D&D 3.5 game. High fantasy for your escapist enjoyment. [IC Thread]

[Kobold-Bard]

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The world was as it has always been.
Dwarves argue with gnomes about mountain boundaries.
Elves and orcs squabble over each others beliefs.
And Goblins fight with everyone about everything, including each other.
While it may not be perfect, the world goes round with minimal fuss thanks to the Grand Council.

Appointed by the Gods themselves the Grand Council is made up of one representative from each of the destined races; Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Gnomes and Orcs. These form the High Council.
These representatives are chosen not by mortal methods as kings and chiefs are, they are chosen for their ability to give unbiased judgement by the head of each races pantheon; Corellon Larethian, Moradin, Yondalla, Garl Glittergold and Gruumsh. In the case of humans their representative is chosen by the god who at the time is the most widely revered, in this lifetime that is Pelor.

Due to divine riots among the lesser deities an era ago the Council is now attended by a representative from the other races that are recognised as sentient and societal; kobolds, goblins, pixies etc. These form the Great Council, which is not subservient to the High Council, but simply a second tier added to include those races not born at the start of time as the others were. One group noticeably missing from either council is the dragons. This is because neither Tiamat nor Bahamut would set their differences aside and allow a representative to sit with one of the others creations.
The Council is charged with upholding the stability of the world. It is of course impossible to prevent conflict outright, either between different races or indeed amongst themselves. But for the most part, through negotiation and sparing intervention, the Council generally keeps the world in balance.

Then the mists came.

No one is entirely sure what the mist is or where it came from. Diviner’s attempts to reveal their origins fail, and clerics receive no answer from the Gods.
All anyone knows is that if you are caught in the mists you vanish forever.
At first there was an outbreak of paranoia and blame laying. It looked like all nations were going to turn on one another and erupt in the first world wide war. However through mediation by the High and Great Councils the world slowly returned to almost normal. Within a year it became an unwritten rule that if you saw a mist cloud heading towards a settlement, you alerted them, regardless of who it was or how you felt by them.
And so life returned to its way of ebb and flow. Until the unthinkable happened.

The mists swept over the island base of the Grand Council and they vanished like everything else.

You are in the most infuriating forest you have ever come across. Everywhere you look it seems that a clear path is available, but with every step a stray branch clings to you, or a camouflaged dip makes you lose you balance and fall against the detritus strewn on the floor.

Despite this, as you make your way through you can't help but notice just how beautiful it is. The canopy is a rainbow of green hues, with all manner of birds and tiny animals flitting between the trees.

You check your pocket again to make sure the medallion that you were handed along with your summons is still secure. It would be a tragedy if you were to go through all this trouble just to be turned away by an overly paranoid guard.

As you continue on you can finally make out your destination. A natural clearing with The Gateway in its centre, the one entrance to the walled city of Renston. As you enter the clearing it becomes clear that you were not the only one summoned to the kings aid. Others are already waiting or entering as you are.

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Ok. Feel free to interact once you're in the clearing, describe your entrance etc. Everyone in the clearing is a player.

The clearing is an uneven circle about 20 feet across with The Gateway in the middle. Above you the tree tops are sparse allowing lots of sunlight through, but still poviding sufficient shade.

The Gateway is a stone circle, maybe 5 inches tall, on the ground about 6 feet in diameter. The top is carved with extraordinarily complex runes and patterns.

Strewn haphazardy around the clearing there are flattened and smoothed rocks that function as seats.

[J-H]

Arnulf
Having bypassed the trouble of going on foot, Arnulf manages to spot the clearing from above and comes through the gap in the canopy. He circles down to near ground level, and lands on a large tree branch at the edge of the forest, the talons of his hybrid form sinking into the wood and providing a stable grip.

He watches with some amusement as the ground-bound stumble in.

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Hide - (1d20+15)[21]
He's in hybrid form right now.

[Bakkan]

Kal Neran

Kal Neran slows from a jog to a walk as he enters the clearing. He looks around at those gathering together, his naturally sharp senses at a heightened state of alertness. He nods to anyone who makes eye contact with him, but he is on his guard as he makes his way toward the portal, and will not initiate conversation.

Kal is a tall, somewhat slim human, with white eyes and gold hair caught up in a ponytail that extends down to his shoulder blades. He wears a simple white robe with a green sash around his waist and a green and gold patch sewn on his right breast. He carries no weapon, but wears an azure amulet around his neck, black cloth bracers that are obviously not your run-of-the-mill wrist protection, and black boots which have extraordinarily thick soles.

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Spot:
[roll]1d20+6[/roll]

Edit: Roll didn't work, redoing below.

[Bakkan]

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Spot:
(1d20+6)[16]

[Khosan]

Nex

Nex grumbled angrily to himself. A forest was not his favorite place in the world: unpredictable terrain, large amounts of wildlife, it was cold, it was wet, and the color difference between him and his surroundings didn't help either. He kept stumbling over roots and dead branches, slipping in mud and stepping in ant colonies. Not ideal, not ideal at all.

By the time Nex wandered into the clearing, he'd readied his bow out of a paranoid fear of bears or some other large predator. He spotted Kal and reflexively pulled back the bow string.

"No sudden moves, hands where I can see them. Identify yourself and state your purpose."

[Bakkan]

Kal Neran

Kal stops walking forward and slowly turns toward the voice. He scowls in distrust at the goblin. Kal's knees flex and his hands come up to the level of his shoulders, palms forward. To the unexperienced eye, he is giving up. To the trained eye, Kal is ready to strike, flee, or dodge, whatever the situation requires. He gazes intently into the goblin's eyes, seemingly oblivious to the arrow pointed at his chest.

"Do not threaten me, I fear you not. I am called Kal Neran, and I am here at the order of my master. Detain me at your peril."

[Wiz]

Dorian

Another figure enters the clearing, it's quite obvious why this one has come near the last, for he seems quite gaunt and wasted under his explorer's garb. He leans on an extremely well-crafted staff, obviously needing the support after a long walk. At the upper end of the staff dances a flame that burns there without apparently burning the staff. That flame reflects in his fever bright eyes, or perhaps it is devotion burning there. "Peace be unto all here, let not petty divisions divert us from the important mission that brings us together."

[Tortoise262]

Lori

A beautiful elven figure enters majestically, riding a mule and wearing robes fit for a scholar. Strapped over her back is an ornate, well-crafted bow. At her side, a rapier that shows little use. Out of her sleeve flies an owl, which rests on a branch on the opposite end of the opening. Lorellia Lyrenth dismounts and rests on a nearby rock.

[J-H]

Arnulf
Still in his perch amidst the trees, Arnulf speaks... "Four others I glimpsed through the leaves, and four are here, yes indeed, one, two, three, four. Four, and not a person more."

His voice is understandable, but odd to listen to. Having a beak in his current form, some of the phonemes are different, or almost dropped. The others can understand him, but it takes a bit of effort to catch some of the words. "Here to travel through the gateway? No sense waiting 'till nightfall. Haven't been before? Walk on up to the disc and take a leap." His beak closes with an audible clack at the end of the last word.

Putting form to words, he jumps off the tree limb and swoops down to land on the gateway. The moment he does, it activates.

[Kobold-Bard]

Suddenly there is a rustling in the trees as Arnulf, completely invisible to the rest of you until now flies down and and lands on the stone circle. While he seems expectant, nothing happens when he lands.

Dorian and Nex only:

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You know that nothing happened because The Gateway only activates from the inside. They has magical sensors in the clearing so that they know when someone wishes to enter the city.

[Wiz]

Dorian

Dorian smiles, "The gate only operates from inside the city, my friend. It isn't always on."

[Khosan]

Nex

Nex kept his bow aimed toward Kal, "How you feel about me is irrelevant at this point in time. Answer the questions." When the others (except Arnulf) entered the clearing, Nex would take the time to direct his bow at them and give the same order he gave to Kal.

"This is a precaution, nothing more. Safety is m-" Nex interrupted himself as Arnulf burst into the clearing and jerked his bow towards the Gnome/Eagle with a mix of confusion and anger on his face, "What the he-?! Don't...Don't move, whatever you are!"

[Wiz]

Dorian

Dorian looks at Nex. "Really... put down the bow. None of us have threatened you. My name is Dorian... I have been called here by Boccob to this place for his holy purposes."

[Bakkan]

Kal Neran

Kal glances at all as they enter the clearing, interested but calm. He raises an eyebrow as Arnulf comes into view and tries to figure out what he is. After a moment, Kal turns and faces Dorian, not relaxing his guard.

"You seem to know about the mechanisms of this portal. Tell me what I need to do to activate it."

[Wiz]

Dorian

The gaunt man looks at Kal and nods, "You cannot, those in the city must activate it... they can sense what happens in the clearing. No doubt the hostility displayed here is making them question whether they should do so."

[Kobold-Bard]

After Arnulf steps down onto the ground you suddenly hear a loud clanging in the clearing, almost like church bells but they seem to be alerting you of something.

When you look at The Gateway the intricate symbols and patterns that adorn its surface are glowing brilliant white with a tinge of pale blue.
As you continue to watch you notice the air above the stone circle begin to ripple, like it does when you look over the top of a candle flame.

From within the ripples a man steps onto the platform. When he does the ripples cease and the light fades. He is wearing finely crafted silver and blue armour, complete with visored helmet and a large shield on his left arm. In his right hand he holds a large, clearly expensive polearm that ends in a lethal-looking blade.

He slowly turns his head, looking at each of you in turn. The brief flash of his eyes from behind his visor is enough to make you very nervous. He is obviously a powerful warrior. When he finally speaks his voice is a deep baritone, one that is well practised at giving commands.

"Goblin, Lower your weapon.
All of you. Present your proof of summons. Immediately."

[Wiz]

Dorian

Dorian reaches into a belt pouch and brings out the medallion, holding it up. "I have the summons from temporal authorities here, my other summons from Boccob is carried as part of my faith, so I may only prove it to you by my devotion to the cause."

[J-H]

Arnulf
Arnulf reaches into his belt pouch, pulling out his medallion with no trouble despite having talons for fingertips, and holds it up in view.

[Tortoise262]

Lori

Lori stands and reaches into her saddlebags to search for her medallion. "Now where did I put that thing?" she mutters to herself, not realizing the trinket is around her neck the whole time. "Can someone please help me?"

[Bakkan]

Kal Neran

Kal reaches into the folds of his robes, draws forth the medallion and holds it toward the armored knight.

[Khosan]

Nex

Nex inhaled deeply in an attempt to regain his composure. He leveled his gaze on Dorian while keeping his bow on Arnulf.

"Thank you for your cooperation, but whether or not you've threatened anyone or anything is irrelevant. As I intended to say, this is a safety precaution. It's valuable inf-"

Nex was, once again, interrupted, this time by the loud clanging sound. He tried not to let it phase him, but he did jump slightly when the first bell rang. After hearing the armored man speak, Nex lowered his weapon slowly and bowed his head,

"Apologies. Old habits." Nex removes the medallion from a pocket in his haversack and holds it up.

[Kobold-Bard]

Turning to Lori he levelled his polearm at her head height and belowed "You have failed to produce a proof of summons. By the order of King Lexetrin I name you are all traitors, and will die by my blade.

With that he jumped from his platform and launched himself towards the elf, blade briefly glinting in the sun as he moved like a raging bull ready to strike.

(OOC: Initiative rolls in your next posts please.)

[Wiz]

Dorian

Dorian interposes himself between Lori and the warrior, holding forth his staff. "Can't you see... she's wearing it around her neck!"

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Initiative: (1d20+1)[13]

[Bakkan]

Kal Neran

Kal moves with surprising speed and stands beside Dorian, crouching low and preparing to defend the elf.

"Indeed, this man is correct. Look for yourself, but lower your weapon."

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Initiative:
(1d20+1)[12]

[Vrok]

(Hey, you mind if I join in?)

[Tortoise262]

Lori

Unsure whether she should be embarrassed or just scared out of her wits, Lori prepares for the worst.

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(1d20+6)[7]

[Khosan]

Nex

Nex hoists his bow up and re-nocked the arrow he'd already been holding. He was going to be prepared if things started to go south.

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Initiative: (1d20+3)[21]

[J-H]

Arnulf
"Dexter, no!" Arnulf recognized the knight from his previous service with the kingdom.

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Init - (1d20+6)[24]

[Kobold-Bard]

OOC:

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Scared out of her wits is probably a correct response (very high charisma and strength eg. impessive looking, but he's a bit lacking in the wisdom department eg. appaling spot checks and Belkar-esque levels of patience.)
Also his name's Lemaar. Feel free to name NPC's in general, but I had this guy already planned out.

Apparently he didn't hear your shouts as he continues his run at Lori, Glaive-blade forward. "You imposters will fall this day".

Initiative Order:
1. Arnulf
2. Nex
3. Dorian
4. Lemaar
5. Kal
6. Lori

[J-H]

Arnulf Init 24 AC 24 HP 28
"Oh, this is not good."

"Try not to kill him!"

Seeing the man with the glaive starting to move towards Lori, Arnulf launches himself into the air and coming down from slightly above to try to injure him without hurting him permanently.

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Flyby dive attack for nonlethal damage at -4 to-hit
Talon1 - (1d20+3)[6]
Dmg - (1d4+1)[2] + Sneak - (1d6)[3]

Talon1 - (1d20+3)[9]
Dmg - (1d4+1)[3] + Sneak - (1d6)[2]

Failing to make any impression on the man, Arnulf wings his way on across the clearing, coming to a stop on another tree branch and turning around, ready to make another run if needed.