The evening is spent learning about one another. It is an enlightening experience, as many of you have not associated very much with one another, and there's always been the ever present listening ears from the driver so far.

Sarnai takes in the conversation carefully, listening to each person in turn. She is the only mortal here, after all, and it is amazing to hear an entire pantheon display their plans for the world.

After many hours of tale telling and rest, Sarnai looks at the sky, and comments "The sun will rise soon. If you wish to use darkness to gain the element of surprise, you should leave soon."

The cave awaits in the far distance.

"So we go in head-on? In that case, I will take the lead," said Claire, moving to a position in front of the group. "Most of their weapons are unlikely to be able to damage my body."

She cast aside her scholar's cap and just as quickly shucked her tunic, throwing it aside to reveal her more usual (and nearly naked by Vissian standards) purple outfit. It would be more comfortable in a direct fight. "Everyone ready?"

The party was pearched infront of a small outcropping of rocks fairly close to the cave. They could see the guards awaiting outside their caves. They looked slightly anxious, and those who had mounts were mounted.

Sarnai stood well, well back from everyone else at the camp, knowing there was no good to come to her if she tried to fight alongside Gods*

It was twilight. In a few minutes, the light would come up, and any pretense at stealth would be impossible.





[ooc * - Unless Gaja orders her otherwise, of course]

"On your guard, everyone. Our adversaries' machines are near."

  Gaja clucks her tongue a few times.  She's actually leaning back against the rocks, and has definitely not displayed the kind of caution the others did.  "You are all very suspicious neighbors, you know that?  It's going to get you a reputation, and then no one will compete in games with you."  She rocks foreward onto tiptoe and stretches up, grasping for the last and brightest stars.  She was back in her dancing silks for this, in a gratuitous display of cheek.  Always send first... What is the word? An emissary?"

  She steps out into the open, raises her hand to the guards... and waits, as first hoofbeats and then the riders themselves crest one of the ridges to the far side of the cave.  It looks and sounds like scores of them, but the darkness makes it hard to tell.  They're still at least a mile off, but approaching with the kind of speed friendly visitors don't.

  "My people call it bait.  Move on silent feet.  The desert and I will keep them busy."

---

Miracle for Shining Mirage.  Have fun inside.

While Gaja draws attention, Plaga will focus on the visions of the dead. If she gets a sense on how people have died in this area, perhaps she could be able to accurately identify how intruders were dealt with and avoid the traps.

Death Word: "Such heroes also know the details of what, where, and how anything dies or is dying within 100 feet of them."

She moves together with the others, not wishing to waste Gaja's effort at creating an opening.

Increase was present but perhaps not overly invested in the theatrics and deliberation as the others. Anything short of Former Empire technology could be unmade and there was no mundane created object that could stand against his mental prowess and speed, at least if given time.

All the same he was impressed with Gaja's exertion of her Zenith power. Illusions of some kind? Or perhaps she was truly a conjurer. His lack of knowledge surrounding the supposedly magical was beginning to bother him.

Still he nodded in agreement with Gaja's words before turning to Claire, Plaga, and Vasati.

"Shall we be on our way then? I believe there was some such talk as to a hidden path?"

"Wait a moment, I'm scanning."

Vasati sighed.

"They have added to the story.  More traps and spells of warding to the main tunnel.  The thief could disable one work of magic, but the other would still be there."

A variety of magical energy was directed upon the cave from the distance, from a variety of sources. The riders looked even more uneasy, though they had not identified the pantheon yet: there was nothing visible about what they were doing.

The approaching hooves, a veritable army, began to fill the air, the distinctive sound muffled by the sands, but in such numbers and so close that it was impossible to ignore. The guards began to call out in alarm, and now all were ready for a battle.

Their leader, a large man on a particularly large, synth-silk barded riding horse, readied a long spear of unusual make: the front seemed heavier than it needed to be, and looked to the left and the right.

"They have numbers, but we can beat them. Hold up by the entrance and be prepared to ride hard on my mark!"

* * *


[OOC - The mercs appear to be holding]

"If you don't mind, I shall go ahead. I found my prey."

In the blink of an eye, Plaga bolted through the air, turning into a blurry shadow. Before the leader could even react, Plaga had crossed through the enemy forces and appeared behind the leader. Her dash hadn't gone unnoticed by the bulk of the forces, some of which couldn't withstand the dark energy emanating from the Doctor of Death.

00:21, Today: Plaga, The Doctor of Death rolled 6 using 1d8.  Fray Die.

OOC: I highly doubt that the leader is a lesser foe, but if he is in fact a lesser foe with fancy equipment, Plaga will instantly spill his guts in front of his warriors using Raptor's Red Plunge.
I'm gonna continue the post assuming it's not the case, i'll edit it if necessary.

Having reached his target, Plaga didn't bother with introductions and used the surprise factor in her favor, plunging into the leader's very soul with her eldritch powers.

00:23, Today: Plaga, The Doctor of Death rolled 22 using 1d20+4.  Plaga's Eldritch Powers.
00:23, Today: Plaga, The Doctor of Death rolled 13 using 1d10+3.  Damage.

In reply to Plaga, The Doctor of Death (msg # 11):

[OOC - As a reminder, combat has begun. The PC's may take all their actions now, as the guards do not have an anti-surprise ability.

The leader is a heroic mortal, and the mercenaries are mobbed up with AC 5 as they have decent armor and are mounted.]

Vasati's eyes went wide as the Doctor of Death revealed the speed and devastation with which she could strike.  He burst out laughing, moving far more slowly on foot to join the fray.  Unarmed and unarmored, he did not appear to be much of a threat however.  He had claimed he was a thief, after all, and not a warrior.  He rushed towards the nearest mercenary, pulling him down off of his horse, but didn't appear achieve much more than inconveniencing the man.

Claire finished her scan. "Nothing susceptible to electronic countermeasures. Engaging."

Mechanical wings sprouted from her back as she launched into the air, pointing her weapon at Plaga and her target, but as she tried to catch the leader on her targeting computer, it threw up an error: Plaga was too close and her shot risked damaging the both of them.

Instead, she hurriedly retargeted, firing her pink annihilation balls at the various troops in the mob.


11:40, Today: Claire Durand rolled 8 using 1d8.  Fray at the mob.
11:40, Today: Claire Durand rolled 7 using 1d20+6.  Firing on the leader.

Well, that didn't go too well - but 2 damage to the mob.

  Gaja closed her eyes tightly and took a steadying breath.  There would be no bait, apparently.  But for now, a blessing was a blessing.  With an angry, backhanded wave, she plunged the line of guards into utter silence.  A moment later, their leader's voice, screaming in hysterical terror, filled the air.  Gaja just stalked up the hill toward the cave mouth while she rebuilt her composure.  In the distance, the riders wheeled to a stop, remaining outside the ongoing combat.

---

Just shaping sound for now I guess.  Call it a direct attempt to demoralize the troops.  1HD fray, if nothing else.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:37, Mon 18 Feb 2019.

Increase, having limited combat effectiveness, simply began to walk forward towards the cave mouth. He had seen the prowess of his companions before and believed that they would be sufficient to the task of killing or disabling the guards at the cave mouth.

All the same he was vigilant in his approach and used his passive exertions to reach out and assail anyone who survived the first wave of attacks.

Fray Die: 0
This message was last edited by the player at 15:09, Mon 18 Feb 2019.

The leader yells to stay silent, but his voice is almost drowned out by supernaturally loud calls of terror. His voice can still be heard. It doesn't help that he's also trying to vend off Plaga, who he was trying to keep distance.

The riders have had enough, and bail, their leader, annoyed, quickly rides off as well , not wanting to leave his men behind. The fact that four angry gods are now amoung them, there very presence inflicting casualties, doesn't help.

They ride fast and away from the group, and there's suddenly no one guarding outside the cave. Inside, there is a large group of prisoners staked out on the cave floor. Their eyes are blank and expressionless and they do not respond to the sounds of battle or anything else. They are quite filthy, even for poorly treated slaves, and give off a rank odor.

The cave has a natural bend, and some additional large rocks have been piled up to make it difficult to see around the corner. The captives look like they have been set up in this position recently.

There are also a few mundane tripwires set up that are fairly obviously placed, apparently to make it difficult to tip toe your way through.

  Gaja walks toward the cave mouth at an unhurried pace, more focused on the distant raiders. The horsemen begin moving again in pursuit of the retreating guard, though eventually they descend behind a ridge and don't immediately emerge. She approaches Plaga, but faces the tunnel.

  "You... pounce well." She looks as though she'd rather not be saying it, and waves at the traps ahead almost immediately. "Those people, they're dead, right?"

Claire paused a moment. "I don't think so. Engage silent-flying mode," she said as she softly began shooting herself into the air with cold-pressure jets instead of her usual ones. Floating over the tripwires, she landed near the captives.

"I'm here. What have they done to you?" She began humming a bit, and a feeling of peace, safety, hope and a little joy radiated out from her, along with inner strength to lift the captives' spirits.

Effort committed: (Both are commits, not expenditures)
1: Banner of Passion, in Claire's usual use.
2: Heart of the Lion extended to defend the captives against every other source of UMI.

"Haha, we sent the brigands running!"

Vasati shook his fist at the retreating mortals, having contributed little to nothing to the fight.  Instead he began to moved down the cave mouth, pointing out each and every trap that was there in a kind of running litany.

"The story said there was a trip wire here, ah yes, there it is.  When my uncle told it, he said there was a pressure plate just there there, don't want to step on that one.  My aunt disagreed, but better safe than sorry no?  Can't forget the trick with the light here, I don't exactly know how it works, something about condensed light being refined into a beam, never understood that part. It's here though, so step over it..."

He continued as he walked down the hallway.

"The legends say there are two spells of alarm now though, so the thief just walked into them.  It's not like he and his companions were subtle with the mercenaries in front, ha!"

When Claire took flight, he clapped his hands in delight.

"Much magic might influence their minds, but so can the promise of a whip, be careful!"

If he was worried, it didn't sound in his voice at all.

"In the tales, the corpses were a trap of some sort.  There were also some mages hiding just about the corner. THe prince snuck past them, but that doesn't seem to be this version of the tale's narrative structure."

Vasati called out, kicking at the ground, but staying well away from both the corpses and the place where her gestured to the alarm spell.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:41, Tue 19 Feb 2019.

OOC Note: Please halt the thread until Vasati responds to a PM I sent him.