Vorneyl recovered from his injury and fired off 2 shots at the nearest Acolytes before trying to take cover wherever he could (even if just behind more Acolytes).

OOC:

Vorneyl Kenath rolled 32 using 1d20+12. Rapid Shot Attack 1 w/ PBS Acolyte .
Vorneyl Kenath rolled 22 using 1d20+12. Crit Confirm?.
Vorneyl Kenath rolled 16 using 3d8+2. Damage 1. (if Crit is confirmed = 32)

Vorneyl Kenath rolled 19 using 1d20+12. Rapid Shot Attack 2 w/ PBS Acolyte.
Vorneyl Kenath rolled 13 using 3d8+2. Damage 2.

This message was last edited by the player at 02:04, Tue 28 Sept 2010.

As the battle progresses, the party lays into the acolytes, severely putting a dent in their ritual.  Four more acolytes dead, both Death Knights distracted by the swarm of what appears to be holy insects attacking them.

The chanting is continuing, though only through the sheer strength of the priests will, as they try to adjust for their loss of manpower.

The Half-Orc swings in fury, using both sides of his blades as he tries to take Jouhan down after such a dangerous attack.  "You are weak, just like the rest of your order.  Relying on tricks instead of gladly accepting the pain and learning from it.  When I killed Master Khreas, it was the most glorious day of my life.  Gruumsh take you!"  He cried as you neatly deflect both attacks from Skrak.

Seeing some apparent progress being made, Vorneyl keeps firing at the Acolytes but his first shot goes off the mark while his second shot is on target.

OOC:
Vorneyl Kenath rolled 13 using 1d20+12. Rapid Shot Attack 1 w/ PBS.

Vorneyl Kenath rolled 25 using 1d20+12. Rapid Shot Attack 2 w/ PBS.
Vorneyl Kenath rolled 13 using 3d8+2. Damage 2.

Regannos could see that Vorneyl was hurting, and while he wasn't always sure 'how' a machine could feel pain, it didn't change the fact that much more damage would probably kill him. Again....whatever.

"Hang in There Vorneyl, I'll sling a repair your way once one of these Death Knights is out of the way" he said to him as he sighted his weapon at one of the people in question. Energy hummed along his weapon, the same kind as the Knights where using, but it looked like a cleaner and purer source. The blast of 4th state matter roared from his weapon, the clean blue glow stark against the blackness of the cavern.

OOC:
13:45, Today: Regannos rolled 27 using 5d10+2. Fire damage.
13:44, Today: Regannos rolled 22 using 1d20+9. Plasma Rifle (assuming Point blank).

Jouhan agilely deflects the two incoming quick attacks with his long slender blade and with moment focus recharges humming energy back into his blade by tracing hand over it and then perform dancing diving thrust aiming to strike Strak's guard while he calmly replies; "Pain leads to suffering and suffering leads to anger and anger leads to ruin. We experience pain only to know the cost feeling it and learn avoid it and all it's associated emotions. Your lost so deep in your pain that you cannot find way out and seek relief in bringing pain to others, so let my blade release your soul from torment of your life."

---

OOC: Used move action recharge my mind blade psysic energy. Rolled 16 to hit, 20pts dmg.

Aria adjusted her line of fire until she found the largest group of cultists before sending her round through as many of them as possible.

[Private to GM: 17:09, Yesterday: Sister Aria rolled 18 using 3d12+2. Damage.
17:08, Yesterday: Sister Aria rolled 12 using 1d20+10. Shoot cultists. ]

As the battle progresses, the Death Knights are consumed by Regannos's spell.  Using their combined firepower on the roof over the acolytes, the team brings down large chunks of ceiling, disrupting the ritual as they were crushed.

Snarling as the spell breaks, the priest turns to see his assembly decimated.  "Fools!  What have you done!"  He shouted, his mouth opening impossibly wide.  Pressing a button on an arm bracer, he begins to laugh.

Skrak and Jouhan face off, blades against blade, each avoiding or blocking their opponents attacks.  Just as the battle seemed to come to a close, both combatants energies drained, a shadowy hand reaches from behind Skrak, extending from the priest's claw.  With a final laugh, the priest touches another button on the bracer.  Both disperse in mists of sickly green fog.  A countdown starts to play from the walls of the pyramid, leaving little time for the group to depart.

Jouhan rushes forward to the huge white dragon, slicing through the dark chains which it bound.  It was difficult for the energy blade to sever, but in moments, each one was removed, restoring the dragon to consciousness.  With a quick look over the chamber, it stood up swiftly.  "We leave now!"  It roared, reaching forward and grabbing hold of each of you.  With quick wing strokes, it launches itself through the now gaping hole in the ceiling.  It flies over the truck, slowly lowering you all onto the bridge.  Turning to examine the car, it flies over head and lifts the truck to place it in the proper direction.  "Go, now!"  It says, before flying towards the top of the cavern.  You see a large hole, with stars showing through in the ceiling, as the dragon goes through, partly flying, partly crawling through.  A slight rumble is starting as micro explosions go off within the temple.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:30, Thu 07 Oct 2010.

Jouhan had fought Skrak, entirely ignoring battle around them and form deadly link with him. Each toher focusing bring end to each other but for different reasons and emotions. But then their duel got interupted when Skrak was teleported by the priest away elsewhere. Jouhan smirked.

Probably dumb move to do for Skrak, priest needs to be damn powerful calm his rage now.....

Jouhan speedily progressed towards to white dragon, with slices of his energy blade cut the big black chains but with no key nor time for more finesse approach Jouhan slices the chains and frees the dragon. Soon group is making close called escapade way from cultists hide out which seems to be starting collapsing around them from small dozen explosions going off in the place.

"Hold onto something." Aria said calmly as she straps herself into her seat with quick, practiced movements. By the time the engine roars to life, she accelerated the van and its heavy cargo as fast as the engine will move it. The ponderous vehicle seemed to resist the slightest turn as if possessed, yet with each maneuver she pushed itto the very limits of its capabilities, if not beyond.


[Private to GM: 18:39, Today: Sister Aria rolled 29 using 1d20+11. Drive. ]
This message was last edited by the player at 02:44, Sat 09 Oct 2010.

Regannos was quite surprised that the white dragon helped them, more so when his spell somehow killed the two Death Knights. The spell he had used shouldn't have been that damaging, making him wonder what the reason was for it. Still, that was a thought for another time, as he and his fellows where lifted off and then deposited at the van. He did a check to make sure their pay was still in the back before securing himself in the back. "50 credits says the White says he escaped on its own when it gets back" he said to no one in particular as the van sped off.

Vorneyl was still too worried about the damage to his own soulmech body to really worry about who took the credit for the rescue so he shrugged his shoulders and said, "Hey the Big White Guy is free ain't he?  Our contract just said to make sure he regained his freedom and remained more or less in one live piece... I say "mission accomplished".  That he helped out was nice but I don't think that legally negates his side's obligation to pay our fee.

After all, unless Ol' Whitey whips up a quick "clean up crew", there's all sorts of "evidence" left lying and bleeding around here to show that we earned our paycheck on this job."

OOC: It isn't clear to me, but could Vorneyl store images captured by his electronic eyes in his robotic brain for later replay?

Sister Aria manages to move the van near full speed, as the first shock waves of the explosions from within the temple strike the back of the vehicle.  Plowing into the dark and cramped tunnel, barely scratching the exterior, though with quite a bit of bumps from the natural floor.

As you speed out of the tunnel, you are met with four hovercars of Qesemet Police.  You notice there are also two ISPD agents with the eight police officers, and they regard your van with apprehension.

Regannos was glad to be out of the dammed underground, he much preferred the open sky. How such a thing had taken root in the domain of the Qesemet was a dammed mystery to him, but he was glad it had been burned out.....at least for the time being. He wasn't so worried about the Qesemet police, he was somewhat sure he could get out of that. It was the ISPD officers that would cause the issue. "Right then....let me do the talking for now. Don't mention our employer, remember that he wanted secrecy" he said to the others. From under his armor he pulled out his amulet that marked him as an officer of his Aristocorp as well as his family seal.

He set his weapon against the side of the van before hopping out of the back, the silver Half-Dragon standing tall as he addressed the police. "Its nice of backup to come, though I'm afraid its a little late. There was a Reaper Cult hiding down there that had to be burned clean. Though the temple somewhat exploded after the fact, sorry about that" Regannos said openly, his mannerism changing from that of a fighter to more of a diplomat and noble.

Vorneyl glanced at Aria and said, "Been breaking the speed limit again... or is it just a pile of unpaid parking tickets?"

Vorneyl looked over at Regannos and nodded his head in agreement, "No problem Boss, you handle the "fuzz"... I just hope all our licenses and permits are up-to-date and our papers in order."

Vorneyl then focused his attention more upon the pair of ISPD than the other cops.

[Private to GM: Does Vorneyl recognize either of the ISPD Officers (as per his prior life as a Drow ISPD officer)?  Does Vorneyl have any "code words" he could use to Identify himself or his affiliation with the ISPD?]

The drow motion for the police officers to hold their ground, though at Regannos's explanation, they draw their weapons in rapid succession.  One of them speaks, shouting at the group.  "Step out of vehicle, with your hands up.  Desecration of a temple is a violation of the Imperial Charter."  The officers of Qesemet look uneasy, but follow orders, aiming their pistols at the group.

[Private to Vorneyl Kenath:  You may try Drow Sign Language, since few people are taught the private language of the Drow race.]

Regannos frowned as he looked at the two Drow, his hands already empty as he stood there. "You dare accuse me of such a thing! We where not only attacked first, but the Reaper cultists destroyed their own temple. Do not think that I am ignorant of the law. Two of my guards have the capability of playback from mental implantation or otherwise, which will more then prove the Reapers destroyed their own temple."

Jouhan was nervous altough glad in someway his 'weapon' is not easily identified. He could form his blade even without the cylinder component but it would be far less powerful sort. Same goes to his powers. He waits Regannos finish his talking with the police officers.

The Drow frown, signaling the officers to advance.  "Until such time as we can confirm your statements, you are all to be detained.  Under the Imperial Charter, drop any weapons you may be carrying, and lay on the ground.  If you resist, you shall be found in contempt of Imperial Law, and we will authorize lethal force."  The ISPD agents do have that authority, especially if there is suspicion that an infraction of the Charter has been discovered.  The pistols the Qesemet officers are carrying are armed with the light blue of stun energy, trained on each of you.  The two Drow begin making slight hand gestures to each other, delicate and precise movements.

[Private to Vorneyl Kenath: They are discussing the possibility that your group was not hired by Tasian, and that you are in fact, Insurgents.  The destruction of a temple, even one associated with an evil deity, is a major crime.]

Aria powered down the van. As she released the seat harness, she accessed the local wireless traffic througth the datapad at her belt. It transmitted back to her visual nerves, so she 'saw' an open public mailbox on the datapad one of the ISPD officers was carrying.

The young pilot extended both hands out the door before her feet, slowly exiting the way she was trained to evoke the least amount of concern. As she stepped out of the vehicle, with a thought she instantly transmitted her standard operations file to him; all of her weapons permits, her bonded mercenary license, etc.

Regardless of their current employer, many regarded the Telamonian legions to be thinly disguised branch of the Osorus military, and Aria thought this would be a good time to invoke any ties to Asamet possible, whether they existed or not. Besides, she also wanted to send a clear message to Regannos, in case he or any of her companions were feeling trigger happy. Her livelihood depended on keeping her record clean, and open violence against the police was a sure ticket back to her homeworld for a life of shame on the farm.

The mercenary blinked in the bright sunlight when she slowly removed her helmet, seeing with her eyes for the first time in several hours after disconnecting from the sensors it contained. As she knelt to lay ground, she began to compose a sanitized briefing of their mission, omitting confidential information such as the name of their employer and the subject of their rescue mission. While waiting to be processed, she prepared an edited version of her sensory data, again omitting the same information she felt her contract could legally protect. She locked the unedited versions of both reports behind her best security measures before transimitting them to the ISPD officer and the ranking officer in the QPD.


OOC: Didn't notice the post that popped up while I was writing mine. Changed it to make sure I was on the ground.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:36, Tue 12 Oct 2010.

Regannos grit his fangs a bit, clearly looking quite unhappy with the turn of the events. Qesemet police he could have handed, but not the ISPD. He knew quite well that they likely took an adverse pleasure in ordering him to the ground, he was after all a Half-Dragon wearing a seal of his sire's clan. Sure enough, he could have made the claim about the White dragon, but they had been paid for their silence in such a manner. As much as he absolutely detested the fact that he would be placed under arrest in such a manner, he had the reputation of his Aristocorp above that. "Very well, we will not resist. However I do expect all of our gear returned to us in the same standard that it is now. That includes our belongings both within the van and on our person" Regannos replied to the ISPD in a curt tone, not confrontational, but serious none the less. With that he dropped to his knees and kept his empty hands visible. The displeasure was obvious on his muzzled face, and the Half-Dragon would not lay on the ground even if it killed him.

While still in the vehicle and concealed from view, Vorneyl took the liberty of stashing his own personal blaster pistol into his hidden internal storage compartment.  Technically he wouldn't be "carrying" the weapon.

Vorneyl waited for the others to exit the vehicle first and comply with the instructions.  Once everyone else was out of the vehicle, Vorneyl also exited the van carefully and cautiously.

Clearing his throat (electronically?), Vorneyl said something.

[Private to GM: Vorneyl said in {Undercommon} "Pardon me officers, but might I have a private word with you?"

Assuming the ISPD officers look over (and the other PCs either don't look over or Vorneyl can use the van's position to block the PCs' view of his hands) Vorneyl will then communicate briefly {Drow Sign Language} "We need to talk."]

OOC: Vorneyl's not speaking in Common and I don't know what languages everyone else has.

The Drow look up at Vorneyl with interest.  "Half-Elf, over here, now, nice and slow.  We want a word with you."  The speak, training their weapons on Vorneyl.  They retreat behind the hovercars, though they keep keen eyes on the group.

PM.

Jouhan walked also slow and calmly from vechile and knelt. Wearing his items as usual and raising hands above his head and he knelt but he did not lay down on the ground either. He looked most unarmed from the bunch and most would not recognize the odd metal cylinder in his belt.....if they did they would know the order where he belongs.

The Drow officers appear to be having a conversation with Vorneyl, though their disgust at the soulmech's existence is evident even from distance that the party is being held.  One is even ignoring Vorneyl, reading a datapad.

While the Drow processed Vorneyl, Aria layed motionless on the ground, with her hands clasped behind her neck. Her mind, however, issued commands to her datapad at the speed of thought as she compiled a press release, suitably sanitized and dramatically spun to show a heroic group fighting their way into an obviously illegal cult of the Reaper to save a dragon from ritual sacrifice. She performed a careful pixelation and color scramble to conceal the dragon's identity, and made sure to include some nice close-ups of the cult leader vowing to bring down the Empire.

The mercenary then prepared to send copies of her briefing packet to the cities main news services, should circumstances require.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:10, Tue 26 Oct 2010.