ooc: Hahahahahaha! Alice is hilarious

IC: From your view above you can see Peter give an enormous shrug. I don't know anything, I swear! Maybe her husband found out about us? I don't know, but either let me up or somebody come down! he sounds nervous but then with so many approaching riders you can see why. Loki gives a sigh and with a snap Peter suddenly appears at the mouth of the cave with the rest of you, looking suddenly panicked. How did you? How did I? So YOU'RE the cur who keeps doing that! he fumes. Loki merely laughs. Meanwhile Yasmin and her people have arrived at the base of the mountain, surrounding it with riders. She dismounts and to your surprise, starts to climb up the path towards you, obviously intent upon speaking to you. The riders below look poised and ready for something. Penny also notices, to her surprise, that the woman is carrying a piece of parchment of all things, and that her right hand is dripping with blood!

From the edge of cliff, Penny watched the scene below in amazement. Yasmin seemed almost to be at the head of this force of fighting men, something that would be most unusual in England and America, and utterly unheard of here in the Middle East. No outraged father or husband apparent; this was more than a matter of Peter's attempted affair. As Yasmin marched up the path, Penny started walking down, intending to meet her, if not halfway than at least a quarter. A parchment, blood? 'Yasmin! What has happened?' she called out in French.

Alice turned to “Loki” and said, ”Watch this one,” indicating Peter, ”his eye even twitches funny drop him in the middle of the ocean for shark bait.” She followed Penny, though she would never say it, she felt responsible for Penny’s safety.

Loki chuckles at Alice's suggestion and gives her a wink. Meanwhile Crimwall accompanies you, naturally curious about anything Bedouin of course. Yasmin says nothing at first, just gets about halfway up the steep trail and then lifts her gaze to look Penny straight in the eye. Give me the scroll. Now.

Alice drew both pistols and stepped in front of Penny. “Run, I’ll hold ‘em off.”

While Penny didn't enjoy playing dumb (much the opposite, in fact), it could at times be very useful. 'What scroll?' she demanded, stepping back beside Alice. 'You already have one in your hand. Why are you bleeding?' the last coming out with a edge of worry. She needed to know what Yasmin knew, who she really was if not the tribe wanton, and what had happened back at the Bedouin camp. She dreaded to think.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 03:28, Wed 19 Feb 2020.

By now the others have emerged from the cave too, their hands by their weapons, clearly sensing the danger. Even Loki saunters out, looking amused if nothing else, but you have a feeling fear is not something he experiences often. At Penny's question though, Yasmin smiles. You're right. I do have a scroll. The smile widens and she suddenly flings the scroll open and presses her bloody hand to it. Loki's amusement immediately vanishes as he suddenly falls to his knees. No! Shoot her! Shoot her! She knows what I am! he sounds frantic. I wouldn't. There's no getting off this mountain now. I've seen to that. Besides, even if you did, you're surrounded. Now, scroll please. I won't ask again. she stretches out an expectant hand. Peter watches on in shock. Yasmin! What are you doing? he gasps. Ah Peter. You actually thought YOU were seducing ME? It was so adorable. Eh, but you are pretty. Perhaps I'll kill you last. That is, unless you give me what I want.

Penny looked frantically back and forth between "Yasmin" and "Loki" (surely now neither of them were who they seemed to be). Events were proceeding much too fast; she still had not even dared cut the copper scroll, which she'd left safely in the cave with the saw.

But Alice was much faster to react...


OOC: It looks Alice should shoot before Penny can do anything.

Just as Yasmi reaches her hand towards the ominous scroll, Alice manages to knock it to the ground with her gun right in the nick of time. Furious though, the Bedouin makes a gesture and sends poor Alice flying several feet where she slams into the wall of the cave and is held pinned as though by some invisible force. Immediately Yasmin lunges for the scroll...

ooc: Ok, Alice you're stuck for 3 rounds but you can still talk and such. Penny, you're closest to the scroll now so if you want to keep Yasmin from it you have to succeed in a dexterity check...good luck!
*note: I rolled hers already for time's sake. If you can beat a 13 the scroll is yours. Otherwise she'll grab it and activate it as planned.

With a gasp of alarm, Penny dived for the vital scroll as well, briefly rolling in the hot dirt (most undignified!) and waging a short tug of war over the scroll with Yasmin. The effort threatened to tear the parchment in twain, which would be more than enough for Penny's purposes. Just as it was about to slip from her fingers, Penny found renewed determination and strength, flicking sand at Yasmin's face and yanking the scroll back! 'She's a demon!' Penny accused in English, adding to the distract. She repeated in French and the little Arabic she'd picked up 'C'est un démon! Al-shayṭān' The Bedouin had to be warned what they served; they had to have been deceived, they couldn't all be possessed.


OOC: Dodge: +1 dodge Defense vs Yasmin; Defensive Martial Arts: +1 dodge Defense vs melee attacks
Dexterity check 11, failed. :(
21:24, Today: Penny Dreadful rolled 11 using 1d20+2.  Dexterity check to grab scroll.

EDIT: Action Point! Spend 1 AP, add 10 to the check, for 21
23:10, Today: Penny Dreadful rolled 10 using 2d6.  action point.

This message was last edited by the player at 15:17, Tue 25 Feb 2020.

Yasmin looks furious at both the loss of the scroll and the accusation. I am no demon! I am the daughter of the great Iblis! And my men are under my control, you cannot sway them. Now, give up the scroll! she snarls. By now, Loki has emerged, crossing his arms and looking displeased. Iblis? Really? Damn. Well looks like you guys have a real pickle on your hands, he shakes his head. I wish I could help. I really, really do. He actually looks like he means that, with a slight glance towards Lily. But I'm not supposed to be here. Killing a daughter of Iblis would cause problems for me. Big ones. Really big ones. But you'd better not let her have that scroll. You're not even supposed to have it! You should uh...you should probably take care of this, he circles his finger at the men surrounding the mountain. Lily reacts then, rounding on him furiously. You're not going to do anything!? she explodes. You're just going to watch! Why are you even here?! She punctuates the question by punching him in the arm. I'm sorry Lily. My hands are tied. he says quietly. Yasmin looks surprised and then smug at the exchange. Ah. So you truly cannot intervene. Then you are all well and truly in no position to stop me. Scroll. Now. Emma of all people interrupts then, looking angry and terrified at once. Figs to that! Hold them off will you? I think I can get us out of here if you can give me a minute! She rushes back into the safety of the cave...

ooc: Your move Penny! Since this has taken up a bit of talking etc, I'll say that counts as a round of paralysis for Alice, which means 2 out of 3 have been completed. So you have one more round to go Alice and then you can roll a fort save again to break free.

A daughter of Iblis?! Penny was left with more questions than answers, and no time for reasoned study and deduction. What she had to do was keep this fiend from the scroll and the army of bewitched Bedoiun at bay. What she had in hand was a scroll bearing a Goetic sigil written in blood. One that harmed an alleged god.

Penny turned an angry glare upon "Loki". For all his talk and tricks, when it came time to provide real help, he seemed not much use at all. 'Bigger problems than what we already face?' she demanded hotly. 'Fine, don't kill her then. But help us! Send her away, free the tribesmen, wall off the cave, anything!' Penny raised her hand threateningly to the sigil, warning Loki 'Don't force me to experiment with this thing.'


OOC: Who is Iblis and what is Yasmin?
20:36, Today: Penny Dreadful rolled 13 using 1d20+10. Knowledge: Arcane Lore or Theology
Adding an Action Point, +7 for 20
20:43, Today: Penny Dreadful rolled 7 using 2d6. action point (corrected from roller)

Can Penny intimidate Loki himself? :D
21:04, Today: Penny Dreadful rolled 19 using 1d20+7. intimidate

Penny, you seem to recall Crimwall blathering on about Iblis now that you think on it. Something about him being an angel born of fire who fell from grace. Other theories think he was never truly an angel in the first place, as they are born of light, not fire. Regardless, he went on to father the Djinn and is considered one himself. If Yasmin truly is one of his daughters, she is powerful indeed.

Meanwhile, at your threats, Loki gives a dry smile. If you use that, all you'll do is ensure I can't help you, which suits me fine since I can't anyway. I'm not even supposed to be here, I can't do anything, I'm so sorry. he shakes his head with sincerity. Even as he talks, the riders are already closing in, several men starting to climb the trail towards you. But you can, he turns to Lily suddenly. She blinks in surprise. You both have powerful fathers and if you get your head out of your ass and remember what you are, I think you could take her down. Yasmin sneers at this and before Lily can open her mouth to speak she snarls, We'll see about that! With that she lunges at the native woman.

Everything happens at once then. Arrows start to fly at you from all sides, the riders below having loosed them. Before they can hit though, they stop mid-air and fall to the ground. Crimwall has his hand raised and you realize this was his doing. He looks like he's concentrating very hard. Peter kicks in then, rushing down the trail a bit. We can keep them at bay if we keep them bottled up like this! Buy Emma time to get us out of here! He's already readying to fire. Ian rushes to help him.

ooc: Ok, as of now, Alice you're officially able to roll again to free yourself but this time the DC is only 10 for a fort save. If you succeed go ahead and roll your attack as desired. Let me know if you go for a ranged attack for the riders surrounding you on the ground or if you want to help with the bottleneck. Penny, do the same please. Yasmin and Lily are going to be taking each other on but of course there's the option to interfere with that too. Sorry if I missed anything, my new kitten is extremely distracting. I have to keep getting up and seeing what she's in to and trying to keep her from ruining the furniture. Sigh.

Being granted her reprieve Alice took two shots with each revolver at the closest rider(s).

13:54, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 6 using 2d8+3.  Damage L Hand.
13:54, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 12 using 2d8+3.  Damage R hand.
13:53, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 23 using 1d20+5.  Revolver L hand #2.
13:52, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 10 using 1d20+9.  Revolver L Hand #1.
13:52, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 8 using 1d20+5.  Revolver R hand #2.
13:51, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 16 using 1d20+9.  Revolver R hand #1.
13:44, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 21 using 1d20+4.  Fort sv.

Cursing at the complete lack of action from Loki, or whoever he really was, Penny savagely ripped the scroll in two and dropped the shreds, leaving them to flutter away in the desert wind. She glanced frantically up and down the trail, wishing she had any idea how to handle this situation, wishing she'd elected to learn magic that might really help them. She was loathe to shoot the Bedouin riders, believing them djinn-controled.

Leaving Alice's expert marksmanship to scare them off (hopefully), Penny turned to where Yasmin brawled with Lily. The djinn daughter of Iblis had to die. When she got a clear shot, she took aim and fired, if only to give Lily an advantage.


OOC: Dodge: +1 dodge Defense vs Yasmin; Defensive Martial Arts: +1 dodge Defense vs melee attacks
Exploit Weakness for Yasmin: rolled 12 vs DC 15, failed

Point Blank Shot: +1 attack & damage within 30 ft
Attack 24, damage 12 @ Yasmin. -4 attack if she's in melee with Lily.

Alice's attacks are a mixed bag, some of them finding their targets and others less so. Meanwhile, Crimwall is still managing to keep the hail of arrows away from your small group, though he's clearly struggling, grunting with the effort. During all this, Peter takes the lead at controlling the bottleneck and you can see now, finally, why he was brought along. He's simply amazing. He's firing shot after shot, every bullet finding its mark with deadly precision. Ian lays supportive fire but misses. For the most part, the Bedouin are equipped with bows, but several, unfortunately, have guns. And they use them. Bullets ring out everywhere and Crimwall seems helpless to do anything about them. One buries itself in his arm and he cries out in pain. Another, grazes Alice in the shoulder, but fortunately it is minor. For now...

Penny's efforts prove thankfully worthwhile. Yasmin is indeed wrestling with Lily, and you can tell the Bedouin woman is strong. Very strong. Especially when you pull the trigger and it hits and rather than die, she whirls around to face you in a fury. You had your chance human she growls and with a gesture sends you flying towards the edge of the mountain!

ooc: Ok, so the Bedouin have an AC of 16 to hit. Yasmin is 20, so you know from now on if you hit anyone. There are about sixty men in general but most are surrounding the mountain and a dozen or so at a time can make their way up towards you but mostly single or double file, which helps. Alice, you take 8 damage from your wound. Penny, roll a reflex save. If you get a 15 or higher, you manage to minimize the damage and only take 8 from slamming into things, able to slide your heels into the ground and such to slow your fall and stay on top of the mountain. If you get 7-14 you find yourself hanging off the edge, taking 16 damage from ricocheting off the rocks and such before dangling. If you get 1-6, you go over the side completely...which we'll deal with if it should happen. If you do find yourself dangling, roll a climb check DC 10 to see if you can pull yourself up. If not, you drop. That's the fun of fighting on a mountain! Good luck!

Alice realized Penny was onto it, cut off the head of the snake and the body dies. She took aim with both revolvers at Yasmin’s back and fired. One of her rounds in the right hand revolver was a dud, but at least two of the other three hit!

12:03, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 11 using 2d8+3.  Damage L H.
12:03, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 12 using 2d8+3.  Damage R H.
12:02, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 16 using 1d20+7.  L H #2.
12:02, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 21 using 1d20+12.  L H #1.
12:01, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 23 using 1d20+12.  R H #1

Alice’s revolvers are permanently blessed, meaning they do full damage to demons, half breeds, vampires, etc.
Also if her back is to Alice, Yasmin would be flatfooted so that 16 might hit. If so let me know and I’ll roll damage.
Regardless 23 points of damage to Yasmin!

Struck by an unseen force, Penny was hurled back through the air with a startled yell. Always the telekinesis! Yet, experienced and prepared, she stuck her boot-heels into gravel, she scrabbled for any stone surface even as she collided and bounced off, anything to arrest her flight and stop herself from being thrown off the very mountainside. At last, she skidded to a halt, panting and grazed, bruised and battered, and her fine travelling clothes tragically torn.

Recovering her balance and her wits, Penny hurried back at took aim at Yasmin again. But try as she might, her shot was a narrow miss. 'Blast! We need silver and lamb's blood to slay a djinn. Or destroy its head, that always works.'


OOC: Reflex 22! 8 damage taken.
Dodge: +1 dodge Defense vs Yasmin; Defensive Martial Arts: +1 dodge Defense vs melee attacks

Attack 17, action point +2, still missed

I am no djinn! I am divine! Yasmin snarls in fury. You have a feeling it is a subject of contention for her. The way she says djinn is with derision. In reaction to Alice's shots, she clearly feels them but the don't slow her much. Lily gets a good punch to the woman's head, the native's eyes have turned smoky gray, the sign that her nephilim half is in control thankfully, and you feel if Yasmin were not so powerful herself, such a blow would have easily killed her. During all this, Peter and Ian desperately fire on the coming hoard, and the other riders still rain bullets. It is quite a mess. Sensing she is being ganged up on, Yasmin raises her hand up and smoke billows out of it, completely engulfing the mountain top in white, burning fog. Embers and ash burn around you and fire explodes throughout in a burst of flame...


ooc: Ok, things are getting messy here. Yasmin's AC is still 20, even flatfooted. You both take 22 damage from the fire, though you can roll a reflex dc 15 to half that. You also take bullet damage. Alice, you take 17. Penny, you take 11. You also have obscured vision from the smoke cloud for 3 rounds. So that means 50% miss chance, but that means the same for those shooting you too at least. Hm...did I miss anything?

With a cry of alarm, Penny was overwhelmed by the burning, seemingly volcanic smoke, and she was utterly unable to react as something exploded close by, blasting her with heat and pressure. Her stinging eyes could see no further than her hands, she coughed on the hot choking air, and falling embers singed her skin and hair. A bullet grazed her and sent her spinning. She stumbled blindly on the stony path, fearing the next step could send her headlong over the cliff. She felt like a veritable Hell on Earth. And in terror, she feared for the safety of her companions. Had they come so far only to be crushed by this Daughter of Iblis?

Penny found herself wishing Simon was here. For one, he might share some hope and faith that they would prevail. Two, he could give back the angel blade Penny had lent him. Her own weapons were enchanted, but likely feeble against such a figure as they faced. 'You're the bastard daughter of a fallen angel!' Penny yelled through the fog, remembering Crimwell's lore on Iblis and hoping to provoke Yasmin into giving away her location and making a misstep. 'Father of the djinn! So what mongrel are you?'

There! She saw a familiar figure through the smoke, but Penny hesitated, making sure it really was Yasmin and not Lily or Alice or another. It was Yasmin! Penny fired, twice in succession. And missed, both times.


OOC: Reflex 6, rolled a 1. :(
1: attack 28, miss chance 44, missed
2: attack 13, missed

Penny's tactics seem to work, for the woman shrieks in fury, turning towards you, which leave Lily an opening. She grabs her by the hair and yanks her head back, delivering a solid blow to the Bedouin's nose. Off to the right you can hear Loki laugh. That a girl! he chuckles. Meanwhile, the sounds of gunfire pierce the air. Ian cries out in pain and even in the fog you can see him stumble to his knees. Arrows still try to rain on you from above, but the professor is doing his best to keep them at bay. He looks pale and shaking, sweat dripping down his body. He's also slightly on fire but can't seem to do anything about it. All in all, it's a huge mess. At least Yasmin is fully involved with Lily at the moment, the two brawling like animals and apparently evenly matched. Still, even without her to contend with, the smoke hasn't dissipated fully yet, and bullets are still flying...

ooc: Ok, so Penny takes 12 damage from being grazed and Alice takes 17. Keep in mind, bullets are flying everywhere. You  have one more round of fog but at least you're not on fire anymore. Alice, if you're still busy with kids, I'll post for you so no worries. Hopefully I didn't miss anything. I'm on a laptop and it's really throwing me off.

Frustrated by her failures in shooting through the smoke, Penny tossed her pistol to her left hand, and instead unhooked her enchanted cane from her backpack. Perhaps she might have better luck with the singlestick martial art. Advancing through the smoke, moving to where she could flank Yasmin with Lily, Penny lashed out with her stick – and missed, again. 'Damn it all!'


OOC: I forgot I had Blind Fight, and rerolled my miss chance for last round, but I got a 5, which was worse. I'm really not doing well here and am unsure what to do, sorry.

Dodge: +1 dodge Defense vs Yasmin; Defensive Martial Arts: +1 dodge Defense vs melee attacks
Draw cane
Attack 8, rolled a 1, critical miss

Seeing the fire spread on Crimwall, Alice rushes to put the poor man out. If he is incapacitated, you'll all be pincushions after all. Meanwhile, it's only Penny and Lily fighting Yasmin, as everyone else is focused on the Bedouin trying to push themselves up the narrow trail. Ian keeps shooting, no matter the blood dripping from his stomach. He's been shot. Badly. Peter doesn't leave his side though, to your surprise. His guns go off ceaselessly, finding their targets again and again. Lily, through the smoke, manages to spot Ian and gives a scream of rage and panic. She brings her fist towards the woman, but Yasmin dodges, slashing the native across the belly with something so fast you can't even tell what it was. Loki's face turns furious. Aren't you done yet woman?! he barks to Emma, for the witch is still frantically scratching symbols on the floor of the cave, dripping in sweat. Loki's fists are balled in anger, and he paces like a caged thing, finally feeling the pressure of the situation now that things have taken such a bad turn.

A stray Bedouin bullet buries itself in your leg.

ooc: I think another round should get you guys out of this mess. I figure if I don't get anything this week I'll just roll for ya. No worries!

OOC: Aargh, I'm so sorry, I completely missed the last post! I updated my hitpoints, then I don't know what happened. D: I've got to do something good to make up for it, but I've been rolling so atrociously. I hope you don't mind something right out of left field. ;)

Struck in the thigh, Penny swore and shouted and stumbled lost through the smoke, delirious and desperate, calling on God or the Great Mother to aid them in this time of their greatest need. The heroes were grievously wounded, the Daughter of Iblis was about to destroy them, Belial was about to have the Seal of Solomon itself and win the world. Surely a miracle would be not uncalled-for right now? But all she got was a rain of arrows and bullets and fire, and a stray Norse god, pacing and balling his fists uselessly. Were all the myths just made up? He wouldn't aid them, even now; he'd made that perfectly clear. Yet he was not without tricks. How could she beseech a trickster god for aid? How could she defeat Yasmin and her tribe of bewitched Bedouin? What in the world could she do?

What Penny did... was sing.

'You might think I'm a funny-looking feller.
Well, you ought to see my old wife, Isabella.
She's got a face just like a bushel basket
And walks like a prize pig up in a market.'

Penny sang, loudly and badly but with as much heart as she could muster, a bawdy music hall tune from a new fellow known as Harry Champion. And she wasn't even tipsy with wine or absinthe!

'Took her out with the kids one day.
Told her to make up smart.
She went and got her mother's crinoline
And at first did please my heart,
For I felt proud of my 'Old Dutch Clock'.
Till out in the street we got
And she couldn't walk in the funny crinoline
So right in the roadway shot.'

She'd gone on and on, and she even raised her cane and danced a jig. And now she hit the key line, flinging her arms wide, raising the volume and adding extra emphasis.

'When the wind blew it out, blew it out, blew it out.
There came a puff of wind and blew it out.'

She was praying for wind, to drive the stinging smoke away and send the flying arrows astray. And how else would she beg the attention of a trickster god like Loki? He was no weather god, it was no direct aid for them or against Yasmin, but a small and amusing trick that spoiled both of them should be right up his alley. She'd showed him the loophole, out-tricked the trickster. And she kept the last verse for afterward.


OOC: Oh, so now I roll well!
20:13, Today: Penny Dreadful rolled 17 using 1d20-1.  perform: sing.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:11, Fri 29 May 2020.