The grate seems to resist Sarah's force, but suddenly it seems to become much lighter (or somehow Sarah stronger) and it slowly raises into the air. The cloaked figures, luckily, do not seem to notice. They just continue to shuffle about.

There is a very unnerving vibe that is coming from this situation, different to the one derived from you finding yourselves in the game.

What will happen next is one thing. Do you truly have to complete the quest to return home, or are you trapped here? If you do have to complete the quest, will you survive? Chris isn't a malicious, killer GM (Thank god!) but he isn't afraid to properly challenge you. All you need is a few Natural 1s, and it doesn't matter whether you're going back or not...

Then, of course, there is how you finish the quest. You know that you're trying to rescue a elven princess from some sort of evil cult, but is that all there is to it? And the cult's goal 'to open a portal to another world'. Did Chris invent this, or is this world... different.

On that note, what did happen to Chris?

He's off in Benny Hill land

Dan looks up over the figures shuffling around and looks back at the crew. He slides back down to them "Do we have a plan, or are we going to run in screaming?" He asks the others while he sits and plots himself.

"I hope that we're not all planning to go running in screaming." Cassander said, not entirely sure if Dan was joking or not. "We still have the element of surprise so let's use that.  Plus I don't want to use up unecessary spells if I don't have to.  Who knows whats lurking in this place."

"This is what I'm thinking.  Sarah?  Silene should be able to backstab one of them, but I can't remember if she was built that way or if you were going more towards the acrobat idea.  Alyissia and Aliana should be able to hit the other two with their bows.

Cassander frowned as she looked at the sword in her hand.  "I probably should have given Tizona a bow now that I think about it.  She has the proficiency, but I thought that it might be silly.  So much for that idea."

"That leaves Dan...excuse me Kenjinn and myself.  I suppose that we could act as backup, help deliver the coup de grace, so to speak.  I'd rather not waste any magic on a bunch of guards so that leaves me with the sword.  What can Kenjinn do that's relatively quiet?"  Cassander waited, the delicate features of her elven face looking at Dan expectedly.

Dan thinks for a moment. What could bards do that was quiet? Not much when you think about it. If they could, their main power would probably be to make the enemies die from blood loss from bleeding ears.

"Well, bards are most like theives so I suppose shooting some arrows or backstabbing would be in order. I made Kenjinn proficient in dual wielding so if we do end up actually fighting I'd be more useful than the average thief" He replied to Cassander, thinking and noticing how big elven ears actually were. Expecially Cassander/Tizona's. They weren't the only large things on her but they were what Dan was going to focus on.

Greg's delicate elven features seem to pinch in fear.
Do we....do we REALLY have to k-kill.....?
She shook her head, almost violently, to clear it.

No, no, no.  You're right.  Of course you're right.
These aren't a bunch of guys hanging out in front of the 7-11 or at some dinner party somewhere.  They've KIDNAPPED an innocent woman and are holding her against their will.

There is no FBI, no 911 to call.  There's only us, and it's us....or them.


Greg seems to still be a little shaky with the idea of actually, literally KILLING another human being (though the irony could be pointed out that she's not actually human, but not matter).  However, she seems to have steeled herself for the task ahead and to do what is needed to save the captive.

Taking a deep breath, she nods to Tizona.

I had my Detect Thoughts spell ready to gather intel, or the Obscuring Mist for cover, but you're right.  I shouldn't blow my proverbial wad so soon when we might have a long way to go.   Aliana is....that is, I'm pretty good with this bow.  It's a masterwork bow that packs a bit of extra punch from my strength, so I should be able to use it to good effectiveness against the kidnappering cult members.

The group notices Greg's obvious attempt to keep villifying their opponents, making it seem less objectionable to take human life, even in another's defense.

Sarah nods.

"I've got more rogue than acrobat as it is. Remember, its only a five-level PrC."

She peeks up above.

"Im just surprised how easy that was to lift."

"I wasn't too sure just how you built up Kenjinn.  If you can backstab as well then that's great.  So two opponents get ganked and the third stops a bunch of arrows."  Cassander was really getting into planning out the whole encounter and it showed in her movements, in addition to the look in her eye.  "That would put me in reserve, to help out where I can with my sword, unless someone wants to lend me their bow."

"Does this sound reasonable to everyone?" She asked, looking among the group, stopping at Aliana.  "I wouldn't worry too much about killing them.  It's not like their real, just NPC's brought to life.  It might be in character for Aliana to worry about something like that but remember that these are the evil cult that has kidnapped our princess.  We are the FBI, or the elven equivalent."

"Oh and save your spells if you can, Aliana.  As bizarre as it might sound, I really don't want to camp out in the evil cultists base just to get our spells back." She grinned as she flourished her sword, feeling the wieght of the blade and how natural it felt in her hands.

John thought for a moment before quietly taking off the quiver slung at her hip and handed both it and her bow to Cassander. "If that's the plan take my bow. I'm more set up for melee, besides I'm pretty good at the sneaky skills too." she said with a bit of a grin before her face turned serious again. "Besides, if something goes wrong they could get killed before you could get to them... though don't let that stop you from trying if they do attack us en mass you do have the heaviest armor here. she said adding only a minor alteration with the plan, finding the idea sound. It probally helped that she had taken a few ranks in 'knowledge: tactics'.

Greg nodded.  She was getting more and more used to being called Aliana by Ca....by Tizona.  Strangely, being called "Greg", while comforting to an extent, almost seemed a bit jarring now.
It's nothing to worry about, Greg thought.  In fact, it's probably more appropriate anyway since I look nothing like I....like Greg used to.   Yes, she decided inwardly, it just makes more sense.

She was still having trouble with the concept of killing people, and couldn't shake the idea that perhaps these weren't fake people that were created just for their benefit.   Still, Greg had a long history of buckling to peer pressure, going along with friends when they suggested doing stupid things.

She could picture Mom, looking maternal and wise.

"Oh really?  Well, then, if your friends all decided to go out and kill a bunch of evil cultists, would you?"

Greg's answer would probably be:
"ummmmmm, yes?"


Hiding her grin at Mom's probably response (and trying not to speculate on her reaction to her new "daughter"), Greg looked at the group.

I designed the character to be reasonably competent in both melee and missle combat, so that should certainly have "translated".  I can join Tizona in the "opening salvo" and then wade in with my sword if need be.  I didn't take "Precise Shot" with my bow, so I shouldn't be firing into a melee situation anyway.

She also tried not to laugh, given the seriousness of the situation, at Tizona's prohibition against "camping among the cultists to get spells back".  She still grinned a bit at the possible conversation.



"Um.....Time out!   Yeah, um, evil cultist guys?  It's like this, see.  We're out of spells, and uh...."
Greg pictured Aliana doing an impression of "Lunberg", Gary Cole's manager character from "Office Space".
"Yeeeeaaaahhhh........if you could all, you know, come back in about, say, eight hours or so, we kinda need to get some spells back?  And if you could bring some breakfast with you too.....Yeah, that'd be greeeeeaaaat......."

To distract herself from an inappropriate chuckle, she looks at Sarah.

I'm curious about the lightness too.  Everyone, let's be alert, in case this is a trap, or something.

Cassander takes the bow and quiver that John offered with a wry grin.  "Thanks, Aliyssia.  It sounds like everyone is pretty decent in melee except for me.  I'm just going on the basic racial weapon proficiencies here, I haven't added anything to my sword or bow.  I'll work with Aliana on her target, just in case I miss."

It was still a little wierd to be talking about Tizona as though she were just a piece of paper with some numbers on it, when all it took was one look in a mirror to see how real she was now.  The separation between Cassander and Tizona was getting less and less pronounced, Cassander had to work harder to make game references.  It hadn't been that long since their arrival but Cassander was becoming more comfortable being Tizona, even to the point of referring to herself with feminine pronouns.  The question was, what would happen when she became completely adjusted to the elven skin.

"Aliana and I should stick close to the grate in the beginning, to cover our retreat in case that it is a trap.  It sounds like we have a good plan then.  So if Kenjinn, Silene and Aliyssia are ready..." She gestured in the direction of the cultists.  Hopefuly they weren't walking into a trap.

Swallowing nervously and taking a breath that's only quavering a little, Greg nods to Tizona, bow at the ready.

Sarah gives a thumbs up, still in position. She grabs a grappling hook and rope from her pack and sets it for the others to climb up with.

Greg was kicking herself a bit for using up her "Fly" spell.  Granted, she couldn't imagine not using it when she did, however.
Seriously, she thought, who can find out that they could FLY, and NOT use it as soon as possible?  Seriously.

Sarah grasps the grate and pushes it open, a effort which requires all of her strength. She succeeds, however, and is able to climb up into the room.

As she does, she cannot help but feel the strangest sensation in her hands. She cannot tell what it is because of her gloves, but it is disconcerting none the less.

The room the grate leads into is large, and its purpose uncertain. There are two doors opposite each other on different ends of the room. In each corner of the room is a statue of a monstrous, female figure. Perhaps a Outsider, like a Demon or Devil. Strange symbols or runes are carved into the walls, and even now and again they pulse with a strange glow. Every time they do, your whole boy seems to  itch.

The figures are completely cloaked, with their hoods draw low over their faces to hide them. They simply walking randomly about, without stopping or speaking. There is a low, indistinguishable murmur that runs through the room. It is simply a noise at first, but the longer you hear it the harder it is to concentrate.

They do not seem to react to what is going on around them, including you.

Do....do we...do we just sneak by them?

Greg looked around, bewildered.  She was...well, almost dissappointed that they weren't instantly attacked.  She still shook a little from the adrenal letdown.

"Sister Aliana" was versed in many of the religions of Chris's game world.  She "remembered" hours of classes on dozens of various cults, religions, and belief systems.  "Greg" had always been a pretty good student, but Aliana had been, in terms of the "real world", a serious geek.  She'd reveled in history, which Greg had always been fond of, and languages, which he'd always been hopeless at.  Ironically, religion classes had been Aliana's weakest subject, though one she'd mastered.  Hopefully the same religions translated too, she thought, as she tried to figure out what sort of freakish cult they were dealing with.

Dan was an atheist so this big ol' demonic-chanting thing was a bit jarring to him. He blocked it out of his thoughts with various sciencey things and obsession over his reality bending (no, he's still not over that).

He turned to Greg and noticed Aliana's depressed expression. "Yes, we we sneak past them. I'd rather not having to kill people willy-nilly" He said to her and moved in closer. He wanted to see what these cultists were doing, and to possibly see if they did the same thing the monks did on Monty Python; bash their heads against bibles. He laughed softly at the thought and snuck in closer.

The elven woman was jarred by Dan's...Kenjinn's distainful words.
Willy-nilly?  S-screw you! she said in and intense, but quiet whisper designed to carry no farther than their group.
I just spent the last five minutes trying to psych myself up to kill a person, maybe several, for the first time in my life!.  So don't you DARE pretend that this is easy for me!  Tizona says that they're fake people that were "magicked" into existance just for us, but I'm not so sure.  There's no way to really know until this nightmare is over, is there?

Almost as if she's suddenly embarrassed at her quiet outburst, Greg drops her eyes from Kenjinn's intense look and turns away.  Tears are running down her face.
Christ, she thought, I'm surprised that I'm not frickin' dehydrated by now.

She moved back a bit until she was towards the rear of the party, both to put some distance between her and the bard, and because, despite her natural elven grace and finely made armor, she was still probably the least stealthy among them.

Sarah helps the party climb up. Once everyone's in the room, she quickly looks underneath one of her gloves, wondering what that odd feeling is.

Dan was a little pissed with Greg now. "Oi!" He whispered back, slightly louder. "You've been nothing but Ms Complainy McCries-a-lot since we turned into these people. I've put up with this because, yes it is a life-shattering event, but come on! I've seen disfortunate people with torn lives with less tears than this. And psyching yourself up to kill someone!? I find that hard to believe. You're just looking for another thing to cry about! So suck it up and shutup!" He looks really pissed now, apparantly he doesn't take well to Greg's mood swings.

Greg froze, livid with anger, especially that the excruciating ordeal of justifying murder was just dismissed as a 'hissy fit"

Let it go! she yelled at herself.  This isn't the time to fight with each other!  They were in enemy territory, for the love of....

She couldn't do it.  She couldn't leave it alone.  She was too angry.

Striding back to Dan, she got up to his face, her whisper still quiet and intense.

God Damn It, Dan!!!  What the hell is wrong with you?  I know I haven't been a pillar of frickin' strength so far, but you've been going out of your way to look down your nose at everyone since this whole thing began!  I'm sorry that this is apparently more fun for you than the rest of us, but keep your ignorant opinions to yourself until they actually mean something!
My "whining" hasn't done a damned thing to hurt you or the group, and you KNOW it.  Hell, if you want to be technical, I've actually been even more useful so far than you have!   So, if you want to refrain from 'holding my hand' then feel free, but get off my back!

"Holding your... look here!" He leered at her. "I may not be a sorcerer in this world but at least I know how to keep quiet and assess a situation. What have you done for the group other than flip between whining and joy like a lightswitch?! I'm sorry if I've been a little pretentious but at least I've been looking for ways to get home rather than wishing! This isn't fun for me either, I can't even stand a horror movie let alone evil cultist grounds and undead skeletons!" He was fuming now, and Dan never looses an argument. "Your whining may not hurt anything but it's not bloody productive so stop it!"

Greg didn't know why she even bothered.  The man was one of those arrogant jerks that knew what the facts were, so there was no reason to even entertain that others might have a point.   So be it.

Fine!  Let's make a truce then!  I'll stop whining around you if you stop bitching about me.  Deal?
She wasn't sure why she did it, but Greg stuck her hand out to Kenjinn.   It was something...well, manly, something that the demure Aliana wouldn't do, but Greg's anger seemed to cut through any inborn prohibitions.


OOC: and on that note, post 400!  Woot!

On that note, the murmuring stops. So do the cloaked figures.

They all turn on the spot to face the party.

"Poor you. Looks like you stumbled across the 'Conversion' Room"

The same sinister voice echoes through the room. The voice, like before, is distant and inhuman, impossible to determine the speaker.

---

As Sarah looks beneath her gloves, she sees... pads, like that of a animal, emerging on her hands. Her nails are also beginning to sharpen, forming claws.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:33, Tue 28 Apr 2009.

Dan seemed happy with this and shook the hand grudgingly, "Deal" He replied to her, his face loosing most of it's anger.

It was then that the band of unmerry monks turned to them. Kenjinn cursed their tv sitcom bickering and unshealthed his blades, trying to find the source of the voice.

Something told Greg that the cultists were merely waiting for them and would have done the same thing whether she and Kenjinn had argued or not, but she still couldn't help but feel guilty about her inability to let Dan's accusations go unanswered.
Drawing her longbow using as much instinct at skill, she took aim at the closest cloaked figure.

let's do some 'converting' of our own: freaky cultists into dead people in one easy step  She muttered, more to bolster her courage then because anyone was listening.  Greg looked at Tizona for confirmation before firing.

Her confrontation with the bard had left her feeling drained and stretched tighter than a drum, and now the effort of slipping instantly back into "kill or be killed" mode made the elf maid want  to scream in frustration.  She had to be strong though.  She had made a promise.  Granted, it was a promise to a guy who was kinda being a dick, but it was a promise nonetheless.