was happening: Tahlin feared the outcome.

((nudge nudge))

[Azerian Kelimon]

As everyone finishes obtaining items from the Mercane Market, Karden closes his eyes. A wizard enters through a back door then, carrying a set of scrolls.

You called, Karden?

Aye, Morrissen. I need you to teleport everyone to Greenleaf County.

As you wish. Now, line up, everyone...

After everyon makes a line, the wizard proceeds to stroll though it, casting spell from the scrolls. As he does so, one by one, everyone vanishes.

Then, the scene changes. Gone is Karden's office. Instead, you find yourselves in the alleyway of a small town, the houses brightly colored. No doubt, this is Greenleaf County.

However, the ambient is not as cheerful as it could be, for you find yourselves surrounded by corpses. All of the people's bodies are filled with cuts, enough to chop a Balor to bits, but you hear some soft groans. Looking around, you find one of the "corpses" is actually alive, but gravely injured.

[Admiral Squish]

Sasach set his bow upon a mage's table, and told him to make the bow never miss its target. The mage hurriedly gathered the reagents, said a very quick chant, and sprinkled a shimmering silver powder onto it. The bow sucked it up in a flash, and glittered faintly when finished. He grinned and returned to the group. "Let's go." He said, simply.

[Admiral Squish]

Sasach spurred Criu into the air, circling a little ways above the building around to see what is to be seen. HE knew he would be of no use in healing the injured. Best to simply get himself and his bird out of the way. He looked down at the carnage below and cast his gaze outward, toward the outskirts of the town, seeking signs of the man, or in this case, force, that did this.

Spot: (1d20+31)[15](46)
Spot (Criu): (1d20+22)[5](27)

[Smiley_]

Sslag hurries forward and lays his palm on the injured man.

Lay on Hands 10 pts

[The Necroswanso]

As they arrive in the alleyway Uranus practically ignores the bodies, not even paying the still living body any attention.
"How much do you all want to bet that bard is one of these, 'Avatara'.

[Smiley_]

The thought had crossed my mind...

Sslag propped the body up and continued to issue light slaps to the man's cheeks to wake him up.

[kentma57]

Looking up with a frown "Thanks for stoping; I could handle the first few but then he just surrounded me..." and with a grunt of pain he starts muttering in a language that you don't understand, soon his wounds are gone...

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Cure serious over several rounds(1min, I assume we have time) (3d8+5)[15] (3d8+5)[20] (3d8+5)[17] (3d8+5)[15] (3d8+5)[21] (3d8+5)[14] (3d8+5)[19] (3d8+5)[19] (3d8+5)[20] (3d8+5)[19]

As he retrives a rather bloody Katana from the ground and begins cleans it off he says "That was close I almost bled out."

To J-H and DM

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He was talking in Druidic; nothing major "heal, cure me" and the like.

To DM

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I have an item of 'Cure Serious', infinate[did I spell that right?] uses(though each still takes a standard action).

[Greyen]

Garris

The hunter lands and whistles softly, he looks down and says to something Lets find him, boy. Garris then stars to sniff and look around before leaping to a nearby rooftop. From there he begins to hunt some more.

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Summoning Mordenkainen Trusted Bloodhound
Its survival to track the killer (1d20+8)[26]

Garris' tracking -
Survival (1d20+18)[33]
Hide (1d20+28)[44]
Move Silently (1d20+27)[36]

[elkhantar]

Othar

Not seeing any immediate need to cover, the half-ogre keeps the money for later, and grabs his chain as they are teleported to Greenleaf Village. The spiked chain rattles in his grip as his knuckles become white when he sees the carnage around.It's not that those avatara don't have any concern for other's lives, it's as if he enjoyed doing this... he mutters, enraged. However, he seems to snap out of it when he hears the survivor.

Is he fine? he asks Sslag as he uses his healing powers. Leaving the search to those more gifted than him, Othar puts his blindfold and tends to the injured man the best he can.

Are you alright? Is there something we can do to help you? What can you tell us about "them"?

[Duke of URL]

Taia

As always when exposed to a dangerous situation, the pixie winks out of sight and begins looking around for trouble. She could start animating the bodies to act as a buffer against any attack, but the effect would be short, and explaining to some of the more altruistic-minded members of the group would be a pain.

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Listen - (1d20+4)[16]
Spot - (1d20+4)[16]

[kentma57]

As the man gets to his feet, dressed in black silk robes; you are struck by how little armor he wears. In fact his only armour is a small wooden buckler. "As suprising as it sounds it was Isadore Ausphex, I would recognize him anywhere, but this new power... it was unlike any he had in life."

[Smiley_]

Yeah, we heard. Ignotius Anthrax, the sword guy. Where is he?

Sslag was growing agitated. The longer they wasted time gawking at this supposedly long dead person's existence, the more destruction would be caused. The sooner this was over, the better.

[Azerian Kelimon]

After the man's healing and introduction (His name is Thufir), he points out the direction towards where Ausphex left, leading to a central street.

The street holds a nasty surprise. An innumerable amount of corpses are scattered across the street, enough for a Necromancer's wildest dream. It's as if an invasion had descended upon the city, but the town doesn't have the normal marks of an invasion. No buildings are destroyed or burning. There is no sign of battle, and the place is deathly silent.

However, that silence doesn't last long. Suddenly, the door of one of the man houses that make the borders of the street opens, and out comes a man with a long silver beard, dressed in flowing red robes. Running towards you, he approaches you and exhales a sigh of relief.

Thank the gods! Finally, an authority has arrived! What has happened here is a disaster. That brute...he came and asked if he could stay here with us. We tired to shoo him off; After all, we take pride in this being an ARTIST'S community! However, he became enraged...and then, he was at five places at a time, slaughtering us. You must stop him! Many paintings and sculptures are already doomed to being incomplete due to the death of the minds behind them, and many more will suffer that same fate! Please, you HAVE to stop him!