One With Warren Northwode (IC)

[salokcin]

Suddenly, Warren awakes. He is lying on the floor of the crypt, and he can see his sword lying on the cold stone, piercing a now-still skeleton. He looks around. He can see he is alone, yet somehow...he can feel he is not.

The quiet tomb looks less unfriendly now, with no evil skeleton trying to incinerate him.

He listens carefully, but he can hear nothing but a faint sound of dripping water.

He stiffly rises to his feet and moves towards his sword. The pale glow has disappeared, and he knows that he is in no immediate danger. As he reaches for his sword, Warren hears a voice.

[Dreamshifter]

Anersha

'Warren. Warren, are you alright? Are you awake? Is Aranok dead? Well, more so than usual. And what is going on, I can't see, I don't understand!' Anersha's usually calm voice contains more than a little panic, and a lot of confusion. Did we win? Wait, didn't I die? I think I remember dying. Did someone save me? And why couldn't I save everyone this time?

[UglyPanda]

Mick

"I feel like I just had the biggest headache of my life, drank to get over it, then gave myself the biggest hangover of my life. Who am I talking to?" Mick gets up, shakes his head, and reaches for his things.

"I just need to take the mirror out of my bag, check my face to see how much damage I took the night before..." Mick sees a gloved hand that isn't his, reaching into a bag he doesn't own, for an item that isn't there.

"Who am I talking to, indeed. What's going on? Was yesterday some sort of bad dream, or am I still sleeping? Warren, Warren, you there? Did I do something weird to you last night?" He thinks for a second, then adds "And not sexually, I mean! I don't swing that way, I think! No offense to anyone who does!"

[Anna_Irving]

Warren
paladin

The sight of the still skeleton and the dull sword reassured Warren that the evil menace was dead, yet he knew somehow he was not alone. Listening intently, he tried to pinpoint the others but failed to discern even a hint of their presence. My sword, he thought uneasily, missing the reassuring weight of his well-used weapon in his hand. He slowly stood up and made his way to the still skeleton. When he reached for his sword, his world turned upside down.

Voices... there were VOICES invading his mind! Warren drops to his knees, clutching his head, as he feels panic growing within him. The voices were talking to him, knew his name, demanding information from him! What manner of foul magick is this? His panic grows as something takes control of his person, and he watches with rising horror as his hand rummages in his bag without his permission. Aranok! That evil creature must be using me as his new host! I cannot let it use me to spread its evil!

Warren tries to wrest control of his body back from the mental interlopers.
control check - (1d20)[1]

If he is successful:

Spoiler

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I think I've shaken it off, but I will not allow it another attempt! This should keep evil influences out of my mind.
Warren will cast Protection from Evil upon himself.

[salokcin]

A sharp pain shoots through Warren's head. The voices grow louder instead of softer. He feels no control over his body, and panic grips harder. He recognizes some of the voices, but this does not negate the fact that they are coming from inside his head.


(OOC) All can read my spoilers unless I specify otherwise

Spoiler

Show

Mick has control of the body. Warren could not cast protection from evil.

[Gorgondantess]

DamnDamnDamnDamnDamn, why did I have to join into this thing? Now I'm dead, but... I'm thinking. I'm alive, though in some demiplane, maybe.... Hmmm.... Voices of those other fools... ah. A curse. Or hell, in which case I suppose it's hopeless. Ah, well, 'll get myself out of this, and see if I can't do something worthwhile at the same time.

Oh dear. I'm in holy-boy's body. Oh, dearie dear... How vile, how revolting! How... plain. Ah, how I long to be back in my former lithe, splendid, beautiful self. And since I can't trust those incompetents to do it for me... their fault I'm in this mess in the 1st place.... I'll just have to do it my way.

'Ok kiddies, here's to hoping you all can hear me... no reason you shouldn't be able to... anyhow, as far as I know, this is my body now. Ugly, clumsy thing as it is, I need it for the moment, so I'm taking it, and going to the nearest city to pawn off this sword to buy a mage to release me. After I do that, whatever you do is of no concern to me anymore, and you can do as you please.'

Spoiler

Show

rolling to take control (1d20)[5]

[UglyPanda]

Mick

"Oh hell, I'm hearing their annoying little voices in my head. Is this what happens when you've been alone for a while, or is it just me?" Mick makes a small cone with his hands and starts shouting. "Hello, can anybody hear me? I'm getting a bit of a headache and I'd like to find a place to lie down where the vultures won't get me. Warren? Sword guy? Crystal person? Blind girl? Hello?"

Disheartened, Mick looks down and shakes his head. "I've got to face it, I'm totally alone here and going even nuttier. Maybe this is why I can't remember anything, I went off the deep end trying to block the voices out. Maybe they never really existed in the first place and I'm someone else entirely."

With a bit of determination in his voice, he exclaims "I've got to get out of here. Then get a drink. Hopefully in that order." Mick looks around, trying to leave the same way he came in.

OOC:
(1d20+5)[19]

[Anna_Irving]

Warren
paladin

Knowing that his attempt to regain his body failed, Warren feels a shiver run down his metaphysical spine as he realizes the extent of his powerlessness. He is slightly reassured, however, when he recognizes the voices. Aranok couldn't know of that rogue's selfishness, Warren thinks to himself disdainfully as he listens to Vance's voice echo in his mind. Likely this is not its trap. Which means... I am possessed by my compatriots' ghosts?

Warren notices his body heading outward. 'Mick, is that you? Stop moving! Something foul has befallen us, and we need to assess the situation. Are you alive and lodged within my body, or are you dead and possessing me?'

'Anersha, yes, Aranok is destroyed it seems. And I did see you fall. Yet everyone is somehow here inside my body. Have you read or heard of anything like this?

'Vance, I am willing to help you get released from me but my body is not yours nor can you sell my sword. But I agree we will need magical assistance, which will require funds.'

'Everyone, I suggest we gather your possessions from your, um, remains, if they are still usable. We may need to sell them to raise funds. We should probably attempt to retrieve your remains, or a part of them, as they may be needed. I also need to bring back proof that the evil menace is dead, and please do not leavel my sword behind.'

[Gorgondantess]

'Mick, no! Don't listen to them! It'll be horrible if they get out. Please, Mick, just listen to me...'
Vance goes on to recant a harrowing tale, of how each of the different personalities in his head are victims of Aranok, over the years. They've been doomed to a fate worse than death, being trapped in their cold, dead bodies, unable to do anything but think. For hundreds of years they have sat there, with nothing, no senses, until Mick came.
'Mick, you've got to listen to me. Aranok put us in your mind as a final curse against you, the one who vanquished him. Do you really know who Warren is? No, you don't. He's just a man who Aranok killed, years ago, who now inhabits your mind. He implanted these memories of him in there, just out of his malicious spite. They've all gone insane, sitting there with only their thoughts... all but me. If you allow them to take control, if you heed their advice, horrible things will happen! Don't beleive what they say! All they can do now is suffer, and cause suffering. You need to stay strong Mick... for everyone... but you cannot do it alone. Let me take control, and I can stop them! I know them, I know their weaknesses! If you let me out, give in to my will, I will make you whole again, unfractured... hurry, before they strike, there's no time!'

Spoiler

Show

bluff roll: (1d20+11)[26]
and roll to take over, if it fails:(1d20)[12]

[UglyPanda]

Mick

"Us, who the hell is us?" Mick stops moving and sits down.

"Voices in my head, how do I know I'm not just insane and you're not real? Hell, how do I know you guys aren't insane? Are you trying to get me to burn everything or something? I've got no idea what's going on, but you guys better figure it out cause I'm sick of having to listen to you. I just wish I were sane again and knew what my name was."

"Blind girl! Sword guy! Where the hell are you? I think Warren's possessing me!"


"Voice that sounds like sword guy. Shut up! I'm having enough problems with my sanity without you fighting with the other voices."

"God, why is my own mind smarter than I am? Freaking headache!"

[Dreamshifter]

Anersha

'Wait, possessed? Oh. Oh, ok, that makes sense. Aranok must have cursed us, somehow. That means there is a rational explination for all this, and a magical means of fixing it. We all need to calm down, relax. Warren makes sense, we need to get everything from our bodies. I hope my holy symbol is still intact.'

She stops to think for a moment. "We should give Warren back control of his body, definitely. It is his, after all."

Spoiler

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If the bluff check works, she will support Warren taking control, if not, she will support anyone but Vance, who she has taken a decided disliking to.

[UglyPanda]

Mick

"Blind girl, you're in there too? Oh, come on!"

Mick puts his face in his hands and tries to calm himself down. He tries to think the situation over, every possibility. "Fine, if you're really Warren, summon that horse of yours, do it right now."

OOC:
(1d20+5)[18]

[Meat Shield]

Arcturus

'Oooooooowwwwwwww.' The middle aged human attempts to put his hand to his head, both to relieve the pain from the last blow he received and to help with the shouting going on. 'What happened? And why am I still dreaming everyone's voices when I am awake?'

Slowly the Boccob-granted intellect begins to grasp the situation, staying silent, listening to the back and forth. Interesting. Apparently the five of us are all stuck in the body of the holy warrior. Sadly, this means I shall have to listen to Mick non-stop I fear.....

Mentally clearing his throat, he calls to the rest. 'Everyone, I do believe this shouting is getting us nowhere. Stay calm, and we will figure a way out of this.'

[Gorgondantess]

'Heh. Well, it appears I have been ignored once again, that or this fellow is so befuzzled he can't even understand me. It must be because I am quite insane. Heh... heh heh.... HAHAHAHAHAH!!! Heh... ehhhh..... Ah, well, this is getting me nowhere. I am taking control of this body. Now.'

Spoiler

Show

roll to take over body:(1d20)[6]
If that doesn't work, he's trying next round:(1d20)[12]
And if that doesn't work, he's trying again. (1d20)[4]
And if that doesn't work, he'll do something else.

[salokcin]

Spoiler

Show

Mick, you have a full round before you have to fight for control again. After that, you can either roll to keep control, or support someone else taking control.
Warren, you need to have control to summon your horse, though you can release it even when not in control (free action)

[Anna_Irving]

Warren
paladin

'Mick, I believe it is my body you and everyone else is occupying. I cannot call Buster by a mental call. The calling ritual requires gestures, which I am unable to do if I don't have control of the body. And you know very well that I, Warren, was your companion on our quest to destroy Aranok. I don't know what story Vance is spinning.'

'I'm glad to hear you, Arcturus.

OOC

Spoiler

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If Mick wants to retain control, Warren will aid him during the control check. If Mick agrees to cede control, Warren will attempt to take control control check - (1d20)[8]. If successful, he'll spend a full round to call BUster

[UglyPanda]

Mick

"Fine, do whatever! Prove to me that you're real."

OOC:
Release control of Warren. Assist Warren in getting control.

[salokcin]

Mick yields control of the body, and Warren and Vance begin tussling for control. Warren gains the edge, and has the satisfaction of being able to move his own arms again. He immediately sets about summoning his horse, and is relieved to see his noble steed appear beside him shortly after. As he moves towards Buster, however, he feels a tugging at the back of his mind, trying to pull him out of control.

Spoiler

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Buster has been summoned. Warren needs to beat Vance's second roll to stay in control of the body.

[Anna_Irving]

Warren
paladin

'Mick, I trust I've proven I am really Warren, and not a figment. Will you help me again? Anersha, can I count on you?'

control check - (1d20+5)[21]

[Gorgondantess]

Vance sighs mentally. 'Fine. Fine. I'm done. Obviously, it'll be to everyone's benefit if I just let Warren take over... it's his body anyways. I concede.'

[Anna_Irving]

Warren
paladin

'Vance, I thank you for your cooperation. I vow to you, and to everyone else, that I will do everything I can to get all of you restored.'

'Everyone, are we all agreed that we are in my body? And we need magical aid to separate ourselves again? Does anyone object to my plan from earlier, namely gathering our belongings and leaving, raising funds, and finding someone capable of fixing this problem? My Order might have some insight, and I would assume Arcturus' Baccob friends might know something as well'

As he talks, Warren pulls his sword from the ground and bats the skeleton apart. For good measure he impales the loathsome skull on his blade and swings, sending it flying into the ground and shattering into pieces. He sheathes his sword and reluctantly approaches his party's physical forms. Even though he knew they were "safe" within his mind, seeing the still and silent corpses were disturbing.

Warren lays his hand on Buster's neck and addresses his mental compatriots. 'I suggest we let Buster carry our gear back. He sure can carry more than I can. The more gear we can retrieve, the more funds we have to ask for aid. Who would like to start by telling me what you would like me to carry out of here?'

[Gorgondantess]

'Well, well, it seems the high and mighty paladin has shown his greed. "No no no, Vance, we can't sell my sword at all. After all, it's mine. Of course, your stuff on the other hand... well, I couldn't care one bit about that. Let's sell it!" Now, who here detects the least bit of selfishness in that? I'll admit it's your body, but my things are my things. At the least that's grave robbing. If you're not going to sell your sword, then I sure as hell am not going to let you sell mine. Why, exactly, are your things more important than ours?'

[Anna_Irving]

Warren
paladin

'Of course we will not sell your possessions if you choose not to, Vance. That is a personal decision made by each and all. You are correct, I have decided that I will keep my sword, and I recognize your right not to sell your gear. However, there may be others who are not so attached to their possesions and willing to part with them. I, for example, am planning to donate the contents of my purse to the funds.'

'And, in any case, I hope you agree that anything left here would probably be scavanged by the time we fix this situation and come back. That is another reason why I suggested taking everything with us.'

[Meat Shield]

Arturus

'Finally a bit of reason in this cacophony of chaos.' The mental image of Arturus shakes his head. 'We will ALL need to work together to get ourselves out of this mess. Probably a side effect of massive necromatic energies interfering destructively with the radiant life force energies given off by.....' as the absent minded professor tails of into another long winded spiel about theories and supposition before returning to the matter at hand.

'Regardless, may we all agree for the time being to allow Warren to remain in charge? If nothing else, we need him to control the horse to cart our possessions out of here.'

[Dreamshifter]

Anersha

'Of course you can count on my support, Warren. As for my things, I'll be happy to sell most of them, if it will help us return to our own bodies. But I need my holy symbol.' She sounds quite pleased that things are getting less chaotic, and that someone has a plan, and is in charge.

[salokcin]

As Warren approaches the first body (Mick's), he sees a bag lying close by.

Mick:

Spoiler

Show

You recognize this bag (and your body). It was the bag you were trying to reach into earlier

[Anna_Irving]

Warren
paladin

Warren resists the urge to whisper a prayer over Mick's corpse, for that would be disrespectful to the man occupying his head. But he does take a few moments to rearrange the corpse, straightening out the limbs and closing the staring eyes.

'Mick, is there anything you'd like to take before we leave?'

'Also, I don't recall the specifics of bringing people back from... if not death, then body-lessness, but would it be helpful to take his... well, him back as well?' he asks.

[salokcin]

Warren picks up Mick's bag, and finds it surprisingly light for what everyone has seen Mick carrying around.

[UglyPanda]

Mick

'Check inside, this was one of those bags that makes everything inside lighter. You might want this. And did I really look that ugly? Jeez. Just cut off a finger and we'll have a forest-priest look at it later, I'll come back as a bugbear with any luck. Oh yeah, take the headband, it lets me give people exploding headaches more often.'

[Meat Shield]

Arcturus

'I hope the priests of Boccob know how to seperate us, else it will get very crowded in here for poor Warren.' Arcturus sounds a little worried, but one can also tell he finds then entire experience fascinating, as he does any new learning experience. It is one of the things that infuriate people with him so.

'Warren, grab my sachel and take my vest please. The latter you should wear - it will help keep you safe on the remainder of our journey.'