Before the expedition reaches the coordinates at the end of its journey, a decision is reached that an exorcism of the syphon entities should be attempted. At least it seems to me that this is the group consensus.

Samuel discovers a quiet little gully which is about a quarter of a mile off the trail. The Behemoth can fit snugly inside the gully without being exposed over the horizon and minimizing the risk of interruption. The walls have shallow sections where the horses can climb in and out with only a little difficulty. Best of all, there is a tiny ley line nearby. It's not close enough for a Ley Line Walker to walk through the party, but it is close enough that the psychics may draw upon its reserve of energy.

For anyone not participating Kalista's experiment, there is a flock of wild turkeys across a field on the far side of the gully. It could make for good hunting.

Polkitain shows up to help Lady Kalista.

"Ready to help."

Steeling himself, Nyx also stands ready to help

Activating Mind Block

Kalista seats herself in a folded leg position, near the entities but not touching them. Then the psychic war began.

14:22, Today: Kalista rolled 13 using 1d100.  of 56% return entity to non-earth deminsion.
14:22, Today: Kalista rolled 67 using 1d100.  of 68% dispel entity.

Kalista is there any way we can help you ?
Polk will put up Mind Block when she begins.

After reading up, I think exorcisms are a one on one dual with the entity. Unless you have exorcism your probably just an observer. Sorry. =-(

Doc waits, hands on his pistols.

Though he knows nothing about psychic phenomena, Ethan stays close in case one or more of his companions should be injured in this attempt to 'exercise' whatever psyhic energy creatures may be inhabiting the strange weapons. "And," he thinks to himself, "should one of them become possessed by whatever is inside those weapons, I can at least restrain them without hurting them." Hopefully it would be only temporary.

After a full half hour of preparation, the first exorcism proceeds quite smoothly. The large double-bladed axe laid out before Lady Kalista twitches as her force of will pries the energy creature from its physical host. The Syphon Entity realizes too late what it happening and lashes out with success. It vanishes from the Earth. To any who are not psychic, there was basically nothing to see except the twitch and a look of relief on Kalitsa's face when the battle was completed.

The full half hour of preparation is not necessary before moving onto the next weapon but another 10 ISP and dice roll is required. Kalista simply shifts her attention to the next fake weapon, a hatchet made of some dull gray metal like pewter or brushed steel.

In response to what happened to the axe, the other weapons rise and begin floating in the air. The entity inside of the hatchet speaks to the cyberknight telepathically, whispering words of comfort in her mind's ear. It says, "You look so tired, Kalista. You do not need to fight us any further. I am your servant and your friend. You need only carry me with you. I can weaken and confuse your enemies, even turn them against each other, just as I aided the bandits against those soldiers. Although my runes are not magic, I am. With me in your hand, you could finally drive back the monsters of this world. Let me unlock your potential, and you everyone else will finally see you for the heroine that I know you to be."

Kalista, you are being hit with both Empathic Transmission: Trust and Hypnotic Suggestion. You will need to make a Saving Throw vs Psi against each. If Kalista believes that aiding a Syphon Entity violates her alignment or principles, you get a second chance at making the saving throw against the Empathic Transmission. After those saving throws are resolved, you may immediately roll your percentile to execute a second exorcism.

Polk and Nyx both feel something pressing against their Mind Blocks. Ethan begins to feel a kinship with the weapons settling over him. Ethan, please make a Save vs Psi to block this attack of Empathic Transmission. Doc and Sam don't feel a thing yet, but they do see the weapons floating in the air and can perceive a look of strain on Kalista's face.

Remaining targets: grey hatchet, large brass mace, small black iron mace, large wood and steel axe, and large polished steel morning star

Distracted by aiding the cyberknight, Nyx realised his mistake too late, "Doc! Get Ethan and Samuel out of hear now!" If they fail to act immediately he turns to the dragon, "Polk, take them outside - Sam first!"

Doc nodded, "Sam, Ethan, on me now!" he will grab them both and begin moving them to the doors. Magic, dammit.

08:14, Today: Kalista rolled 92 using 1d100.  of 63% Remove entity.
08:12, Today: Kalista rolled 12 using 1d20+2.  Sv v Psi #2.
08:12, Today: Kalista rolled 10 using 1d20+2.  Sv v Psi #1.

Kalista's body breaks out in a sweat and her face is a grimace. Do you really think I have not heard such temptations before, and by better wordsmiths than you. You only delay the inevitable I will banish you. Though her words might ring a bit hallow since she cannot even dislodge it from it's current home.

Polkitain looks at the floating weapons his jaw drops.

"Uhmn that can't be good."

Hearing the shouted order Polkitain attempts to grab Samuel and run off with him.

Ethan stood by and watched as the Cyber-Knight performed her ritual, "or whatever it is she is doing," he thought to himself, for a good twenty minutes. Then he decided to take a seat. Another ten minutes by and then Kalista moved on to the next weapon. "I guess that one is 'cured' or 'exercised'," he thought, watching her go to work on the next one.

That was where things went wrong. The axe began the float in the air and since that didn't happen with the previous weapon, it could only mean something was wrong. Ethan stood up quickly, ready to erect a forcefield around any of his companions that became threatened but that was as far as he got before a voice he had never heard before entered his mind.

Since his arrival he had heard of and even read some details on psychic communication but never had he experienced it before. It felt...odd to say the least for someone only familiar with actually hearing voices through his ears rather than having them just appear in his mind without any warning whatsoever. Once over his initial shock he decided it wasn't so bad. "Not really all that different," he supposed.

Then came the strangest feeling that somehow he and those weapons were...alike. It confused Ethan for a moment, so much so that he was unaware of one of the elves, Doc, a distant corner of his mind realized, was shouting at him and laying hands on him. That was a secondary concern at best though, the source of the feeling mattered more to Ethan than anything else. "Alike..." he wondered, "I suppose, we are both strangers or at least different but wait...I'm not some psychotic blood thirsty weapon! Damn, this is one of those psychic attacks I've heard about!"

Once Ethan had identified the source of the feeling of kinship as coming from outside himself, he concentrated and found he could push back against that feeling, driving it out from his mind. Then he activated a personal force field around himself. "I've got no idea if it will stop those attacks but it can't hurt."


OOC: Ethan made his save against psychic attack. After saving he activated a personal force field. He hasn't really moved much. I am waiting for the next round of responses before I take any more actions.

Mind Blocks do prevent the use of other psi powers. I will allow, however, you guys to drop and raise Mind Block at will so you don't have to burn up melee actions doing that.

Following Doc's lead, the others watched from a safer distance outside of the weapons' range.

The organized attempt of the weapons to psychically seduce the party failed. Yet again, the minds of the adventurers proved too resilient to be easily influenced. Kalista and the weapons had entered into a stalemate with her temporarily unable to exorcise and them unable to breach her defenses. Some more attempts at seizing control through Biomanipulation and through Empathic Transmission followed, but the weary mortals shut out these further attempts. Nyx was even able to push the weapons back down to the ground with his Telekinesis. He was also able to collect latent energy from the nearby ley line and feed it to Kalista to keep her in the fight.

With a few more attempts, Kalista managed to wrench every Syphon Entity from its host weapon. She felt exhausted from the effort but pleased by the result.

After the ordeal she needed rest. She stood, a bit shaky, and went to her things. "I need rest. If you need I can catch up with you all in a few hours."

Polkitain releases Samuel, "Sorry was just following orders."

He sprinted back and when Lady Kalista said she needed rest Polkitain offered to stay and help guard her.

Kalista nodded and thanked the kind dragon.

Once Sam is back near Kallista,

"Is there some reason that you can't rest in the Behemoth as it trots along? Even your horse will fit in there if Polk isn't using his 'room'. Did you need to stay close to the Line?"

She shrugged "I do not enjoy enclosed places"

"Sunbathing on the roof with Polk then, not that the lounge is exactly small....?"

Once it was clear the danger had passed and Kalista was successful in her efforts to 'exercise' the spirits "or whatever they were", Ethan thought to himself, he lowered his personal  force field. At hearing Kalista express a desire to stay behind, near the ley-line, he speaks up. "If you are planning on staying, I will keep you company." He shrugs, "I don't know anything about spirits or psychic entities and what not but I am good a healing. If you want company that is."

Kalista shook her head at Samuel, "I won't be long. I prefer to rest here. Go on ahead I will catch up." She nodded at Ethan, "Your company would be appreciated, as would Polk's"

Polk smiled, "I can run fast too, and the Behemoth is kind of easy to follow."

Ethan nods his head, offering Polk and Kalista a small smile. "Its settled then," he says. "I'll grab a couple things from my room and be ready to go." Then he will turn to leave the conference room.

It takes him only a handful of moments to retrieve his field pack from his room and his laser rifle. Then he will meet up with Kalista and Polk,

Doc chuckles, "Suit yerself's... Nyx, you wanna stay with the mystic mumbo jumbo crew?"

"Psychic mumbo jumbo crew Doc." Polk gave a grin.

Polkitain grew restless like any child and after a while of very serious guarding he started to stretch and play with a rock.

After a nice long real sleep, Kalista awoke to find friends still watching her. "Have you two been here the whole time?"

Continue conversing if you like.

After that -- Ethan, Kalista, and Polkatain all feel well-rested if a little hungry. If Ethan joins Kalista on her glittermount, the psychic mumbo-jumbo crew can probably catch up with the Behemoth by sundown.

Polkitain drops the stone he was playing with.

"Yes, we have been here. Are you feeling better Lady Kalista ?"

She nodded, "Much better actually. The psychic conflict took much of my reserves. I am better now. Shall we try to catch up with our comrades?"

"Sounds like a good idea to me. Whoever is selling those false rune weapons must have some way to control those entities. Most trained magisters could tell they are not real rune weapons. So I guess it makes sense selling to the non initiated. There is a lot to think about, wish we could report our findings so far."

Kalista mounted her glittering horse and offered her hand to Ethan, "Coming?" she asked him. She was confident and capable, and obviously strong enough to toss him around if she choose to.

Ethan had watched over Kalista with Polkitain, staying alert for any indication of trouble. Thankfully there had been nothing even close to alarming during their watch over the remarkably beautiful woman.

He knew next to nothing about magic and so had little to contribute to that part of their conversation however but he part of his education had included logic an deduction. He looked a the dragon and nodded his head. "That makes sense," he said, not even thinking about the strangeness of discussing magic with a dragon.

Then Kalista mounted her glittering horse and offered Ethan her hand. He smiled at her and took it, not at all concerned about how riding behind a woman would possibly affect his masculine image. "Thank you milady, I would be most grateful." he said to her. The field medic had learned that she preferred being addressed in the old, even by his standards, courtly fashions of England and France.

Then he continued to explain why he agreed with Polkitan's assessment of the situation."If you know you're making and selling forgeries, you wouldn't try to sell them to people that would almost certainly recognize them as cheap imitations. From what I gather, that means instead of an ominous threat to the region or even local area, that makes these weapons not much more than a nuisance really. That is in comparison to a real, what did you call them? Rune weapons?"

"Yes, rune weapons. Rune weapons are similar they contain souls but they are indestructible. Usually they are evil since most people don't volunteer to trap their soul for eternity. These other things seem more like temporary powered down rune weapons."

Kalista commented, "More insidious, actually, as few rune weapons can control their owners. These can take direct control, very disturbing. I think it might be more than a nuisance, as some are willing to take any path to power, even one undesirable." She hoisted her comrade up onto the magic beast.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:03, Tue 06 Sept 2016.

"Uhm what form should I take ? I hope to be able to keep up."

She took out a pad and paper and attempted to draw a flying monkey.

Polkitain looked embarrassed, "I run faster then I can fly."
Polkitain lowered his head.

Ethan considers Kalista's words for a few minutes before speaking again. "Yes good point but unless the one making these fakes can in turn control those psychic entities, then it's 'just' possessed people running around with cheap knock off weapons right? Not much more of a danger than any bandits really. If they can be controlled though, turned into some kind of organized army, now that would be a big problem."

Ethan looked at Polkitan and tried not to laugh when Kalista drew a flying monkey. Then he looked at the dragon. "Couldn't you just transform into something small, like a mouse, and ride with us? Or maybe go the other way, transform into something fast, like a Cheetah. Wouldn't you still have your same strength and endurance? I've seen you take hits before."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 16:13, Tue 06 Sept 2016.

"Oh I can be small." Politain turns into a cat and hops up.

"Yes, I am still as strong." Polkitain gave a catlike smile.

"You really think they are building an army ?"

"I've no more idea than you but it seems like someone went through a lot of effort to make these things. Unless they were just interested in creating chaos, they could be trying to build an army of mind controlled slaves."

Ethan points at his shoulders, indicating Polk the cat could ride there.

Pokitain hops up on Ethan's shoulders and curls.

"Maybe it is for Chaos, some beings like that. Though if those Syphon things are controlled it could very well be what you say the very start of some army. They seemed more interested in wealth then in getting us to join an army though."

"Army's are expensive, even small ones; boots, rations, spare parts, you name it an army needs it. Getting money before having troops to spend it on sounds like a good idea."

"Sorry, I guess I wasn't thinking it through. I have never raised an army." Polkitain swished his tail.

Before he remembered it was in fact a dragon and not a house cat, Ethan reached up with one hand and scratched Polkitan behind his furry ears. "Nothing to be sorry about, you're probably not used to thinking about army logistics."

"Nope, I only know about small groups like Nyx and Doc. Now I have even more friends like Lady Kalista and you."

Polkitain leaned into the scritchintg.

Great stuff, guys.

I'll next see you all in the Scene 5: Saloon thread.

Thanks! Worth some XP maybe? Some of us missed out on a lot and need every bit we can get ^_^

Players are supposed to be rewarding each others characters with XP. If that doesn't happen, I'll award some points at the end of this mission, okay?