After Morteft gives his monologue and when he finishes Big Red starts to lightly dragon chuckle.
"You humans, always try to complicate things and to think about the absurd.  The terms were simple, but to spell it out for you, you would either state that you will serve me and lay down your weapons and items  OR  state that you choose to fight and battle commences."  she soft chuckles again "Of course the outcome is certain in which you will die, hence choose to be my servants or die." she dragon sighs "Now since you are naive in proper protocol I shall explain.  These are servants, therefore, no introduction is required.  Any others are just guests, not part of the court and therefore, again, no introduction is required.  Finally, I shall indulge your naivety one last time.  Set is coming whether you want it or not, why resist the inevitable. My queen knows this to be.  As far as join you ..." she stands, you mostly know this due to the noise and air movement.  Her wings unfurl and her claws raking into the floor creating a cascade of coins. Her form still blends into the surroundings and her eyes pull back further, her voice now has menace in it "I am a dragon, a race as old as time itself, we do not follow lesser beings, you bow to our will!  Now choose your fate."

The cleric pays Shorty no mind.

--DM2

In reply to Ron, The DM (msg # 1):

Trysk glances at the dragon's servants and guests to see if any are tensing for battle.

He looks quizzically at the dragon, "I'm not sure what the protocol is here, but are we allowed to request a second?"

Trysk sends to the group with a chuckle, *So, what's the battle plan, Lord Warwick?*

In reply to Trysk (msg # 2):

Trysk interjects another question and the dragon deflates a little "What do you mean by second?  Is it time, do you want a substitute? What are you saying drow?"

--DM2

In reply to Ron, The DM (msg # 3):

OOC - This is Trysk buying a little time for Warwick to develop a plan.

BIC - Trysk sighs, "No, no. Not for me. I was asking for your sake. I would think a fight with us is beneath you, so are your servants and guests (Trysk points and gestures accordingly) considered your seconds? I wouldn't want to injure someone needlessly."

Shorty steps slightly apart from his friends in case he anything he says causes things to go badly.

First he looks at the Cleric one last time.  “Does youse betray youse Queen fer Set.  Follow new Master now?”  The Shorty turns his attention to the one called Zak who dold him he was entertaining.  “Who bees youse Master, one called Sentinal?  Serve upise Queem pr serbe pme dat netraus her?”

Finally, Shorty looks the golden image of Tiamat, ignoring Nig Red.  “Lady a Many Heads.  Queen dis place.  Me hab Keep me word ta youse.  No takes youse tings.  Not breaks youse house, not kills if no hab to.  Dis Red bees no bery smart.  Her tells youse dat no ken stops Set.  Wis me friends, stop him seben times.  Stops jo, seben time sebenty time if dat what bees need.  Youse bees da Queen.  No bab ta serbe little cloud like Set.  Lets us clean youse house a dis Bad Guest.  Youse da boss here not foolish Red Dragon.”

Shorty glances up at Big Red when he finishes.  “Youse neber gonna bees smart nug ta teaches Arlon.  Me son already knewed mo den youse ken eber knowed.”

Shorty draws his swords and stands ready.

Ez’ard starts a MM spell and pauses until the first “punch” is thrown. He will send 3 directly at the man in black trying to hide behind big red on the right. He will also send the other 3 at him but taking the long way around big red to try to catch him from behind. He then readies his two throwing daggers determining his target opportunities when it is time.

Morteft suggests, "If we are going to fight, might you honor us with the fight at dawn? We have seen much battle today and it would be less sport for you to fight us now."

Shorty glances around the room.  "Needs ta tink bout what me should dos.  Jus bees ogre.  Takes me little bits ta big one or da udder."

Shorty then looks over at Ez’ard and asks in his normal booming voice.  “Hey, Izzard.  Tinks dis one knowed how muches no bery smart sister bee too?  Sister take head off a Birdie Max cause he no teaches her big magics.  Me fixted Birdie.  Now him teaches Arlon all da magics no bery smart sister never gets ta knowed.”  Shorty things for a momeents and then adds.  “<aybeso dis Red feels beter ifn me talss her dat me finded sum bodies ta teaches Arlon how ta bees a dragon.  Bees bery nicest Gold Dragon me ever meted.  Him teaches me son muches mo den him real Mama ever knowed.”


OOC:  I will pause her as we work out a few details in private.

Morteft mentally chuckles. *Well, my friends, if this is the final battle for any of us, then let me say that it has been an honor to strive ever forward with each of you.*

OOC:  Before things hit the fan, want to clarify. that Shorty, Ez'ard and Warwick took Arye's offer of fire protection.  I don't see where it was posted so want to be sure its clear.

OOC - sorry I have been distracted and still learning Druid magics.

Does Barkskin stack with stoneskin? (+1 AC, +1 saves  If so, Arye would offer to have cast that on those who wanted it as well. Can cast 5 spells so one on Arye and the rest to the group, unless it doesn't stack

In reply to Ayre Vafir (msg # 11):

OOC: To answer some questions, yes all have fire protection and I do allow barkskin to stack with stoneskin so the other 4 PC's can have it.

BG responds to Trysk "That is insulting to even ask drow, you will learn respect .. or not, ash cannot be taught."

BG responds to Morteft, "There will be no delays, you have interjected yourself into my affairs therefore you shall battle as you are.  You choose to deny my gracious offer to be in service to me?"

Still the priest does not even acknowledge Shorty's queries.  Neither warrior acknowledges Shorty either, actually Shorty would not know which one is Zak, the two warriors look identical.

Fritz whispers "They are brothers, twins, well triplets.  Mak, Zak and Dak.  Very difficult to tell them apart."


--DM2
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:07, Sun 05 May.

Morteft shakes his head. "Yes, I deny your offer of slavery."

In reply to Morteft (msg # 13):

Trysk sighs, "Are we done bantering already?"

He straightens up and replies, "I choose to deny my services to you."

Shorty looks over at Fritz.    “Fritses, me hab hard time ta choose.  No so sure it bees good ting ta works fer dragon dat no bees smarter den ogre.  No so sure her eben knowed hows ta makes fire.  Eben Arlon ken do dat.  Her talks so muches and no say nutting.  How muches you has ta helps her just ta makes choice fer self.  Maybeso dat magic man ahind her bees da real smart one.  Bees him dat makes her mouth mob an words come out?  Maybe if knowed dat ken picks fights or bees her pet.”

In reply to Shorty (msg # 15):

OOC: To whom is the magic man to which Shorty refers?  Is it the priest or the man in black that Ez'ard has seen?

--DM2

OOC:  The figure in black that Ez'ard saw.

In reply to Shorty (msg # 17):

Fritz will respond to Shorty, "That is the one whom I am not sure about. I do not recall him coming by me which is almost impossible.  He must be a visitor, he is not part of Black Doom .. most likely."

Both Tzar and Fritz will answer in the negative to BR's offer.

Tzar says "I already serve a king, my word is my bond, I will not denounce that loyalty." he grabs the sword hilt on his left bracer and a blade of flame ignites from the hilt.

Fritz says "I have repented my lady, we are now on opposite peaks and our directions are now divergent to the extreme, I cannot go back."

BR, smoke escaping from her nostrils says "Very well, prepare."

The two fighters before her assume a fighting stance.  Keryth smiles broadly and stands somewhat casually.  The man in black backs away from Big Red moving toward the right wall.  His appearance, he is dressed in all black, velvety very fine clothes, he has slick backed dark hair and a thin goatee. No items can be seen.

OOC: Battle is about to begin, you guys have fanned out a little but she'll be able to get at least 3 of you in a breath.  Right now I have  Morteft and Trysk on opposite sides of the 'line', Trysk to the left Morteft on the right.  Four fighters in the middle - you guys, Shorty and Warwick can change their spot but right now I envision from left to right Tzar, Warwick, Shorty, Fritz.  Ez'ard I have between Fritz and Morteft but he can be repositioned as well.

--DM2

Warwick starts casting as he floats into the air.  "Foul beast.  You've made a pact with Set and your soul will forever rot in the deepest layers of the Abyss."  As he reaches the ceiling, he casts blade barrier just in front of the throne, making it wide and deep enough to pin the dragon there and let the blades continue to slice into her.

Shorty squeezes his superball at this point.

OOC:  Shorty had already tried to separate himself from the others when he began to taunt the dragon.  Can't make out any maps from within the construction zone of my office... but he would have moved towards the cleric's side of the combat since he was trying to question him.  If he has time before the battle begins, he will use his mirror image spell.

Ez’ard is moving to the right to keep the guy in black in view. Magic Missile spell would be first turn and then the returning throwing daggers, same person if still in view and reachable.

In reply to Ez'ard (msg # 21):

OK, I will have Warwick begin to fly - it is at least 100' to the ceiling.  I will have Shorty then Fritz on the left, still inside of Trysk.   Tzar and Ez'ard on the middle right and Morteft far right.  Need Ayre somewhere, right side over by Morteft.

Shorty can get a Mirror Image (1st ed version).  I will try to get at least some type of battle ground uploaded.

--DM2

TY:  I will let uou foll for the number of Shorties that appear.  Too much going on here trying to repair the ant damage.  Ripping out floring and replacing the sliding glass door in my office.  Can't concentrate at the moment with saws and hammering and the music the team is listening too.