"Inaaya el-Ansari!" called a voice.  It echoed through the halls of the temple.

Inaaya hurried over to the voice, she knew better than to keep them waiting.

Sister Nasheen was there.

"Sister Inaaya, there is danger rising in the land," she said.  "One well-suited to your skills."

Inaaya bowed to her superior.

"Yes, Moth-Sister Nasheen, what is this task you have for me?"

Nasheen chuckled a little bit at Inaaya's slip, but didn't call attention to it.

"The Wasps," she said.  "Their numbers are rising in a way that may be tied to prophecy.  Regardless of the Prophecy, they are becoming a threat, and need to be investigated, at the very least."

"As you command," Inaaya said.

"Do you want assistance sent with you, Sister?" said Nasheen.  "This could be dangerous."

"I can deal with it myself, sister," Inaaya said.

"It's still dangerous to go alone," she said.  "What about a vehicle?"

"That couldn't hurt," Inaaya said.

"One will be provided, then," said Nasheen.  "Be blessed and be well."

"I will get ready and head out immediately," Inaaya said.

Soon Inaaya was by the garage, as a small hover-barge was brought out for her.  There were a number of people who had come out to watch, for some reason...

"Is something wrong?" Inaaya asked.

"...I suppose they're waiting to see if everything's about to explode," came a voice.

"Is that so, daughter? Then they will be disappointed," Inaaya said.

"There are no doubt other things that they came to watch, Elder Sister," said Rif'a.  "I doubt they'll be entirely disappointed."

"I have a mission I have to do. I'll see you later, daughter," Inaaya said as she climbed onboard.

She was saying something else, but it was lost in the crowd noise...

...it did seem like some of the people were staring at her, though.

That was odd. Inaaya went to see the pilot.

"What?" the pilot asked.

"Just wondering what we're waiting on," Inaaya said.

"Nothing, nothing!" said the pilot, and he started off the vehicle at top speed!

Acrobatics check and Perception check, plz

(OOC: Acrobatics & Perception check - Inaaya el-Ansari rolled 11,20 using d20+10,d20+7)

Inaaya stumbled and fell as the hover-barge abruptly accelerated...

...and felt a breeze on her body that suggested that her clothing had, sometime recently, become disarrayed or damaged in a very personal way.

But have a Hero Point for the accident.

Inaaya did her best to cover herself and looked back at the crowd.

Was that a malicious grin from a certain Daughter?  But the crowd was rapidly disappearing; hover barges weren't slow.

"I'm going to get changed," Inaaya said to the pilot, gumbling.

Luckily, the pilot was watching the road, and Inaaya could get changed in peace.  They'd be coming up on the territory of the wasps all too soon...

INaaya got out her bracelets and activated them.

"...we'll be there by the end of the day," said the driver.  "Or do you see scouts?"

"Just getting ready in case," Inaaya said.

Perception!

(OOC: Perception check - Inaaya el-Ansari rolled 18 using 1d20+7)

There were scouts in the air, above where the Hives would be, but they were distant, and probably not tracking the barge.

"Hmm. I see some scouts," Inaaya said.

The pilot said, "Then we can't get too close!  This barge isn't that well-armed."

"I can take them," Inaaya said.

"You might be able to get there on your own," said the pilot.  "The barge can't sneak... can you take all of them out before they call for help?"

"Easy enough," Inaaya said as she took to the air.

"All right," said the pilot.  "Do your thing, Sister.  I'll follow."

Inaaya flew closer, getting within range where she could shoot the monsters.

As she did so, it was clear that the wasp-people were noticing her...

Init

(OOC: Initiative Roll - Inaaya el-Ansari rolled 17 using 1d20+10.)

Go!

(OOC: Attacking with Lightning Pulse - Inaaya el-Ansari rolled 7 using 1d20+6. Nope, gonna reroll that - Inaaya el-Ansari rolled 26 using 1d20+6. Better. With multi-attack as well. So, base 13 damage)

One target or several?

(OOC: Several)

Most of the wasp-people fell out of the sky!  But one was diving for the hive, and fast!

Inaaya took off after it, blasting it with lightning.

(OOC: Same attack again, but with All-Out Attack as well - Inaaya el-Ansari rolled 13 using 1d20+11. Reroll that too - Inaaya el-Ansari rolled 23 using 1d20+11.)

The last of the scouts was down!  She could try to sneak into the hives now, but her safe window while she stayed up here was going to be quite short.

Inaaya flew up to one of the entrances and took a look in.

There was a lot of activity-- wasp-people were gathering, probably heading for a large chamber further in.

Inaaya headed inside.

Stealth?

(OOC: Stealth Roll - Inaaya el-Ansari rolled 27 using 1d20+9)

So far, she was undetected.  And the wasp-people were gathering in a central chamber...

Inaaya waited, staying hidden.

...was she moving closer to the central chamber?  Risky, but it would let her hear more clearly what was going on.

Inaaya moved in closer.

(OOC: Stealth Roll -  Inaaya el-Ansari rolled 13 using 1d20+9. Rerolling. Inaaya el-Ansari rolled 24 using 1d20+9.)

The queen was saying something.

"...stars have come together!" she shouted.  "The time of prophecy is at hand, when the powers of the world will shift and change-- and that is when we will strike, and become the dominant power of the land!"

Inaaya stayed still. This was big if the queen was here.

"You will spread out over the land, and find the Star-Seal, and the Outsider Saviors, and capture them!  If you destroy the saviors, that's fine, too," she said.  "Not that picky."

Inaaya considered what the queen was saying, did she know about any prophecies?

There was one, wasn't there?  About a savior from beyond the stars, who would find the Star-Seal and save the world, or turn it upside down, or something like that?

Int or an appropriate skill to recall more.

(OOC: Religion roll - Inaaya el-Ansari rolled 14 using 1d20+7)

...Yeah, she was pretty sure about that. And it was possible that this was the time.  A savior from elsewhere, something called the Star Seal that held something powerful and dangerous locked away, the potential to change the entire world.

Okay, that wasn't good. Was the talk wrapping up?

It appeared to be-- and with the assigning of teams of wasps to scatter all over the land, searching.

It was a good time for getting out, so Inaaya headed for the exit.

The hive was a maze...

Perception or Investigation

(OOC: Perception - Inaaya el-Ansari rolled 13 using 1d20+7. Gonna reroll that. Inaaya el-Ansari rolled 18 using 1d20+7)

Luckily, she found a way out that she could use before the wasp hordes emerged!

Inaaya got out and started flying back.

How high was she flying, and what was her destination?  The wagon?  Or the temple, directly?

(OOC: Above the hive, heading for the wagon.)

Luckily, she reached the wagon before any of the wasps spotted her.

Inaaya landed on the vehicle.

"We need to head back," she said.

The barge was already in motion as she landed.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" said the pilot.  "Where are we going?"

"Back to the temple, I have to report what I found out," Inaaya said.

Luckily, their return to the temple was uneventful.

Inaaya went looking for Sister Nasheen right away.

"What have you found, Sister?" Nasheen asked.  "You returned very quickly..."

Inaaya then told her about everything she had overheard.

Sister Nasheen took a deep breath.

"...so," she said.  "The day has finally come.  The day the world turns upside-down."

"Is there really truth to the legend?" Inaaya asked.

"I suppose we will learn," said the Sister.  "But the Wasps believe in it, so we must respond."

"So we have to find these people then?" Inaaya asked. "Does it give us any hints as to who these people are."

"Look for disruptions in the social order," said Sister Nasheen.  "Specifically, destruction of tyrants and bandits and that kind of thing.  Also stories of people with strange powers."

"I suppose that is my new mission," Inaaya said. "How many of us will be sent out?"

"Everyone we can spare," said Sister Nasheen.  "The Wasps are many, and we must be ready to oppose them wherever they strike."

"I will be ready when needed, Sister," Inaaya said.

"You shouldn't go alone," said Nasheen.  "Who will you take with you?"

"I am unsure sister, who would you suggest?" Inaaya asked.

"At least a couple of skilled guards," said Sister Nasheen.  "Perhaps Eisa and Isra?"

Inaaya nodded.

"Sounds good."

"You should take the barge again, of course," said Sister Nasheen.  "The others can't fly.  Is there anything that you want to take with you?"

"I will likely need some money and travelling supplies," Inaaya said.

"Of course," said Nasheen.  "Gather what you need; I'll send for the guards."

"Right away," Inaaya said, heading to do that.

perception

(OOC: Perception Check - Inaaya el-Ansari rolled 20 using 1d20+7)

...was someone following her?

Inaaya turned around to look.

Someone was moving around a corner... away, now.

Inaaya went after them.

They were running, somewhere ahead...

Perception

(OOC: Perception Check - Inaaya el-Ansari rolled 19 using 1d20+7)

There was a noise around that corner...

Inaaya went around the corner.

...it looked very much like a group of Daughters talking.

Wait, one was Rif'a.

Inaaya shook her head and went back to get her work done.

Inaaya quickly gathered her supplies.

Inaaya headed to where the ships were kept to meet up with the guards.

She arrived; two guards, a young man and a young woman carrying swords and shields, were there waiting for her.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:44, Mon 05 Apr 2021.

"Hello, I am Inaaya," she said, introducing herself to the guards.

"I'm Eisa," said the woman.  "This is Isra.  We're here to help you however we can, and to keep you safe."

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Inaaya said.

"Likewise," said Eisa.  "What are we to be on guard for, Sister?"

"The wasps mostly,, though there is always the chance of bandits or slavers," Inaaya said.

"The wasps are clearly the greatest threat, then," said Eisa.  "We can deal with the other scum easily enough."

"Yes, shouldn't be too bad besides them," Inaaya said.

"Anything we need to know about what the Wasps are after?" Eisa asked.  It appeared that she did all the talking for the pair.

"I'll tell you, but you need to swear to secrecy," Inaaya said.

"Of course.  We so swear," said Eisa.

"The wasps believe that the chosen ones from another world have arrived and are searching for them," Inaaya explained.

"Are we also looking for this chosen one?" Eisa asked.

"That's right. We have to find them before the wasps," Inaaya said.

"And where shall we start?" Eisa asked.

Make some kind of useful roll.

(Best I can do is a religion roll - Inaaya el-Ansari rolled 10 using 1d20+7)

There was something about a desert, and destroying slavers...

"Hmm. It's probably a place near a desert that has a problem with slavers," Inaaya said.

"...the Southern Desert, then," said Eisa.  "At least, it's a starting point."

Inaaya nodded.

"Right, let's head there."

They soon were underway...