War of the Weilded (Dungeon #149)
Chapter One: Featherwhisper

Logan, Celene and Angati stay in the city and spend the next week attending to their affairs. Logan visits his mother many times, fences the flensing knives and works on improving his thievery skills. Angati set about organising the renovation of the party's future underground lair. Celene spends most of her time in the temple, catching up on her studies both archaic and divine.

The next night sees Logan being woken early one morning by a hammering on his door. The rogue has been staying in the same tavern in as Angati - actually, she has had to pay since he'd needed to use his entire stipend from Lavinia to support his mother in the cheapest room at the shrine. Although the rogue is bleary eyed and tired when he climbs out of bed, he still has his swords drawn within a few seconds. In response to his grumpy 'who's there?' he hears the panicky voice of Zan Oldavin, the rogue that is one of the four members of the Jade Ravens.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:21, Tue 26 Jan 2016.

"Logan? Logan, is that you? Please open up! It is Zan. You know, the Jade Raven. Please you have to open up it is a matter of life and death!"

Blearily, Logan stumbled to the door, and opened it, inspecting the other rogue in front of him.  He backed up a few feet, resolving to keep a close eye on his belongings after the cheese incident last time.

"What finds you here?  Unable to afford the fancy cheese since you left Vanderboren's employ?"

"What? Oh, the cheese. Look, I am so sorry about that, but you need to help me! Tolin and the rest of the Jade Ravens have been taken hostage by a gang, I think it might be the remnants of the Lotus Dragons. They're been held in Featherwhisper's bathhouse - it's only a block from her so you're my best chance of saving them. Logan, my friends are going to be thrown into the mud pools in the bathhouse and then they'll cast mud to stone. They'll be trapped forever! Please, we only have a couple of minutes to act!" The young rogue seems frantic and nearly in a state of panic.

Logan struggles to hide his interest, especially as the rogue feels more than a little guilty if the remnants of the Lotus Dragons are taking out their revenge on the Jade Ravens due to his actions.

"Wait, the Lotus Dragons?  Why'd they come after you?  Why not us?  We're the ones who chased them all out of their little underground clubhouse.  How'd they even find out about you?"

The rogue shakes his head.  "But you can tell me on the way.  Angati is staying here, we should probably get some backup.  Maybe Celene, too, if we can find her quickly."

He looks to the other rogue and smirks.  "I'll help you, but you better believe you all are going to be paying us back for this!"

With that, Logan leads Zan to Angati's door, knocking loudly to get her attention.

"Huh? Oh, actually I am not even sure that they are Lotus Dragons, they are just some sort of gang. They're killers, that's for sure!"



"Maybe you can become a member of the Jade Ravens. That would be good, right?!"



Angati's door is opened surprisingly quickly, indicating that the oracle was already awake. Another surprise is that Celene is in the room as well! Both ladies are fully dressed and there are two cups of tea on the small table in the room - it looks like Celene was visiting despite the early hour. (It's dawn - 0600)

Zan proceeds to hurriedly tell his story to the two women so now they are up to date as well. "Please, we have to hurry. Every minute we delay increases the chance that my friends are going to be thrown into a therapeutic mud pit and then encased in stone!"

Celene quirked an eyebrow over her teacup when she heard the knock on the door; as Agnati opened it she set her cup on its saucer and waited to see who was bothering them at such an early hour. Seeing Logan brought a smile to Celene’s face but it was soon washed away by Zan’s predicament. Could Rowyn have recovered so quickly to cause more trouble? Did her lackey’s have enough initiative to start their own enterprise?

She pushed the thoughts aside and stood up from her chair undeterred by the interruption to an otherwise pleasant spot of tea ”Let’s not waste anymore time. Lead the way Zan.” she looked to Agnati to see if she agreed.

Angati looked at the man over and over without raising from her chair for a while and not saying a word. For a minute she sensed that there was something off, but as she was going to put down her cup on the table, Anansi, anxious for going out, decided not to wait anymore, dropping all the cups from the table as if Angati had bumped it.

"Let's go, let's go... out out, this woman here is boring sipping tea and doing nothing, out OUT !!!" Angati sighed... Anansis' shouts were silent for all the rest but for her, they were quite real and unnerving... "Let me don my armour at least", she said closing the door on the men and asking for help from Celene to put it on faster.

21:37, Today: Angati rolled 4 using 1d20.  Sense motive.
Crappy roll... going on with it.

In reply to Angati (msg # 8):

Angati judges that Zan is being totally upfront and forthright with the party.

Thanks for rolling :D

OOC: Thanks for pushing things along guys. I will post tonight and we'll be back on a more traditional dungeon crawl... if you can consider a 'bath-house' a traditional dungeon.

Without any further discussion the four of them rush downstairs, out of the inn and off to featherwhisper's bathhouse. It doesn't take long - they are there within five minutes since it is only two blocks from the tavern Logan and Celene are staying in.



Featherwhisper's is an opulent spa in the nicer part of the Merchant District and famous for actually JUST being a bath-house and not a cover for more... improper acts. It is also famous for its fresh mud baths which are held with magic at a pleasant temperature and used by the idle rich to pamper themselves.

It is early in the morning, and all of the shutters on the windows of the bath-house are closed - only the front doors are open and inviting - perhaps waiting for some of their more 'early-bird' customers. The party do a quick circuit of the establishment to see what the options are to get in, with Zan fussing the whole time about how important speed is.

They find there is a attached garden and Logan gives Celene a boost so she can see inside. The 10' walls won't be the difficult to climb over (DC12), but are topped with crushed glass and ceramic meaning that if you fail you will take 1d6 damage in addition to not getting over. The garden inside the wall is carefully crafted to resemble a native jungle, so movement off the path will be through difficult terrain. Celene spots two doors leading from the garden inside.

Those are the two options that immediately jump out as options A) through the front doors and into what looks like a reception area with two staff members sitting there B) over the wall and into the garden

OOC: Beni/Angati, congrats! You are the new party caller! What do you want to do?

Id say we Jimp damn phones n.

Jump?

Heh heh. Damn phones. :D

I'd say go for the back way, but Logan doesn't have the best climb in the world; only a +4.  How are Celene and Angati at that?  We might be better off going in through the front door and bluffing/diplomacy-ing our way past the attendants.

-1. Diplomacy +8 Bluff +4.

I have climb +1 Bluff +13 Sincerely I am advocating for rear because I do think its a trap, not a dangerous situation for the jade craps. So... maybe I am letting myself be guided by OOC or personal hunches rather than IC knowledge which is not 100% correct. So, it is my feeling that bluffing just will get us into the trap, even if our bluff and diplomacy are better. Still... if you want to try it that way, I am +1 climb +13 bluff +15 diplomacy and absolutely love lying.

In reply to Angati (msg # 17):

OOC. Jade 'craps' tsk tsk Beni, it's not their fault they got into some trouble.  :D

OK, if you're trying the wall, then I need one DC12 climb check each.

Celene looked at the wall and then pulled a pair of gloves from her pack. She pulled them on and then tried to scale the wall. The woman clambered up the wall with surprising ease and disappeared over the other side.

23:58, Today: Celene rolled 16 using 1d20+1.  Climb.

Angati climbed with less ease than she would have wanted, luckily to her, the armour protected her some as she passed on to the other side.

10:24, Today: Angati rolled 13 using 1d20+1.  Climb.

If the thief fails it will be so funny...

Benni, north or south door?

OOC: North, just because.

Watching the two women clamber over the wall, Logan sighed, knowing he had no other choice but to follow them.  The rogue clambered up and over the wall, avoiding damage but failing to look as professional as he would have liked in front of Zan.

Logan goes up first so he can help the others, and has a difficult time of it (rolled 12 for a DC12 check). But he gets to the top and helps Angati and Celene over. Zan refuses assistance, muttering something about being a 'Jade Raven and a professional' and cuts his hands a bit at the top (2 hp damage, passed on the reroll). Once inside the garden they move as quietly as they can to the north door, and Zan quickly picks the lock - this at least he gets right.

The Jade Raven is disappointed when the door is opened though. No therapeutic mud pools, only a large gymnasium filled with weights and spongy tumblers' mats. There is also an abundance of sporting equipment resting against the walls, with quite bizarre, torturous looking metal devices which appear to be for use in exotic exercise regimens.

They move through the room, but as they approach the far door a number of the pieces of sporting equipment rise up and animate. There are skipping ropes that try and entangle them (1-3) and heavy medicine balls that fly at them with the speed of arrows (A-C)


Oh no! It is just like high school gym class all over again!!

Logan and Celene are immediately entangled (grappled) by the magical ropes. At least the party are able to fend off the balls (no hits) - a very persistent one goes after Angati but her super protective armour keeps her safe (will I ever roll a hit on your character ever again Beni?)

OOC: Both balls and rope have AC 12 and 10 hp. The rope have DR 5/slashing.

Angati took a minute to think over what was going on, she had never seen things animated like this, but she tried to go through what she had heard and read to see if she could find any usable knowledge in her memory.

Yet, she attacked at the medicine ball next to her with passion. She still remembered when her father had gotten in his head, that she needed some exercise to reverse the ageing process... "Damn bloody instruments of torture" she said as she connected with her morning-star on the medicine ball.

---

Free : knowledge check | Swft : | Move : | Stnd : attack

08:37, Today: Angati rolled 26 using 1d20+7.  Knowledge Arcana or Spellcraft (both same +7).
08:42, Today: Angati rolled 15,4 using 1d20+3,1d8+1.  Morningstar vs Medicine ball A.

@DM: I really do hope you don't but I am sure you will find your rolls sooner rather than later :P

---

HP: 28 |  AC: 22 | CMD : 15 | Saves: 4/3/4

Special Notes:

  (De)Buffs :
 Conditions :
  L0 Spells : 5/5
  L1 Spells : 6/6 Cure Light Wounds, Protect from evil, Cause Fear, Ill Omen (dual cursed),Divine Favour
  Abilities : Misfortune, Starlight Agility (dodge), Time Flicker (3/3 minutes blur).

This message was last edited by the player at 07:45, Tue 02 Feb 2016.

Celene panicked for a moment as the rope wrapped around her. She whispered a prayer and regained her composure enough to hold forth the symbol of her God. She presented it towards the oncoming objects and with another prayer, this one louder than the last, called upon the power Wee Jas had instilled within her. The rope forced the spell from her mind as her concentration faltered.

08:08, Today: Celene rolled 8 using 1d20+3.  Concentration Check.

---

Free :  | Swft :  | Move :  | Stnd : Cast Sanctuary | Full :

---

HP: 18/18 |  AC: 10/10/10  | CMD : 10 | Saves: +3/+1/+8

Special Notes:

  (De)Buffs :
 Conditions :
  L0 Spells :
   - Unlim. : Detect poison, Dancing Lights, Daze (DC15), Flame Burst,
              Mage Hand, Message,
              Guidance, Read Magic, [empty slot])
   - 1/day  : Detect Magic, Light , Prestidigitation
  L1 Spells :
   - 5/5    : Charm person (DC16), Sleep (DC16), Summon Monster I, Grease
   - 1/day  : Bless, Sanctuary, Disguise Self,
  Abilities : Flame lance (7/7), Divine Vessel (5/5), Copycat (5/5), Channeling (7/7, DC14), Blessing Faithful (-)

"Ah!"  The rogue let out a scream, immediately trying to wriggle free of the ropes.  "Zan, how long have they been here, to animate all these objects, did you know about this?"

---

Standard: Escape from Grapple
13:20, Today: Logan rolled 29 using 1d20+10.  Escape Artist.

---

HP: 21/21
AC 18/ F1 R7 W3
Invisibility

Zan avoids the skipping rope and draws perfectly polished short sword from under his cloak. With two sweeping arcs he cleaves the medicine ball facing him into quarters - his weapon leaves a shinning razor thin trail in the air which lingers for several seconds. Logan has to admit his is impressed. He has only seen a weapon of superior quality once before - and he was dead at that point so it hardly counts.



"What? No, they haven't been here long, but they must have a spell caster. We don't have time for this, every second we waist increases the chance of one of my friends ending up in a mud pit!"

OOC: Ball 'C' is dead. Logan is now just facing the skipping rope.


Angati knows what it is.. an animate objects spell. It could only be cast by a pretty high level cleric or oracle though, so the fact that they are here isn't a good sign...

The remaining items of gym equipment continue attacking. The skipping ropes are unsuccessfully in grappling the two rogues, but the one on Celene tightens its grip - she is now pinned and can hardly move! One of the remaining balls backs off a bit and then speeds into Celene's face. It leaves a nasty red mark but doesn't do much damage (1hp non-lethal). The party get the feeling that these animated objects aren't that dangerous, they are just costing valuable time.

OOC: Party's turn again.

Angati swong her morning-star against the ball connecting squarely against it, but apparently without much force.

She felt better when she saw how the ball leaked sand, something fierce.

---

Free :  | Swft : | Move : | Stnd : attack

21:29, Today: Angati rolled 13,2 using 1d20+3,1d8+1.  Critical hit confirmation.
21:27, Today: Angati rolled 23,2 using 1d20+3,1d8+1.  Morningstar vs Medicine ball A.

Damn such a beautiful critical and minimum damage... there should be a rule against this.

---

HP: 28 |  AC: 22 | CMD : 15 | Saves: 4/3/4

Special Notes:

  (De)Buffs :
 Conditions :
  L0 Spells : 5/5
  L1 Spells : 6/6 Cure Light Wounds, Protect from evil, Cause Fear, Ill Omen (dual cursed),Divine Favour
  Abilities : Misfortune, Starlight Agility (dodge), Time Flicker (3/3 minutes blur).

Free of the rope, Logan attacks it with both weapons, missing horribly with both.

---

Standard: TWF vs Rope
16:19, Today: Logan rolled 7 using 1d20+4.  Short Sword Attack.
16:19, Today: Logan rolled 10 using 1d20+6.  Rapier Attack.


HP: 21/21
AC 18/ F1 R7 W3
Invisibility

Celene struggled against the jump rope gritting her teeth.

---

Free :  | Swft :  | Move :  | Stnd : Break Grapple  | Full :

23:38, Today: Celene rolled 11 using 1d20.  Break Grapple.

---

HP: 18/18 |  AC: 10/10/10  | CMD : 10 | Saves: +3/+1/+8

Special Notes:

  (De)Buffs :
 Conditions :
  L0 Spells :
   - Unlim. : Detect poison, Dancing Lights, Daze (DC15), Flame Burst,
              Mage Hand, Message,
              Guidance, Read Magic, [empty slot])
   - 1/day  : Detect Magic, Light , Prestidigitation
  L1 Spells :
   - 5/5    : Charm person (DC16), Sleep (DC16), Summon Monster I, Grease
   - 1/day  : Bless, Sanctuary, Disguise Self,
  Abilities : Flame lance (7/7), Divine Vessel (5/5), Copycat (5/5), Channeling (7/7, DC14), Blessing Faithful (-)

Celene fails to escape the skipping rope, and it responses by curling tighter and tighter around her - finally the sorceress is totally tied up and lying helpless on the floor! The nearby medicine ball starts pounding her gleefully. (6 hp non-lethal damage).

17:54, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 11 using 1d20+4.  Skipping rope tries to tie up Celene.
17:57, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 10 using 1d20+4.  ball against Celene.
17:57, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 6 using 1d6+4.  Damage on Celene.

OOC: Celene, sorry, but you are now tied up and have the helpless condition. The DC to escape is 24, so I think you're going to need some help getting out.

Logan escapes his rope - only for it to quickly twist around and entrap him again.

The medicine balls attacking Zan and Angati make no progress.



OOC: Huh? Are medicine balls filled with sand? Is that why they are so heavy? Shit! How can I get to the age of 39 and only learn that now?!

Zan strikes out with his enchanted blade and again hits - the skipping rope facing him is severed into multiple pieces and they fall to the floor lifeless.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:07, Wed 03 Feb 2016.

START OF PLAYERS' ROUND THREE

HIT POINTS & MISFORTUNE
Angati  HP: 28/28
Celene  HP: 18/18 <HELPLESS> <TIED-UP> <PRONE> -1 nonlethal -6 nonlethal
Logan   HP: 21/21 <GRAPPLED>

Skipping Rope 1:
Skipping Rope 2: DEAD
Skipping Rope 3:

Medicine Ball A: -4 -4
Medicine Ball B:
Medicine Ball C: DEAD

<SPELLS AND EFFECTS>
None

Seeing Celene being battered by the medicinal ball, would have had a certain humor and would definitely make for great talks once they got out of this, but the way things were, it was unacceptable, however, all her spells were useless against these things, so she'd have to content herself with going physical

With a side glance of her morningstar, she finished the medicinal ball assailing her, and she moved straight towards Celene trying to get in the way of the ball hitting her.

---

Free :  | Swft : | Move : Move to Celene | Stnd : attack A

09:41, Today: Angati rolled 17,3 using 1d20+3,1d8+1.  Attack medicinal ball.

---

HP: 28 |  AC: 22 | CMD : 15 | Saves: 4/3/4

Special Notes:

  (De)Buffs :
 Conditions :
  L0 Spells : 5/5
  L1 Spells : 6/6 Cure Light Wounds, Protect from evil, Cause Fear, Ill Omen (dual cursed),Divine Favour
  Abilities : Misfortune, Starlight Agility (dodge), Time Flicker (3/3 minutes blur).

Celene continued to struggle. It was evident she had no ability to extricate herself from the rope. "Logan, Angati I can't free myself!" she called from the floor as she tried to track the movement of the medicine ball.

No chance of making the escape roll.

"Hold on, Celene!  This one's got me again."  Logan exhaled and shifted his shoulders and hips, trying to break free of the animate rope again.

---

Standard: Escape Artist
10:05, Today: Logan rolled 16 using 1d20+10.  Escape Artist.


HP: 21/21
AC 18/ F1 R7 W3
Invisibility

END OF PLAYERS' ROUND THREE

HIT POINTS & MISFORTUNE
Angati  HP: 28/28
Celene  HP: 18/18 <HELPLESS> <TIED-UP> <PRONE> -1 nonlethal -6 nonlethal
Logan   HP: 21/21

Skipping Rope 1:
Skipping Rope 2: DEAD
Skipping Rope 3:

Medicine Ball A: DEAD
Medicine Ball B:
Medicine Ball C: DEAD

<SPELLS AND EFFECTS>
None

While Logan just escapes from the same marauding skipping rope that he's already escaped from several times before, on of the medicine balls continues to pound the sorceress' face into the ground until she feels like a first grader playing dodge ball (7hp more non-lethal damage). Celene starts seeing little birdies swirling around her.

Logan's rope goes after him yet again, but the rogue has its number this time - he artfully skips away from his opponent. (heh heh)

Angati's ball hammers away at her armour but gets nowhere.

Zan steps up to the ball bothering Celene. Swish, swish! Two more beautiful sword strokes and the ball is in two halves, its sand pouring onto the ground.

OOC: FYI, I am keeping track of your progress in an abstract qualitative way, and the speed with which you get through to the final room will dictate the condition you find the hostages in - ie safe and sound vs at the bottom of a mud pit.

Performance to date = hostages dead and buried

:D :P

START OF PLAYERS' ROUND THREE

HIT POINTS & MISFORTUNE
Angati  HP: 28/28
Celene  HP: 18/18 <HELPLESS> <TIED-UP> <PRONE> -1 nonlethal -6 nonlethal -7 nonlethal
Logan   HP: 21/21

Skipping Rope 1:
Skipping Rope 2: DEAD
Skipping Rope 3:

Medicine Ball A: DEAD
Medicine Ball B: DEAD
Medicine Ball C: DEAD

<SPELLS AND EFFECTS>
None

Just two ropes left.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:55, Thu 04 Feb 2016.

Celene continued to struggle hoping Zan would be able to free her from the skipping rope.

The skipping rope tightens its grip and even manages to gag her - so now Celene can't even cast spells that only have vocal components. She really needs some help.

Angati saw one of Celene's daggers strapped to one side, and, dropping her morningstar, took it to slash at the rope. Her slash was nearing perfection. However, the cut was not enough to finish the rope.

---

Free :  drop morningstar| Swft : | Move : Get dagger | Stnd : attack rope

10:57, Today: Angati rolled 5,6 using 1d20+3,1d6+1.  Critical confirm Dagger.
10:57, Today: Angati rolled 22,7 using 1d20+3,1d6+1.  Dagger vs rope.
Fuck for a minute I thought I had her in just one slash... damn critical confirmations.

---

HP: 28 |  AC: 22 | CMD : 15 | Saves: 4/3/4

Special Notes:

  (De)Buffs :
 Conditions :
  L0 Spells : 5/5
  L1 Spells : 6/6 Cure Light Wounds, Protect from evil, Cause Fear, Ill Omen (dual cursed),Divine Favour
  Abilities : Misfortune, Starlight Agility (dodge), Time Flicker (3/3 minutes blur).

"Just go down!"  Logan panted with exhaustion, not wanting to be entangled by the rope again.  Squaring off again, Logan lunged forward, severing the rope in half with his rapier, its ends flopping for a few seconds before going still.

Shortsword at the ready, Logan turned to Celene, moving to the woman's side to aid her as soon as possible.

---

Standard: TWF versus Rope.  Crit with Rapier for 15 damage.  (10 after DR, 'killing' rope.)
Move: To Celene's side, ready to assist next round.

09:44, Today: Logan rolled 15 using 2d6+10.
09:43, Today: Logan rolled 6 using 1d20+4.  Short Sword Attack.
09:43, Today: Logan rolled 26 using 1d20+6.  Crit Confirm.
09:43, Today: Logan rolled 26 using 1d20+6.  Rapier.

---

HP: 21/21
AC 18/ F1 R7 W3
Invisibility

With all of the medicine balls dead there is little the last skipping rope can do and the party quickly overcome it, releasing Celene. The sorceress has taken quite a pounding and her face is already beginning to swell up from all the hits she took.

OOC: How much healing?


HIT POINTS & MISFORTUNE
Angati  HP: 28/28
Celene  HP: 18/18 <HELPLESS> <TIED-UP> <PRONE> -1 nonlethal -6 nonlethal -7 nonlethal
Logan   HP: 21/21

Zan: -2

There is only one door out of the room in the western wall.

Angati approached Celene, looking at her thoroughly, normally she would not have spent heals on her in that state, as things would heal on their own without any trouble, but they were in a hurry, so she concentrated, watching time pass quickly for Celenes wounds as they healed.

"Let's move on, I'll take lead.. just in case"

20:11, Today: Angati rolled 8 using 1d8+3.  Cure Light Celene.
20:13, Today: Angati rolled 6 using 1d8+3.  CLW Celene.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:16, Fri 05 Feb 2016.

Logan nodded, heading towards this western wall with his weapons drawn.  "How many do you think we're facing," the rogue asked Zan.

"Ahh! These guys are a complete waste of time!" yells Zan. "I knew we should have just gone straight in! Oh, what?" he says, turning to Logan. "I don't know. At least three professionals and then some hangers on. Don't worry, I'll handle most of them just look after my back."

With only one way to go - through the western door - this is where the party heads. On the other side they find a corridor with some doors exiting... A LOT of doors!

There is a set of the double doors to the north and south. Another set of double doors to the east, and a single door in the east. The double doors in the north have a sign saying 'MEN'S CHANGING ROOMS', the double doors have a sigh saying 'LADIES' CHANGING ROOMS'.

Logan creeps down to the branch in the corridor to the west and finds that it leads to a reception desk. There are three people there. An attractive young lady filing her nails, a muscly man leafing through a magazine and a scrawny young boy folding towels. You'll need to be quiet if you want to avoid attracting their attention.

"They don't seem aware of anything, so there is probably no point loosing time talking to them... let's get to this door while we are at it" she said opening and pushing into the central door quickly so as not to be noticed.

OOC: Sorry guys, no real reason for going one door or the other.. I was thinking on checking men changing room first.. but given that the description for the reception was already given I figured we were already at that corner... so, opening central room.

The double doors open into a 40' by 20' room with half a dozen massage tables inside. In the middle of the room sits a large brazier with hot coals giving off a thick steam. There are six men in the room, three striped to the waist and lying face down on the massage tables and three masseurs working on them.

"Hey," says one of the workers. "You need to make a booking!"

It is pretty clear that there are no hostages in this room.

Zan draws his silver short sword again. "We'd better slay them," he says matter of factly. "They may be collaborators."

This gets the attention of a couple of the men and they draw back in alarm.

"Zan... I think we got the wrong room.. the representation must be in a different room... and remember in this one you don't get to get naked, this is a serious place after all...... ". Angati went to open the door to the south as she winked the men in the room... "Just remember our troupe's name... The jade raven's... satisfaction guaranteed if you get my meaning... now.. please do excuse us".

She said holding Zan's arm and pushing forward onto the next room "No time to waste, remember?. If they are not... we are loosing time here".

Logan blinked at Zan, unable to believe what he had heard.  Pulling him along, he whispered in a harsh tone: "What are going to do, kill every bystander who gets in our way?  Come one, let's find your friends before it's too late."

Zan shrugs and they leave the men in peace. Continuing down the corridor they try the next door on their left.

A great billow of steam escapes the room when the door is opened, and it is not until it clears that they can see enough to make out a luxurious 40' x 40' room with large white ceramic flagstones covering the walls and floor. These are carefully fitted around the lip of a kidney shaped tranquil bathing pool, which three men dressed in togas are dipping their feet into as they sit on the side of the water. Gentle columns of steam rise from four handing braziers of heated rocks as carefully measured drop of water fall upon them.

On the other side of the room is a set of double doors with a brass plaque on them which reads 'TO MUDPOOLS', below this is a hastily scribbled note written on paper which says 'CLOSED FOR MAINTENANCE'.


This message was last edited by the GM at 19:44, Tue 09 Feb 2016.

Zan takes a few steps into the room, puts his hand on the hilt of his rapier and  surveys the three men relaxing by the pool. "This time?" he asks, arching one of his half-elven eyebrows back at his companions.

It's strange - Logan only spoke to him for a few minutes the last time they met, so he didn't get a chance to form a firm impression of his fellow rogue, but Zan's moral compass didn't appear to be THIS out of whack at that point.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:45, Tue 09 Feb 2016.

Angati just shook her head as she hurried forward.. that hastily written note was really suspicious... she thought about sparing a second to say something to the men there.. but she figured it was best just to move along. Zan's comment had left her rather unsettled.

Taking the lead, she pushed the doors open as he tightened her hold of her morningstar.

Celene was starting to get the feeling that this was some kind of ruse to distract them from something happening elsewhere. Before she was able to act on her feeling Agnati pushed the doors open. The room beyond would answer the question.

Logan paused.  Something about Zan was striking him wrong.  His pranks before - hiding the wheel of cheese on Logan, was petty, but not evil.  The way Zan was acting now was starting to ring alarm bells inside of Logan, and the rogue kept checking the Jade Raven as they moved, making sure he wasn't flippantly slaying the innocent bystanders.  Logan started to wonder about his own safety, and if Zan had dragged them at the behest of something else, or if someone was impersonating Zan to get them here.  But why choose Zan?  There'd have to be scores of people who Logan would have been more inclined to help, so it didn't make that much sense.  Maybe it was just the stress of having his comrades faces danger?  Logan wasn't sure, but entered the room keeping a sharp eye on the other rogue, alert for deception.

Celene allows Zan to pass her by and then casts a spell as quietly as she can in hopes of discerning any magic that might be affecting the rogue.

Using 1/day detect magic and concentrating on Zan.

11:22, Today: Celene rolled 24 using 1d20+7.  Spellcraft. Spellcraft if needed.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:22, Wed 10 Feb 2016.

Celene casts her spell as Logan hangs back a bit to keep an eye on Zan - the Shadowshore rogue doesn't have too slow down much to achieve this since Zan is pushing past anyway to get to the double doors.

The sorceress see a strong magical aura emanating from the new shinny silver sword sitting on the half-elf's waist. Celene has only ever seen something like it once before where she was tasked to retrieve a certain magical item from the Aubrek house...

But then it is too late as Angati and Zan have pushed open the double doors and revealed the room on the other side.

It is a huge room, 40' wide and at least 100' long with a high vaulted ceiling and tiled completely in expensive looking white glazed ceramics. There are three 15' diameter mud pools sunk into the floor, all gently bubbling warmly from some hidden heat source. At the southern end of the room an artificial fall of crystal-clear water cascade down from an opening high up in the wall into a large pool: a nearby plaque identifies it as a rinsing station.

The room is filled with over two dozen people. The first thing that the party notes is that the remaining Jade Ravens are indeed here. Tolin Kientai, the arogent ranger who serves as their leader; Kaskus Kiel, the driud dressed in his green armour (although no sign of his animal companion, the obese Baxtor the Badger); and the exotic dark-haired Liamae Teslikaria, untamed sorceress.

Lined up against the eastern wall, their backs against the row of tall columns holding up the ceiling overhead is a collection of almost two dozen random townspeople. They are a mismatched grouping of the type of folk you might expect to be out and about early in the morning in Sasserine: Fishermen and district guards. Merchants and maids. Errand boys and down on their luck sailors. The are just standing almost motionless in two rough rows with their mouths hanging wide.

OOC: Okay, as promised the condition of the hostages depends on the time taken to get here which was... moderate performance (met expectations as my boss would always say in my annual review). Therefore...

"Ah-ha!" screams out Tolin. "You are too late ZSabrehawk," he says, looking directly at Zan. "Your friends are at the bottom of ze mud-pit and very soon they will be encased in ztone forever! You! Lacky!" he points at the druid Kaskus. "Finish it!"

The dwarven druid raises a scroll - hesitantly and with jerky movements like he doesn't seem sure if he wants to do it - and starts casting a mud-to-stone spell off the scroll.

Zan goes bezerk. "You will pay for this you imperialist swine!" he screams and charges Kaskus.

Back in the steaming pool room things are also getting hot. The three men pull daggers out from their togas and rush the party crying out things like "Long live the imperium!"

This shit just got real! Okay, we are going to take a leaf out of Beni's book with initiative this time. All the PC's and Zan will roll, if you get a result better than the average for the opposition (the three bath-tub men and the three Jade Ravens) then you get a sort of 'extra round'. Then the enemy goes, then the party just acts as a group from there on in.

Battlemap
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:41, Wed 10 Feb 2016.

START OF PLAYERS' ROUND ONE

HIT POINTS & MISFORTUNE
Angati  HP: 28/28 <MF NOT USED>
Celene  HP: 18/18 <MF NOT USED>
Logan   HP: 21/21 <MF NOT USED>
Zan:  <MF NOT USED> -2

Tolin: <MF NOT USED>
Kaskus: <MF NOT USED>
Liamae: <MF NOT USED>

Bath Man A: <MF NOT USED>
Bath Man B: <MF NOT USED>
Bath Man C: <MF NOT USED>

<SPELLS AND EFFECTS>
None

20:44, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 14 using 1d20+2.  Zan initiative.

Bad Guys:
20:46, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 21,11,15 using 1d20+3,1d20+3,1d20+3.  Bathmen inititive.
20:45, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 15 using 1d20+2.  Liamae Initiative.
20:44, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 19 using 1d20+1.  Kaskus Initiative.
20:44, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 24 using 1d20+6.  Tolin initiative.
Bad guys' average is an impressive 17
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:47, Wed 10 Feb 2016.

Angati perceived time in a somewhat different manner, and while the druid started to recite the scroll in her mind's eye, she started casting herself a spell to disrupt his casting. For everyone else, both things seemed to happen almost in unison... but Angati had the upper hand. She only hoped that the future would show him cowering in fear, so she kept an eye on him making sure she'd pick a convenient outcome.

---

Free :  | Swft : | Move : | Stnd : cause fear on scroll reader

08:53, Today: Angati rolled 18 using 1d20+1.  Initiative.

Cause Fear DC 15   ---- waiting on misfortune on the guy to make it through.

---

HP: 28 |  AC: 22 | CMD : 15 | Saves: 4/3/4

Special Notes:

  (De)Buffs :
 Conditions :
  L0 Spells : 5/5
  L1 Spells : 4/6 Cure Light Wounds, Protect from evil, Cause Fear, Ill Omen (dual cursed),Divine Favour
  Abilities : Misfortune, Starlight Agility (dodge), Time Flicker (3/3 minutes blur).

10:45, Today: Celene rolled 11 using 1d20.  Initiative.

10:57, Today: Logan rolled 22 using 1d20+4.  Initiative.
Doing my best to bring up the average!

That's a tie, right? I assumed though that he meant if any of us, individually, beat their average we could act.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:02, Thu 11 Feb 2016.

So Angati and Logan get to take a turn before the mobs - let's call it a surprise round since they will catch their enemies flat-footed. Then the mob, then all the party together and alternating from there on.



20:34, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 24 using 1d20+5.  Kaskus resist cause fear.
20:34, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 11 using 1d20+5.  Kaskus reroll because of MF.


Kaskus resists the spell and raises the scroll to start casting. Angati casually looks into an alternate reality and pulls out a better result - she is getting rather good at doing it.

The bottom lip of the chocolate biscuit eating guardian of the wilds begins to quiver and then he drops the scroll and screams at the top of his lungs as he stares at Angati. Then he flees straight away from her, through the crowd towards the door in the south-east corner of the room.

OOC: OK Logan, you get to act in the 'surprise' round.

"Imperium?"  The Shadowshore rogue sounds confused.  "Anyone have the slightest idea what's going on here?"

Further conversation is prevented as the knife-wielding man lunges at the rogue.  He skips a step back.  "Ah!  I could have just had Zan kill you, you know!"  Weapons at the ready, the rogue drops his restraint, and goes after the man.

---

Standard: TWF versus C.  15 damage vs AC 26 (And more if an 11 hits.)  10 damage vs AC 14.
5' Step to F7

11:56, Today: Logan rolled 10 using 3d6.  Short Sword Damage.
11:56, Today: Logan rolled 15 using 3d6+5.  Rapier Damage.
11:55, Today: Logan rolled 14 using 1d20+6.  Short Sword Attack.
11:55, Today: Logan rolled 11 using 1d20+8.  Crit Confirmation.
11:55, Today: Logan rolled 26 using 1d20+8.  Rapier Attack.

---

HP: 21/21
AC 18/ F1 R7 W3
Invisibility

In reply to Logan (msg # 70):

That hits versus his flat-footed AC.

The rogue counters the charging bather and places two well aimed blades into the man's stomach. With a soft squishing noise the dagger armed man slides off the blades and tumbles backwards into the hot pool.

OK, mob turn coming up next.

"You mizerable fat dwarf," screams Tolin. The ranger looks across the room to the source of the trouble and sees the elderly madam Lidu looking definitely back at him.

"Zeriouzly Zabrehawk. You are bringing out the geriatrics now? You!" he points at Liamae. "Take her out!"

Liamae, standing across of the other side of one of the mud pits shakes her head but then her face twists in pain. She closes her eyes and is forced to draw out one of her magic spells and fling it at Angati.

OOC: At least she choose the nicest one she had - charm person at DC14 and Angati gets a +5 bonus because she is in combat.

With the double doors now wide open, Tolin gets a look at Logan and Celene in the bathroom for the first time - and almost has a seizure. Finally, he just stands like a slack string puppet with no-one moving him right now - and the fancy sword in his hands speaks for him.

"What?! Blondie and Gutter-rat? What are you two doing here? Well, never mind!" The sorceress and the rogue meet their old foe again - the bombastic Czarine Valora!

The sword starts vibrating along its length until it reaches a natural frequency and then the words coming out shake with power. "You two. Zee the dagger on the floor?" The man who Logan just killed did drop his dagger, and it is lying a few feet away from both of them. "It'z nice, izn't it? Pick it up! One of you pick it up now!" The dagger does look good. And valuable! It would be so easy to reach out and take it...

OOC: DC14 will check from Celene and Logan please. If you fail (after MF) then you bend over and pick up the nice, shiny dagger.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:22, Sat 13 Feb 2016.

Artists impression of the battle with the three mudpits shown as well as the rinsing station down the back. The guy on the left is wielding Czarine Valora, and the one of the right Sabrehawk.

Zan aborts his charge when he sees that Kaskus has run off, and comes to a halt on the other side of one of the mudpools. His body relaxes, and it is his sword that continues the conversion...
This message was last updated by the player at 17:24, Sat 13 Feb 2016.

"You have over-reached this time, imperialist swine! My team is going to slaughter every last man, woman and child in this room and then YOU will be the one confined to rock for all eternity!"

"Ha-ha!" buzzes the Czarine. "Your imagination is certainly as ztrong as ever Zabrehawk, but it is my Cabanitez that have the upper hand now. Zoon we will take our rightfull places as rulerz of this city."

"The one percent must be overthrown and the people shall rule... with the guidance of us Oquons of course. And if you think that you have the upper hand just come within my reach. You know what I can do to a creation such as you..."

The Czarine scoffs, but makes no move to advance on the brash Sabrehawk. Meanwhile, Zan seems to come alive again and steps into the mudpit - it is only about thigh deep - he seems to be moving around the pit and searching for something in it with his feet
This message was last edited by the player at 19:34, Mon 15 Feb 2016.

The two remaining toga clad men in the bathroom charge Angati, but she is easily able to fend them off with her fancy new equipment.


Map at the start of the players' turn

Angati, Logan and Celene are now free to take their turns - after their respective saving throws of course.

Edit: Logan gets a +2 bonus on his saving throw because he has already entered combat.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:34, Sat 13 Feb 2016.

Angati laughs at the puny attempt at charming her, she had a wild look on her eyes that was easily matched by that of her sister that looked as crazy at the different talking weapons, either seeing more than she did or just afraid of them.

She had a choice to make, either charge against Tolin or one of the swords or...

Angati decided to avoid the risk of having any of his friends controlled by the dagger, so taking a step forward she kicked the dropped dagger towards the mud pools so that it would be at no one's sight.

---

Free :  | Swft : | Move : | Stnd : Kick dagger away

07:59, Today: Angati rolled 26 using 1d20+9.  Will save vs DC14 - CHARM.

This might provoke some AoO, but I think its worth it to avoid the saving throw from them both.... if this cannot be done, please let me know and I'll edit.

---

HP: 28 |  AC: 22 | CMD : 15 | Saves: 4/3/4

Special Notes:

  (De)Buffs :
 Conditions :
  L0 Spells : 5/5
  L1 Spells : 3/6 Cure Light Wounds, Protect from evil, Cause Fear, Ill Omen (dual cursed),Divine Favour
  Abilities : Misfortune, Starlight Agility (dodge), Time Flicker (3/3 minutes blur).

In reply to Angati (msg # 78):

OOC: in the interests of cinematic realism let's say it can be done and the other two no longer need to make a save - yes, you trigger AoO... against your mega AC! I'll roll later.

Logan stared at the mud-pot, but easily shook off the dagger's lingering magical compulsion.  Turning his attention to the second knife-wielding bather, he hissed toward Zan: "Okay, I should have let you stab them."

After his blades flashed in their attempt to bloodily end the second attacker, Logan yelled to Celene: "Any idea what's going on here?  Some kind of power struggle between intelligent weapons?"

---

Standard: TWF versus 5.  6 damage vs AC 15

13:33, Today: Logan rolled 18 using 1d20+4.  Will Save (MF).
13:33, Today: Logan rolled 8 using 1d20+4.  Will Save.
Oops, made those rolls before I read your adjudication of Angati's action.

13:43, Today: Logan rolled 6 using 1d6+5.  Rapier Damage.
13:43, Today: Logan rolled 8 using 1d20+4.  Short Sword Attack.
13:43, Today: Logan rolled 15 using 1d20+6.  Rapier Attack.

---

HP: 21/21
AC 18/ F1 R7 W3
Invisibility

The sword quivers in fury as Angati kicks the dagger into the hot pool and snaps Logan and Celene out of any sort of hypnotic trace they might have been in.

"I don't know who you are old lady, but you are officially in my zhit list now!" she curses.

Logan punctures one of the dagger welding men, but he doesn't go down.

OOC: Celene still to play this round.

OOC: And John figures it out!!

OOC: Forgot this before...

As Angati moves to kick the dagger (to E6) daggerman B slashes at her back - it's not a bad attempt but skitters harmlessly across her new cloak of protection.

OOC: Merely a 19

Celene moved towards the dagger just before it was kicked into the mud pit. Shaking off the compulsion she looked in towards Tolin and the sword that was controlling him. She raised her hands and then called out to Tolin "The sword is controlling you. Drop it now!" Czarine became coated in a slick layer of grease making the intelligent weapon much harder to hold onto.

---

Free : None | Swft : None | Move : None  | Stnd : Cast Grease  | Full : None

DC 15 Reflex Save or drop the sword.

---

HP: 18/18 |  AC: 10/10/10  | CMD : 10 | Saves: +3/+1/+8

Special Notes:

  (De)Buffs :
 Conditions :
  L0 Spells :
   - Unlim. : Detect poison, Dancing Lights, Daze (DC15), Flame Burst,
              Mage Hand, Message,
              Guidance, Read Magic, [empty slot])
   - 1/day  : Detect Magic, Light , Prestidigitation
  L1 Spells :
   - 4/5    : Charm person (DC16), Sleep (DC16), Summon Monster I, Grease
   - 1/day  : Bless, Sanctuary, Disguise Self,
  Abilities : Flame lance (7/7), Divine Vessel (5/5), Copycat (5/5), Channeling (7/7, DC14), Blessing Faithful (-)

This message was last edited by the player at 20:00, Tue 16 Feb 2016.

OOC: At first I was "that's never gunna work!" and then...



OOC: Cool! FYI for the other players, I let Celene's new player switch some spells around.

20:01, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 12 using 1d20+6.  Tolin reflex save vs grease DC 15.

The ranger tries to keep his hands on the ornate sword but as the coating of grease gets thicker and thicker it finally slips from his grasp. Tolin immediately jerks upright and then looks unsteady on his feet as though he is light-headed and not sure where he is.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:16, Tue 16 Feb 2016.

"Ahhh! Uck! What have you done you blondie floosy!" screams the enchanted blade as it is enveloped in filth. "I am going to have you flayed alive little girl. I am going to have your bones boiled in brine! Minions! ATTACK!"

With a despairing wail the wall of civilians behind Tolin pull out an random assembly of mark-shift weapons ranging from small daggers to rolling pins to simple cobblestones and start advancing across the room.

Then the enchanted weapon adds: "Princessa Cathandra, distract these fools. And someone pick me up!"

Liamae had apparently been considering her spellcasting options but now pulls a hilt out from under her cloak. Not a sword, just a hilt. The young Karameikan points it at the bricks around the mud-pit that Zan is wading across and the stones come to life, jumping out from their mortar and flinging themselves at the half-elf and the party.

OOC. At least now you know where the animated objects came from.

Zan is still thrashing around in the therapeutic mud trying to find the 'hostage'.

Back in the bathroom the two men are swinging at Logan since Angati pulled back to kick the dagger into the hot-tub. One of them connects and make a cut across the rogue's chest (3 hp damage).

OOC: No map update tonight... too tired. Just use your imaginations.

I assume this applies to anyone trying to pick her up for the 2 minute duration of the spell.
This message was last updated by the player at 19:56, Tue 16 Feb 2016.

In reply to Celene (msg # 87):

Yes!

OOC: Is it our turn now ?

In reply to Angati (msg # 89):
Yes!

Angati placed herself at the door, trying to act as a barrier for whoever decided to attack them, and blocking the passage as much as she could should they try to attack.

She was almost glad that Liamae had picked up her sword, sword hilt or whatever... with deliberate gestures she started casting for her, the same fate that she had wished on the missing druid hoping he'd also drop his sword, and wondering how they do to regain them.

---

Free :  | Swft : | Move : | Stnd : Cast Cause Fear on Liamae

Cause Fear DC 15   ---- waiting on misfortune on the guy to make it through.

---

HP: 28 |  AC: 22 | CMD : 15 | Saves: 4/3/4

Special Notes:

  (De)Buffs :
 Conditions :
  L0 Spells : 5/5
  L1 Spells : 2/6 Cure Light Wounds, Protect from evil, Cause Fear, Ill Omen (dual cursed),Divine Favour
  Abilities : Misfortune, Starlight Agility (dodge), Time Flicker (3/3 minutes blur).

Celene watched as the masses rushed forwards and was slightly unimpressed; she didn't want them to be killed they were only pawns and distractions after all. She raised her hands once more and wove magical energies to put the ensorcelled townsfolk to sleep. Celene stepped forward behind Angati trying to distance herself from the bath men that were harassing Logan; she hoped the rogue could buy her enough time to complete the spell.

---

Free : None | Swft : None | Move : None  | Stnd : None | Full : Cast Sleep

Sleep on the most townsfolk possible. DC 16 Will save or fall asleep for two minutes. Doesn't take effect until the start of my next turn.

---

HP: 18/18 |  AC: 10/10/10  | CMD : 10 | Saves: +3/+1/+8

Special Notes:

  (De)Buffs :
 Conditions :
  L0 Spells :
   - Unlim. : Detect poison, Dancing Lights, Daze (DC15), Flame Burst,
              Mage Hand, Message,
              Guidance, Read Magic, [empty slot])
   - 1/day  : Detect Magic, Light , Prestidigitation
  L1 Spells :
   - 3/5    : Charm person (DC16), Sleep (DC16), Summon Monster I, Grease
   - 1/day  : Bless, Sanctuary, Disguise Self,
  Abilities : Flame lance (7/7), Divine Vessel (5/5), Copycat (5/5), Channeling (7/7, DC14), Blessing Faithful (-)

OOC: Sorry, but putting Logan in Auto mode for one round - we know what he is going to do anyway....

10:31, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 16 using 1d20+6.  Logan: Rapier Attack.10:33, 10:31, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 9 using 1d6+5.  Rapiear damage.
10:31, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 17 using 1d20+4.  Short sword attack.
10:32, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 4 using 1d6.  Short sword damage.

Logan finishes off the injured toga man and make a cut across the chest of the other.

Meanwhile the civilians are trying to claw their way past Angati's guard while the oracle batters them backwards with her shield (zero hits). Celene waves her hands and three of the civilians fall down asleep (one passed even with MF; 7, 8 & 9 do down), but it is like standing on the beach and telling the tide not to come in.

"Don't just stand there! Pick me up your moron!" screams the Czarine.

Tolin shakes his head to clear it, and bends over to pick up the blade. It seems that whatever power it had over him has not been broken simply by him dropping it, but he makes a total mess of grabbing the hilt and somehow ends up cutting himself (natural one rolled!).

"Ahhh! Get away from me you total idiot. You two! The sailors. Pick me up!"

Two sailors pause in their attack of the bathroom and try to pick her up (16 & 17) - one succeeds... then Angati blinks and instead he just fumbles like his friend.

"Why am I surrounded by IDIOTS?!" screams the filthy sword.

At the back of the room Liamae (who is a chick Beni! Not a guy!) is trying to resist Angati's cause fear spell. Her heart doesn't seem to be in it and with a wail she flees through the western door, although unfortunately she doesn't drop the hilt in her hand.

Zan has not been forgotten about by the mob. He is surrounded by townspeople trying to kick and punch him from the lip of the pool and by the flying animated bricks smashing into his head. He ignores it all and finally fishes something up out of the mud in triumph.

"Comrade! I have found you at last!" buzzes Sabrehawk, as it forces Zan to shake the mud off a simple looking military broadsword.

"Well done comrade Sabrehawk!" answers the other weapon. "Let us regroup away from here." There is a loud buzzing noise and then the half-elf rogue disappears, along with the two weapons he is holding, as the teleport spell takes effect.

The mob approaches
T = Tolin and this is also the spot where Czarine is lying
* = 2xflying bricks

Celene once more gestures towards the mud pits this time creating a layer of grease on the floor that encompasses Tolin and the two sailors. There footing instantly becomes uneasy causing them to act carefully or fall.

Does this mean the plan was to encase the others swords in stone?

---

Free : None | Swft : None | Move : None  | Stnd : Cast Grease | Full : None

Grease cast on Tolin, 16, and 17 and that one unoccupied square. DC 15 or fall prone.

---

HP: 18/18 |  AC: 10/10/10  | CMD : 10 | Saves: +3/+1/+8

Special Notes:

  (De)Buffs :
 Conditions :
  L0 Spells :
   - Unlim. : Detect poison, Dancing Lights, Daze (DC15), Flame Burst,
              Mage Hand, Message,
              Guidance, Read Magic, [empty slot])
   - 1/day  : Detect Magic, Light , Prestidigitation
  L1 Spells :
   - 2/5    : Charm person (DC16), Sleep (DC16), Summon Monster I, Grease
   - 1/day  : Bless, Sanctuary, Disguise Self,
  Abilities : Flame lance (7/7), Divine Vessel (5/5), Copycat (5/5), Channeling (7/7, DC14), Blessing Faithful (-)

Logan is caught unawares by Zan's disappearance.  "Those filthy, good-for-nothing weapons!  They zapped away, and now we're facing this horde ourselves."

The rogue makes an ineffectual attack against the remaining attacker in their room, then looks to his allies.  "This fight isn't about us.  Best case, we live, but have to kill or incapacitate twenty people with nothing against us, just acting on the words of that stupid sword over there."

---

Standard: TWF versus A.  Both miss.  Natural 1 on the short sword.

12:39, Today: Logan rolled 5 using 1d20+4.  Short Sword Attack.
12:39, Today: Logan rolled 7 using 1d20+6.  Rapier Attack.

---

HP: 21/21
AC 18/ F1 R7 W3
Invisibility

"Damn them all" said Angati talking about the swords and Zan, going after him was pretty much useless but she didn't know what to do with the mob here... either pound them, which somehow did not feel right, or wait it out... fleeing was most probably out of the question, for they'd need to recover the fallen sword or dagger, and check in case there was something else going on... "Damn, damn damn" she said as she concentrated on her time flickering ability and continued blocking the mob.

---

Free :  | Swft : | Move : | Stnd : Time flicker

---

HP: 28 |  AC: 22 | CMD : 15 | Saves: 4/3/4

Special Notes:

  (De)Buffs : Time Flicker (Blur 3 minutes) 20% miss chance on all attacks made against Angati
 Conditions :
  L0 Spells : 5/5
  L1 Spells : 2/6 Cure Light Wounds, Protect from evil, Cause Fear, Ill Omen (dual cursed),Divine Favour
  Abilities : Misfortune, Starlight Agility (dodge), Time Flicker (2/3 minutes blur).

Celene picks her spot well and the area around Cazrina Valora is covered in a slimy layer of grease - Tolin and the two sailors that are trying to pick the sword up all fall flat on their backs which unleashes a barrage of cussing from the enchanted weapon.

The last toga clad man swings his dark dagger and cuts Logan again (another 3 hp).

The civilians trying to get at the party start swarming Angati and try to grapple her rather than using their makeshift weapons.

"Please don't hurt me!" screams a young lady dressed in a servant's robes as she flings herself at the oracle. "I don't want to do this!"

None of the five civilians attacking Angati are fooled by her flicker trick, and the young lady who just begged for mercy manages to climb up onto Angati's back - the oracle blinks and pulls out a reality where this doesn't happen, but for how long can she keep doing this?

OOC: Beni, you get an AoO against a civilian of your choice (AC10, hp 7)
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:58, Fri 19 Feb 2016.

"Angati!  Come on, get out of here!  Those other bastard swords, er the ones that had Zan tricked us here to help them.  We can regroup and deal with Czarine later.  But we don't need to kill all these people!"

Logan swiped at the man who had damaged him, then slashed at one of the crowd.  "Come one, we can't stay lucky forever!"

Logan took a step back towards Celene, hoping the older woman would follow them.

---

Standard: TWF versus A, then 2.  Probable hit on both for 9 and 3 damage.
5' step to F7

15:43, Today: Logan rolled 3 using 1d6.  Short Sword Damage.
15:43, Today: Logan rolled 9 using 1d6+5.  Rapier Damage.
15:43, Today: Logan rolled 20 using 1d20+4.  Short Sword Attack.
15:42, Today: Logan rolled 17 using 1d20+6.  Rapier Attack.

---

HP: 18/21
AC 18/21 F1 R7 W3
Invisibility

Celene didn't want to leave the weapons behind but didn't think she was capable of reaching Czarine through the press of civilians. She made eye contact with Logan and then once more reached into the well of arcane power within her to quell the attacks on Agnati. Another layer of grease coalesced this time covering the oracle's armor. Her spell complete Celene made her way towards the door on the other side of the pool.

---

Free : None | Swft : None | Move : None  | Stnd : Cast Grease | Full : None

+10 to Escape Artist or CMB checks to escape a grapple for Agnati.

---

HP: 18/18 |  AC: 10/10/10  | CMD : 10 | Saves: +3/+1/+8

Special Notes:

  (De)Buffs :
 Conditions :
  L0 Spells :
   - Unlim. : Detect poison, Dancing Lights, Daze (DC15), Flame Burst,
              Mage Hand, Message,
              Guidance, Read Magic, [empty slot])
   - 1/day  : Detect Magic, Light , Prestidigitation
  L1 Spells :
   - 1/5    : Charm person (DC16), Sleep (DC16), Summon Monster I, Grease
   - 1/day  : Bless, Sanctuary, Disguise Self,
  Abilities : Flame lance (7/7), Divine Vessel (5/5), Copycat (5/5), Channeling (7/7, DC14), Blessing Faithful (-)

Logan finishes of the last toga man and cuts one of the civilian - the terrified fishmonger screams but continues to try and attack with his fishing gaff. "Please don't hurt me!" cries as fisherman as he swings his weapon.



OOC: Wow! Grease is awesome! Angati still to move.

"Let's run... Maybe once they are out of those thing's sight, they will control themselves... lets go" said Angati, holding her hand not to hurt the woman that had climbed on top of her in that alternative future she had seen...

OOC: Not sure if you want to narrate from here ? given that we are just running out ? The idea would be that Angati holds them off a bit, taking the last position as they flee.... This is really undignified though, as much as it may be useful, though I am sure Alohan would find it sexy an oiled lady and all...

---

<Orange>

Free :  | Swft : | Move : | Stnd : Time flicker

---

HP: 28 |  AC: 22 | CMD : 15 | Saves: 4/3/4

Special Notes:

  (De)Buffs : Time Flicker (Blur 3 minutes) 20% miss chance on all attacks made against Angati
 Conditions :
  L0 Spells : 5/5
  L1 Spells : 2/6 Cure Light Wounds, Protect from evil, Cause Fear, Ill Omen (dual cursed),Divine Favour
  Abilities : Misfortune, Starlight Agility (dodge), Time Flicker (2/3 minutes blur).

</Orange>
This message was last edited by the player at 17:40, Sun 21 Feb 2016.

OOC: Will do, but you are going to be chased out of the building and even down the street a little, where are you all heading?

OOC: Logan's general plan would be to run until they lose them.  The Vanderboren manor is pretty close.  Maybe we can lose the crowd going down the back (west side) the Manor, then heading NW on Blue Skink Lane and getting to the front gates before they see us.    If that fails, Logan might suggest cutting to the north, making for one of the docks north of building 67 and see if they can "borrow" a boat.  Once they're in the canals, the mob can't possibly find enough water transportation to keep up the pursuit.

Let's go with Logan's plan

The party turns and runs, the grease and flicker magic on Angati preventing any of her attackers laying a hand on her. They run out through the front door, now empty of any staff, and high tail it down Vine Street until they reach the walls of Vanderboren Mansion. Then they head towards Blue Skink land and sprint westwards as soon as they reach the canal. They manage to enter the gates of the mansion grounds before the ground rounds the corner meaning that they have probably escaped.



To be sure they continue quickly up to the front doors of the mansion, and finding the doors open like usual just push inside. They spill into the main hallway and slam the door closed behind them.

"My goodness!" calls out Lavinia from a side room. "Whatever is the matter?"

The elegant noblewoman is sitting in a room with row upon roll of bookshelves filled to bursting with tomes. A hearth sits against the north wall, embers glowing softly within. Lavinia herself is moving out from behind a reading table near the fireplace, her mother's diary (rescued from the vault, remember?) sitting open on the desk.

Celene took a deep breath and looked for a chair in which to sit; being pounded by exercise equipment and then running through the streets of Sasserine had run her a little ragged.

"Czarine Valora and another intelligent weapon were waging a battle for the city at the bath house. We foiled Czarine's plans, I think, then we ran. There were too many civilians at risk for us to continue fighting." she said between breaths.

"Czarine Valora? Who is she? Intelligent weapon? Like a talking sword? How exciting! Can I see it?"

Logan blushes, forgetting that they might have to explain themselves to Lavinia.  "Sorry for the intrusion, Ms Vanderboren.  It's just that this all happened very close to your manor, and this seemed like the safest place to escape a confused mob of possessed people."

He took a few more breaths while he recovered.  "You've never heard anything about a Czarine or a Sabrehawk, have you?  Since you move in different circles at all?  Some kind of struggle between 'Imperialists' and 'Cabanites'?"

Logan shakes his head.  "It's a little more dangerous than that.  I think the sword is so strong that it can control the one who's possessing it.  The former Jade Ravens seemed to have stumbled upon one or more of the weapons, and were taken over by them."

"As she is the head of a noble household, she should be referred to as Lady Vanderboren, and not missus."

"Oh, no! Please don't stand by formality when we are within these four walls!" protests Lavninia. "Now, the Jade Ravens are involved you say? Oh my goodness! But I think I at least have a couple of good books on intelligent weapons, somewhere..."

The noblewoman's jaw drops and she just stands like a statue with one hand reaching up for a book and staring back at the three adventurers in the room. "Um, who said that?" she asks quietly.

By anyone's measure this has already been a pretty shitty day. Subjected to BDSM practices by animated gym equipment. Betrayed by... well Zan was hardly a friend, but at least an acquaintance. Chased out of a bath-house by maids and merchants. But the day suddenly gets a lot worse.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:55, Mon 22 Feb 2016.

The scowling visage of Vorsh appears in the middle of the room as he just... appears out of thin air in the process of pushing back the hood on his cloak. The glowering man has his longsword drawn and pointed towards Logan. "First one to move gets this sword through their heart." (As your weapons a sheathed and he has the drop on you, he will get an AoO if you try to attack or cast a spell.)

He grimaces at the party, ignoring Lavinia. "Are any of you in possession of an intelligent weapon right now?" he demands of them. "Answer truthfully!"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:55, Mon 22 Feb 2016.

Logan slowly holds up his hands, keeping them well away from his swords.  "No, I learned that lesson getting Czarine for you the first time."

Logan scowls at Vorsh.  "Of course you have to be involved in this.  What, were you back there watching us, invisible?  Followed us here, then?  I don't suppose you considered helping out when we were facing a mob of knife-wielding possessed innocents?  Or just watching it all entangle, hoping whatever would happen happened."

Logan felt himself getting more worked up, but couldn't help himself, even if Vorsh had the complete advantage on them.  He stalked forward a pace, bringing Vorsh's blade perilously close to his own chest.  "And didn't we already deliver Czarine to you once?  What happened to that?  She's a sword!  It's not like she can walk away by herself."

Vorsh stares at him and then barks, "Answer the question properly, then you'll get some answers if I decide not to run you though. Are ANY of you carrying an intelligent weapon?"
This message was last updated by the player at 19:22, Mon 22 Feb 2016.

Logan scowls and shakes his head.  "No, I told you already!  Celene and I certainly aren't stupid enough to try and pick up one of those swords.  And I was watching Angati the whole time, and she didn't either.  We're clean."

He stares at the man.  "Now talk, Vorsh!  What's going on?  What are these factions of weapons?"

Celene was tired of Vorsh and his demands she stood up and step forward towards the old man "Logan is right. None of us have an intelligent weapon. We could have...we could have slaughtered innocents and grabbed one ourselves but we didn't." she stepped even closer to the man "Why is it that we even had the chance? Who carelessly threw Czarine into the lagoon? Was it Logan? Angati? Me?!? No that was you! she said pointing her finger at Vorsh. "How dare you threaten us when you could have locked that wicked sword away. Now put down the sword and explain what is going on. Who chased you into the harbor? Why did you throw the sword away?"

23:41, Today: Celene rolled 22 using 1d20+8.  Diplomacy. I might have a chance if he is unfriendly or hostile with a negative charisma.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:45, Tue 23 Feb 2016.

Angati had presented her excuses to Lavinia for their irruption into her house. She was a bit winded after the run in full amor, but nothing she could not manage. She could not recall having met Vorsh, but clearly Logan knew him, and there was a story there that she was not aware of. So, she just remained silent for the most part.

"Please do remove that weapon, and take a seat to talk like civilised people do".


09:14, Today: Angati rolled 24 using 1d20+15.  Diplomacy.

Logan glanced over to Angati.  "Sorry you got dragged into this.  This is from before we were all working Lavinia, or even Amarilde.  Vorsh got one of my Shadowshore fixers to hire me, along with Celene for a heist.  Stealing one of those swords from a manor in the noble district.  Of course, it seemed like everything went even more screwy after we pulled through.  And I'm not going to detail all the things he didn't tell us, like that Czarine could try and control our minds, or that we had to fight past a small army of undead to get the thing in the first place.  And then he goes and lets it get stolen.  Again!"

Vorsh peers at each of the adventurers, studying them as they give their answers and it seems like he isn't just judging if they are telling the truth, he KNOWS they are telling the truth. Then, buffeted by the barrage of successful diplomacy rolls and the continuous assault of righteous indignation which this party never seems to run out of, he lowers his sword - but doesn't sheath it.

"Yes, alright, some answers then," he mutters. "First of all, yes, I was invisible and I followed you all here from the bath-house. I was too late to help and you lot were already running out by the time I arrived. It seemed you had the situation under control, in a way, so when I saw you give the crowd the slip I came in a side door. Honestly Lady Vanderboren, you really should do something about security in this abode," he says, fixing the young noblewoman with a hard stare.

"My goodness! The cheek! Get out of my house now you... you... lout!" Lavinia turns to the open doors from the library and calls, "Kora! Oh, Kora! Please get down here now you have a guest to escort off the premises!" as though the wizened old Halfling lady would be able to manhandle the heavily armed and armoured warrior out of the building. Vorsh just ignores her.

"As regards to the Czarine Valora regaining here freedom, Logan and Celene, I am deeply sorry and apologise to both of you for that. Both sides in this conflict have samples of my body material and can scry me at will - I have a way of mitigating that for a couple of hours but generally speaking I need to get in and out of the city as quickly as possible before they nab me. On the night that you retrieved that accursed blade I stayed too long and the Czarine's followers - the other enchanted weapons and those they are dominating - managed to catch up with me. It was either dumping the sword in the harbour or allowing myself to be caught and killed by them, and I need to be alive to defeat them. At least throwing that megalomaniac into the lagoon bought me some time to escape while her troops dived in after her - I thought it would take them longer to find her but they were lucky and managed it quickly. And so she survived and took control of her side again." The angry looking warrior shakes his head bitterly, then looks at Logan.

"Fractions. Yes, there are fractions of a sort. Two groups of intelligent weapons battling for control of the city down through the decades. Czarine Valora leads the Cabanites. From what I have learnt, the Cabanites were a criminal gang that sprung up several centuries ago and styled themselves some sort of royal court although as near as I can figure out they were nothing better than common thieves. They imprinted their personalities into these magical weapons to provide themselves with more power, but the weapons have greatly outlived the original owners and still strive to take over Sasserine."

"The other fraction call themselves the 'Revolutionary Guard' and they want to free the city from tyranny and establish the rule of the people - with themselves leading the people of course. These weapons are led by the 'Solo Hand' with 'Sabrehawk' as his second in command, and they were created at the beginning of the Thyatian occupation about 100 years ago. Now the Thyatians are overthrown and cast out, but the weapons remain to continue their mischief."

"Much to my personal pain, I know about this because I got involved some time ago when I was still a Paladin of Kord. I was possessed, first by Czarine Valora, and then by Solo Hand. I was considered quite a prize as I was the best swordsman in the city at that point. They fought over me and while dominated I did... things. Very bad things. I escaped and ran from the city and have spent decades... DECADES MIND YOU! Preparing my revenge! And now the time is ripe!"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:18, Wed 24 Feb 2016.

When Vorsh mentions being a 'Paladin of Kord' and doing bad things, it gets Angati thinking. Her father mentioned something about that after the awards ceremony when he was talking to Victor Saint-Demain. What was it?

OOC: Refer to the 'Wrapping Up' thread to see a new flashback.

Lavinia stood up, she had just remembered some important information, and could recall the face of this man with quite some clarity. They had to get out of there, go public... but with precautions "Come... let's go, somewhere else, I guess we need to talk, and this is definitely not the place, knowing that you are scried, I would not want Lavinia to run any risks". Turning to Lavinia, she said "Please do excuse us, I am sorry we interrupted like we did. We will be going, and... at some point we need to talk and see how to better improve security in your state, he is right about that. Sorry for all the hassle. We will keep you informed on how this goes, and come later to talk with you in case you have any information to share regarding intelligent weapons". Looking back at the ex-paladin she said "Ok, can you go invisible again ? we will go to a place we know close to here were we can talk without risking Lavinia... if you don't its probably best if you cover yourself so that your face is not easily seen".

She started conducting the man towards the exterior taking the most direct route quickly towards the Fifteen horses and a mule tavern. "It is funny that you should come to us, not even a week ago, we were given a list of wanted men... and, a colleague of yours, that is another Paladin of Kord, we could almost say a twin, by the name of Larcos Dengrin, was in this list, with a price tag of 30.000 gold pieces... imagine that !"

"Now, we are all sure that cannot be you, for you are much younger, and see the direct problem to everyone's security that these intelligent swords pose. But... we would not want anyone taking you for him... and there are certain people, like Victor San-Demain, that would love to get their hands on you, take the price and not worry about the truth, the danger for everyone, and least of all, about cleaning your name of all the things that you have been charged off... Not to forget, the Priest's of Kord whom I am sure you are aware are not exactly happy about what they feel to be your treason".

By the time she was finishing this, she was in the middle of the tavern "So! I am glad that we can help you clarify all this. But you need to be an ally to us, cristal clear on your plans, and the dangers we might run into. Else, well... I'll get to think that maybe those swords took the best of your soul, and feel that the best for all is just to turn you in".

OOC: Ok, if the scene runs differently, just let me know I'll edit. Angati would continue working on diplomacy and further it with Misfortune should the need arise to convince him. She is basically just saying that they are willing to help him, as long as he is transparent to them, and an ally... because it will be a huge risk for them all.

OOC: Huh? Are you trying to drive my NPC's again Beni?!  :P




"My goodness, thank you Madam Lidu for your thoughtfulness. Yes, I promise I will work something out in regards to the security and let you know what I find out about these intelligent weapons. I will send Kora to the tavern to let you know the outcome."

"Invisible? No, unfortunately that is a once a day trick, but I still have a couple of hours of protection from scrying left. I will put my hood up and keep my face down - there are few people out on the streets at this time of morning anyway."



"Grrrr," snarled Vorsh beneath his heavy hood. Angati could not see his face since the man was sticking to his promise to keep his head down while they were out on the streets, but it was clear from his voice that he was not happy.



"I will tell you straight out Madam Lidu. That was me. A much more naive version of me, but the same flesh and bones. If you think 30,000 pieces of gold is worth selling your city into slavery, and betraying everything your father nephew fought for, then there is little I can do to save the place of my birth."

"As for my age. I have worked hard and used some magical means to stay young. I did whatever I needed to do to reach the day where I would have my revenge on these evil creations."



Vorsh pauses, starting at her hard in the middle of the tavern floor with his hood still up and only his piercing blue eyes staring out at her. "I give you my word. I swear an oath. I promise by everything that I was and hope to be again, that from henceforth I will be totally open with you all on my plans and the risks that we face. All I ask in return is that we win and all of these magical weapons are destroyed." He shrugs. "I can offer no greater guaranty."




OOC: I love it! Thank you so much for playing and making these posts! :D

Vorsh / Larcos Dengrin insists that they continue upstairs to Angati's suite so that they can talk in complete privacy.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:43, Fri 26 Feb 2016.

Logan absorbed Vorsh's words and lapsed in quiet as he followed along, first to the tavern, and then up to Angati's room.  At last, the rogue left out a slow whistle.

30,000 gold?  That's what the reward is for your capture?"  The rogue shook his head.  "Those weapons must really have a hate out for you, eh?  I suppose I feel the same thing they do, given how much trouble you've put us through, but I think I'd rather side with defeating those weapons.  Still, it is tempting..."

Though rogue goes quiet, idly flipping a gold coin across his knuckles, a practice for his legerdemain.  "You know, it's funny.  Just weeks ago, the thought that I would be invited into a noble house, much less have the opportunity to even think about seeing the kind of money I've been exposed to would have been ridiculous.  Now, here I am, thinking about turning down the opportunity to earn that kind of coin."

The rogue shakes his head sadly.  "Of course, Czarine probably wouldn't let whomever claimed that lived, especially if she knew it was Celene and myself.  Too much at stake."

The rogue turned to face Vorsh again.  "So, I don't know too much about things like this, but I suppose you've got a plan for defeating these things once and for all, or else you wouldn't be risking being in the city this much now.  It can't be as simple as just snapping the blades, or melting them down in a smithy, am I right?"

OOC: Well fuck, no, that would be far too simple. :D

"First," says Vorsh. "Tell me everything that happened in the bath-house. Which weapons were there and what did they do?"
This message was last updated by the player at 17:03, Thu 25 Feb 2016.

Angati and the rest went into her old room at the tavern. "If you do not have a safe place to stay, we will show you of another place where you may stay hidden and safe... or at least safer than here, but for the time being this will do".

She pulled a chair for the Logan and Vorsh and invited Celene to sit at the bed with her, and started retelling all the events from the point when Logan came to this very room with Zan, how he was wielding that strange sword and his strange reactions and detachment towards killing people. How they entered the room, where Czarine was about to set the other swords in stone, the friends of Sabrehawk. How they had avoided that, thinking that it was people that they were going to set in stone, and how Zan had managed to leave with the rest of the swords, and they had really managed nothing but keep the struggle between the two forces leveraged. "It is somehow surprising that our friends the Jade Ravens, ended up with swords from both sides of the struggle though... one would think that if they started working for someone, that someone would be aligned with only one side right ?" the word friends, of course was duly stressed to signify much the contrary.

"Now, if  you allow me to retrace our talks a little bit. I think we are in full agreement, may I ask... how did you come to know who my father is ? "

Logan adds it what he can to Angati's story, trying to remember the names of the weapons and the identities of who held them.

"They were trying to turn the mud baths to stone with the weapons inside - that it was Zan, or the weapon possessing him, was trying to stop.  But that wouldn't destroy the blades, correct?  Just render them unable to be wielded until they were removed from the stone?"

The ex-paladin listens with a disconcerting amount of intensity and is very interested about the magical powers the swords used - the animated objects, the hypnotised townsfolk and finally the teleporting out of the mud pit.



OOC; Oh damn, damn, damn! You got me! OK, he says' nephew' not 'father' then, since he doesn't know you relationship with the rest of your family. I have edited this in the earlier post and I'll ignore your question.



"Czarine Valora had control of the staff and workman in the bath-house. I imagine that she would have commanded them to pave over the old pits and then re-dig them to one side. Any weapons trapped beneath would have been stuck there for all time."

Vorsh takes to his feet and begins pacing up and down the room. "This is actually perfect. The Solo Hand can only use his teleport power once a day. The Czarine can only use mass hypnotism twice a day and she must have used it twice to control so many people. The Unseen Blade can only animate objects three times a day and she must have used all of that power from what you described. Now is the time to strike and by noon my plan will be in place!"

OOC: OK, here it comes! Please turn on your 'suspension of belief' motors and rev them aggressively.

He turns to Logan. "Lad. You are right in thinking that it is not as simple as just melting the blades down or snapping them in two. Neither side would ever venture near a smithy or anyplace with a forge - at least not in great numbers. And broken swords can be remade. And if we try to capture the swords then some of you would always end up dominate by them and would assist in their escape. No, what I needed was something powerful that could destroy the weapons but could not be detected, and mobile enough to be somewhere they wouldn't think of it, and something so crazy that they would never expect it."


The grizzled warrior peers at them intently. "Have any of your ever heard of something called a rust monster?"

Logan shakes his head.  "Never heard of one of those in Shadowshore, for sure.  You know, I bet Lavinia would actually know.  She seemed to know all kinds of useless stuff about monsters...useless except that it's how her parents defended..."  The rogue clears his throat.  "Anyway, no.  But I'm guessing you have heard of them, and it's just what we need.  Judging by the name, it what?  Rusts things?  Sounds like something you wouldn't want in a city, for sure.  We've run into some animal smugglers before - had a nasty spider-thingy that tried to eat us on a ship out in the harbor."

Vorsh just grunts at Logan's blabber. "Don't worry lad. I have hired the best team of rangers in the city and they have the right connections with the city watch to get this thing to the right spot even in the middle of the day, and even though this thing is the biggest rust monster that has ever lived. It is called 'Kogoloxen' and I am sure it has the power to destroy these magical weapons with one touch of an antennae."

"Here's the plan. I have obtained access to a large building called the 'North Marshalling Dome' - it's a disused fortification in Shadowshore. It's perfect because all of the interior walls are stone and it has enough room for us to hide the rust monster in. I have used magical means so that all of the doors - wooden doors - can be sealed from the outside. I have called for a council between the two sides to discuss the terms of a treaty and the division of the city. I know that each side will come in force, eager to slay each other and recapture me."

"BUT! I have another trick up my sleave. I have spent most of the last fifty years preparing my mind and now it can never been taken by another. Even allies that stand close to me will benefit from this effect. Once all of the weapons are inside I will trigger the trap and the doors will be sealed closed. Then we will release Kogoloxen and assist in the carnage. Are you with me?"

OOC: Logan has heard of the North Marshalling Dome. It is indeed a disused building in his home district that was striped of everything of value when the Thyatian oppression was thrown off 10 years ago, then used by families of squatters until the Shadowshore district representative them out onto the street recently.

Celene had sat on the bed next to Angati and listened to her friends recount the events of the morning and ask their questions. Vorsh seemed quite genuine in wanting to destroy the weapons; leaving him to his own devices was a bad idea. He had shown a lack of care once before. The plan seemed well thought out and had a chance at success but their was risk to her and her allies. A monster as described couldn't be controlled adequately it would be as much a hindrance as it would be an ally.

"This monster will be as harmful to us as it will be to Czarine and the others. I suppose your plan might have already considered that but you did not say so. There are magics that can control the mind of men; from research I know those same magics can be applied to animals and monsters. Do you have the capital for us to purchase such a thing? There is a chance it could be beyond my abilities to wield such magic; but the coin spent for a scroll would be far outweighed by the prospect of this Kogoloxen being focused solely on our enemies.

The idea would be to use a charm monster scroll to tip the odds in our favor. I think it would be a DC 5 caster level check to cast it since it is above my caster level.

OOC: Woah. Best idea ever!

Vorsh scowls at Celene, his eyes narrowing. But as he considers the idea his face relaxes. "Little lady, I think you might have struck upon a good idea. Very well, I will give you the coin to purchase such a scroll - and I will do you one better. If you also purchase a 'speak with animals' scroll then perhaps you may even be able to direct the great Kogoloxen."

The party continue discussing a few more details with Vorsh, but that conversation is stopped by a polite knock at the door. The ex-paladin acts in a flash - with the sound of steel against leather he draws his sword and jerks the door open. An elderly Halfling lady falls into the room, stumbles and lands on her back. Vorsh keeps the points of his sword a hair's breath from her throat. "Drop all weapons and show me your hands!" he roars.

The old lady does not look very impressed and surprisingly doesn't even look that concerned. "I am her with some information from Lady Vanderboren, as requested of her Ladyship by the people in this party Sir!" An angry crease forms in her brow.

Logan contemplates the plan, his face showing his uncertainty.  "But this great rust monster...eats all metal, correct?  Wouldn't we want to be...mostly unarmed when we face it and the magically-bound weapons?  Or at least not wielding anything we truly care about losing?"

Logan unconsciously reaches down and rubs the hilt of his rapier, though his reverie is interrupted by the knock on the door.

Logan scowls at Vorsh.  "Put the weapon down, man!  You can't jump at everything!"

The rogue looks to Kora.  "What do you have from Lady Vanderboren?"

OOC: Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm. <DM opens module and starts furiously leafing through the pages of it> Yeaaahhh, that's actually a very good point John... But let's try this.

Vorsh scoffs. "Well, sure, of course! But that is the beauty of this ambush spot, it has two levels and we can keep ourselves separate from the rust monster... mostly. But now that Celene has come up with her addition to the plan Kogoloxen will very firmly be on our side!"

Kora pushes the blade in Vorsh's hand to one side and climbs to her feet. "Mister Logan, Lady Vanderboren was lucky enough to find this tomb in our library." She hands over a medium sized book with brown leather binding. "It is an account of all of the intelligent weapons in this area as encounter by the recently departed Lord and Lady Vanderboren and all rumours they have heard of them. I believe it is quiet complete."

OOC: And indeed it is complete. I will set up a new thread outlining each of the weapons, their names and their powers for you guys

I don't think fighting such formidable opponents unarmed and unarmored would be smart. If we can have two charm monster scrolls it would be best in case one does not take.

"Oh Dear... ! I am sorry Kora, please accept our excuses and thank Lady Vanderboren profusely from our part, this is very important information indeed.

Here, I have some tea ready if you would care for a cup.".

To the others, she said, "Maybe we should go looking for Kassius, he surely can help with monster handling, and Alohan... he seems to do quite well fighting naked... or as close to it as he can get"

OOC: Getting a little greedy there! OK, make a DC15 diplomacy check if you want to persuade Vorsh to buy you TWO scrolls of charm monster.

Turning back to Vorsh Angati asked "So.. one question, wouldn't you want to profit this trap to clear your name at the same time ? in-as-much as that can be done, that is ?. I mean, maybe I can persuade my nephew to send someone to be witness of what happens, or maybe you want to have someone that the temple would trust and clear your name once and for al... I mean, if we are successful there won't be any more swords to prove the mental control they had on you..."

The possibility of clearing his name actually seems to stump Vorsh for a few seconds. "I'd only been thinking of revenge... I've been Vorsh for so many years now, could I really clear the name of Larcos Dengrin and reclaim it?" he asks, seemingly to himself.

"There is one man that might be up to the task who would also be recognised by the temple of Kord as a trustworthy witness. There is a dwarf by the name of Karthach Feldspar-Ash, he was a member of the order at the same time as me and was always recognised as a person of honour and repute. In fact, he left the order rather than sacrifice his ethics and now serves in the shrine of Liir. He could be the man... ahem... dwarf for the job if he is willing."

Once Kora has been thanked and dismissed, the party heads over to Vorsh's ambush spot, only stopping to buy one (or two if Celene's diplomacy roll is good!) scrolls of 'Charm Monster' and one scroll of 'Speak to Animals'. The ex-Paladin uses a huge key to open the door to the 'North Marshalling Dome' and leads them inside.

OOC: See you in the next thread: Quarantine of Steel
This message was last edited by the player at 20:15, Tue 01 Mar 2016.

Angati nodded "I know Kartach well.. he is a friend. I will let him know then so that he comes and bears witness from somewhere safe... As for my nephew... well, If not clearing your name, at least he might do with removing the bounty on your name, that might be enough to at least drop down a bit of that paranoia that seems to be gnawing at you."

"Hump! That 'paranoia' little lady, is the only thing that has kept me alive over the last fifty years! When every single person out on the street, and anyone at anytime can be under the control of one of those weapons I think you understand how I became a little paranoid."