City of Nine Stars -- City of Twilight
Game Master therealthom

"Tsk." Raven looks at his own attire for the show, a mixed look of both amusement and mild distaste evident on his face. "Ah, well," he quips with a soft sigh, "I suppose since I am playing the part of a prisoner, I should look the... err, part."

Fiosa stands next to Robahl and tries to make the players look good.

"Ooh, I'm sure it'll be a wonderful show! See how marvelous they all look! And the rehearsals went off so well. I'm sure everything will go off without a hitch."

"I hope so. I hope so." Robahl stares intensely out toward the stage.

***

Through the narrow gap between the curtain and proscenium, the crew watches as Visbaronetess Delour Aulamaxa ascends to her place at a podium stage right. The candles lighting her manuscript also illuminate her face. Her black gown and headdress reflect no light, so that her face seems to float in the darkened theater. Her first note is crystalline in purity and its sisters follow with the clarity of chimes. The song's high delicate verse sets the scene, Larazod accused of threats and conspiracy against the judge himself.

On stage behind the closed curtain Thesing Ulvauno mounts the judge's box. Calseinica seats herself among the actors with non-speaking roles in the councillor's box. Millech casts the illusionary bailiff, an immense bearded devil.

Delour's last note lingers long as the curtains draw aside. The Bailiff proclaims, "Order in the Tribunal." The play has begun.

Sorry. I misremembered the play and Raven may begin equipped as he wishes. The first act is only spoken. Raven, Waif, and Marius to make perform checks for the first act.

The second act begins with the evening's first surprise when Thesing, as Judge Haanderthane, calls in the torturer. Beneath a long red cloak Drovalid's costume consists of a tight-fitting black leather mask and breeches. His chest and arms are bare save a web of bleeding scratches and black straps hung with knives and needles. And, quite impossibly, a gold bar transfixes his neck from side to side. The whip in his hand is not leather solely; it is a leather strand wound through links of chain.

As he advances to center stage, the looming wrack-like torture device follows smoothly. (Pushed forward with long rods by members of the backstage crew.)

Backstage Millech grumbles, and Robahl's face twists angrily, "What's he playing at?"

The play calls for Larazod (Raven) to be bound to the wrack and whipped. Dentriss and Tybain (Waifrin and Marius) to stand-by and perhaps take a few whip-blows too if need be. Drovalid is supposed to join your side at the end of the act. First question, will Raven be bound?

Waifrin tries to recall everything she has learned so far:

Autohypnosis: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Waifrin's Perform: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Marius takes a deep breath and hopes for the best as the curtain rises

Performance check 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Unfortunately his hopes are not realised and he suffers instant and almost fatal stage fright.

Anticipating a surprise disrobing for Raven, if Zarabeta can manage to touch Raven before he is placed upon the rack, she quickly mutters the words to a protective spell, to help shield him from at least some of the whip-strikes.

mage armor on Raven, +4 armor bonus to AC, doesn't stack with actual armor.

Fiosa will also give a Guidance blessing to anyone who passes her on the way to the stage...

+1 to a single d20 roll made in the next minute

Raven's disrobing is no surprise. It is part of this act. You have a short musical interval between acts in which to cast spells, etc.

"Remind me again why is it that I am doing this...?" Raven's words, spoken so softly as to be a veritable whisper, are accompanied by an almost audible gulp as he sees the torture device, which is quickly followed by a sigh. 'And to think people actually auditioned for the chance to be whipped,' the elf thinks to himself before moving along with the play.

Perform (Act) 1d20 + 1 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 1 + 6 = 20

I should remind everyone that we have Perform bonuses (in addition to Charisma modifiers and some such) for the play thanks to rehearsals, I believe.
Marius: +0
Raven: +6
Waifrin: +4
Zarabeta: +2

Second Act -- (continued)

Instead of stripping him down to his shirt, Drovalid leaves Raven his studded leather, improvising, "Mere leather and metal can not shield you from the truth of pain. My Lord will have you yet." He stills ties the elf tightly to the wrack and uses a stick to twist the knot so that the ropes press into Raven's flesh. The elf jerks involuntarily, and some in the audience gasp in sympathy or anticipation.

Drovalid steps back tree paces, and shakes out his chain-whip. He pauses. Then draws the whip quickly back. The whip's tail flies away from him. He snaps it forward with a loud crack, and the blow falls heavily across Raven's shoulders.

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22 ... damage 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (3, 2) + 3 = 8

Drovalid let Raven keep his armor, but he's swinging for real. Pausing here to see if you'll stick to the script or not.

Castor, thanks for digging up the performance bonuses. I see Waif forgot hers. Drovalid will be hitting you on your flat-footed AC -- 14 with Zara's mage armor. Zarabeta has no opportunity to improve on act 1. In act 2 she can roll to aid another in their performance roll. Fiosa may also, depending on her actions during an Act.

So it should be a 14 for Act #1 ...

Act #2 Perform: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Now THAT is a performance!

Fiosa will prepare to heal Raven from backstage (maybe peeking under a curtain) if he looks like he's really in trouble.

Marius Act 2 perform1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Marius gives a continuing woeful performance.

anyone want to aid him?

Your attractive female cousin to the rescue ...

If she can, Waifrin tries to divert attention from Marius, or prompt him along.

Performance (aid another): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

Onstage Drovalid continues to improvise on pain and it's ability to bring an epipany of truth. Thesing, as the judge, tries to adlib lines trying to steer Drovalid back on script.

Under one of Thesing's lines, Drovalid says softly for the cast, "I mean this next line." Then he breaks in on Thesing, "Fear not great Magistrate Maleficarium. No lasting harm shall come to this subject, for my lord delights in pain in the service of truth. Were the subject to die he could not live the truth."

Backstage, Robahl fumes, "He's ruining the play. There'll be hell for this."

During the exchange with Thesing, Drovalid delivers three blows in quick succession.

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 ... damage 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (3, 2) + 3 = 8
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14 ... damage 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (4, 4) + 3 = 11
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11 ... damage 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (4, 1) + 3 = 8

"See, Justice Abyssal, the subject weakens, but a touch of My Lord's mercy," he unscrews a small container takes a swipe of salve from it on a fingertip and rubs it into Raven's wounds which quickly knit. "And he is ready again for our search for the truth in pain."

He draws back the whip again. "Abandon your tears, Larazod! Find the freedom of truth through this delicious pain."

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14 ... damage 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (1, 4) + 3 = 8

Drovalid, Performance : 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Thesing, Performance : 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

Raven is down 8 HP net.

Knowledge (Religion) DC 20 :

Zarabeta's hands grip into claws at the sadistic 'ad-libbing' and wishes she had the capacity to have prepared Raven for his trials with something more useful, such as a false life incantation, or some divine magic to take an equal share of the pain he suffers from him.

Set, you ninja'd my edit.

Marius frowns was this in the script..he had enough trouble remembering his lines nevermind everyone elses...he waits for a cue

Raven grits his teeth as pain gives way to the welcome healing effect of Drovalid's salve. A sigh of relief escapes his lips as his eyes narrow for a moment with quite the murderous thoughts before he remembers where he is and what he should be doing.

"You offer pain freely and easily, torturer! Yet even an ocean of it cannot make me deny the truth I have already spoken! Calling it lie as you are doing does not make it so!"

Perform (Act) 1d20 + 1 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 1 + 6 = 20

Fiosa will peek through the curtain and give Raven an extra boost of energy, just in case he needs it. She excludes any non-Children from the burst.

channel energy: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 3) = 4

Nice, hogarth.

Like a pack of ghoul's the audience is drawn in by Drovalid's brutal assault. (Save for a few that hide their head in their hands or avert their eyes, and one older couple that stand stiffly and thrust their way into the aisle and toward the exit.) Their eyes are glued to Raven's bleeding flesh, their ears strain toward the crack and rattle of the whip. Some titter, some gasp, some hold their breath. They are spellbound.

Raven's defiant line unleashes a wave of applause.

Drovalid judges the moment and skips a score of lines, "He is unbreakable as a marble tide! ...." A short exchange follows between torturer and magistrate ending with Drovalid declaring for Larazod and defying the magistrate to stand by Larazod's side in the coming trials. The curtain closes to a another wave of applause.

End of Act 2.

Backstage Nonon and the entire crew, even Millech, are grinning. The director strides over to Drovalid and Raven. "Magnificent! Simply magnificent! Are you all right?" This last directed to Raven.

In front of the curtain Delour waits out the applause before beginning her interlude.

Well played, Castor! The embellished line and the roll deserved some reward. Dabbler, the actors can't help each other on the perform checks because the results are cumulative for the cast.

No problems. Still I got one good check in!

Travelling tomorrow. Next act -- Trail by Pleasure. I mean rotgrub.

No 'tween scenes discussion? I guess I am not making this interesting enough.

"That looked harsh," Waifrin mutters to Raven. "I think I'd rather tangle with the goblins than this audience. Still it's all going well so far ..."

"Yes, I am positively ecstatic by how well it is going," Raven retorts with perhaps a bit more sarcasm than intended. He quickly composes himself though, his usual smile back again, if a little strained. "I am sorry Waifrin. It is just that I do not particulalry like pain, especially when fighting back is not exactly much of an option. At least, my wounds are healed."

Turning to Fiosa, he takes a somewhat exaggerated bow, one accompanied by a wink. "Thank you kindly for that, my lady!"

"No-one does, and I think we'll all bleed by the time this play is over." There is a slight smell of ozone, and a crackle of static. "I just hope we get a few chances to hit back now and again. I really want to hit something right now. What was that stuff Thesing was quoting? I don't think we were alone in <cough> finding new lines," Waifrin mutters.

"Oh, it was nothing really; it looks like that salve they rubbed on you did most of the work. So what's supposed to happen in the next act?"

"His lines sounds more like something a Kuthonite flagellant would spout, than an Asmodean..." Zarabeta replies quietly, to Waifrin's comment.

She speaks a soft word of magic and checks to be sure that Raven's mage armor has not been dispelled by some trickery, as she is quite sure it's protection blunted the force of several cruel blows.

detect magic

"Next" Marius informs Fiosa "we get to play with Rotgrubs..I'd advise you not to try this at home"

"A Kuthonite? From that place where they worship the night and shadows? Now that IS interesting," Waifrin muses.

"we get to play with Rotgrubs..I'd advise you not to try this at home"

"Better stand ready with that healing," Waifrin tells Fiosa. "Gouging rot-grubs out of my own flesh isn't my idea of fun."

Sorry for the delay. I've neglected this game shamefully. Unfortunately I don't see an end. I'll do my best to post daily, but can't promise much.

This act isn't very inspirational. Rot grubs.... If you want to roll your performance and grub removal checks ....

Delour finishes the interlude. The curtain draws aside again. As the magistrate, Thesing condemns the actors to Trial by Pleasure.

Fiosa tries to dredge up everything she might know about insect wounds and how to treat them.

Heal: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Do rot grubs do HP damage, or ability damage, or are they some kind of disease, etc.?

Not exactly clear on when Zarabeta is supposed to be rolling her Perform checks to assist with illusions or summoned things, but here's a roll, if needed, including the +2 for the pre-planning. 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Set, describe a way she helps and roll. (Nice 25, there.)

Rotgrubs: DC 17 Fort save or take 2 Con damage. To cut a grub out takes a DC 20 heal check and deals 1d6 hp per round that the grub has been in the PC. The knives are enchanted to grant +6 on the heal check.

Hogarth, Fiosa will have to wait until the act's end to try heal checks unless she can somehow get unto stage unseen.

Drovalid is first for the trial. He takes a long slender glass containing a 'fluke of pleasure' and inverts it onto his forearm, pressing the lip hard against his skin. The grub drops onto his flesh and immediately its circular teeth begin cutting skin and flesh as it wriggles into his arm. His sigh is low and sweet as he hands Raven the empty glass and the last of the grub disappears beneath his skin. After another long swooning breath he applies the knife.

Round 1 Fort 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Round 2 Fort 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Heal 1d20 + 4 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 4 + 6 = 27
Damage 2d6 ⇒ (6, 4) = 10

In a stream of blood the grub falls to the stage floor. It twists and inches forward, seeking fresh flesh.

You don't have to wait a full round before cutting the grub out like Drovalid did. You may cut on the first round.

Order of Trial -- Larazod (Raven), Dentriss (Waif), Tybain (Marius)

Great that means I need a natural 20 on the roll

Fortitude Save 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Heal Check1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

Edited after the post below

Performance check [1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Marius spends too much off his time worrying about the grub to even pretend to enjoy the experience..

Remind me never, ever to get on the stage again

The daggers give a +6 bonus, remember? 18+6 = 24, you passed in round one.

Waifrin curls her lip in contempt as the the rot-grub bites.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9 2 points of Con damage HURTS!

Waifrin cries out as the worm burrows deeper than she anticipated.

"Oh! It has been so long! Sweet, aching ecstasy!" she throws her head back and thrusts the dagger into her flesh.

Heal Check: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

"Ah sweet pain and sweet pleasure together! Far better than a worm alone can supply."

Performance: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

Waifrin flips the grub to the floor and grinds it there with her boot heel.

"And I was faking it, too," she tells the dying worm with a smirk of contempt and cruelty before turning more seriously to Larazod/Raven.

"Between you, my hideous half-breed young master, and a dream of three incubi’s frolics on my flesh — a hard choice, Larazod, but somehow your sweet countenance won out; real friendship trumps illusionary pleasure, always."

Zarabeta uses ghost sound to cause the 'flukes' to emit an eerie moaning sound when pulled from the wounds, attempting to capture a sound of frustrated lovers being parted, and progressing into the keening of grieving widows at the separation from the bodies of their hosts, before they are crushed underfoot.

Use the perform check above, if possible, for her contribution to the scene.

If Drovalid's grub isn't crushed, she uses mage hand to drag it off-stage and quietly crushes it herself with a prop, rather than allow the vermin to wriggle away and possibly make its way into the audience...

As the rotgrub bites into his flesh, Raven momentarily tightens his jaw before his expression turns to one of pleasure, lips curling into a smile and closed eyes facing the sky. "Such pleasure," he says, his breath heavy as if in ecstasy. "Were I to give in to it, to this creature's sweet and loving bite, I would do so gladly. But alas, I cannot! There are lies to be dispersed, the truth behind them to stand revealed!"

With a look denoting a heavy heart, the elf drives the enchanted blade into the small creature. "Away with you, sweet temptation! I long for your bite but I cannot surrender to it!"

Fortitude 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Heal 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
Perform (Act) 1d20 + 1 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 1 + 6 = 15

-2 Constitution for Raven. Ouch...

Nearly forgot

Damage1d6 ⇒ 2

Peeking through the curtain, Fiosa flinches at the painful scene in front of her and sends some more healing energy to bolster the Children (only).

2d6 ⇒ (4, 2) = 6

Iomedae help me, but I'm glad it's not me out there! she thinks to herself.

What have you got against Drovalid? You may rue leaving him out.

Set, nice on all counts and you can keep that roll. You guys are on fire and all your posts are making this far more interesting than I had imagined it would be.

The act is well received. Drovalid and Raven are adequate. Waifrin brings the crowd roaring to its feet, and although Marius' unaffected actions break the mood, they also lend an authenticity to the pain and danger the grubs present. The curtain closes on a satisfied crowd.

Fiosa immediately heals the party. Since she rolled well enough to heal the max damage the grubs could inflict on Waif and Raven, we won't worry about the physical damage they took cutting the grubs out.

Drovalid winkles out his ointment, rubs it into his wounds and offers some around.

Outside the curtain, Delour sings the interlude.

Allset for act 4?

Marius looks at Waif she seems drawn and pale..

"The bug..drained you did it not Cousin..Fiosa have you any Magics at your disposal to help those who were damaged?"

Ready

"That was ... amazing!" Waifrin is veritably glowing with energy, eyes wide and sparkling. The odd crystal she wears around her neck glitters strangely.

"They loved it, and I didn't even have to take anything off. Being out there is...it's like being a hundred feet tall," she is almost drunk on emotion. She draws several deep breaths, and calms her mind.

"I'm ready. break a leg my friends!"

"The bug..drained you did it not Cousin..Fiosa have you any Magics at your disposal to help those who were damaged?"

"Not right now, I'm afraid. I'll have to pray for mercy tonight and maybe the magic will be granted to me tomorrow. Oh dear -- I should have paid more attention to the script and less attention to the props and costumes!" Fiosa looks extremely apologetic, wringing her hands with worry.

"It's nothing," Waifrin waves away Marius' concern. "I can last the rest of this play, and I'm sure a night of rest will see me right. Just tell me you diluted that acid, Fiosa - we have to go through the belly of that glass thing next."

"It should be half the prescribed strength, assuming nobody tampered with it after I left. I hope that won't kill anyone..." She grimaces at the thought.

The backstage crew rolls the great glass serpent up to its mark. Visbaronetess Aulamaxa wrings the most out of her last soaring note. Places for the cast. Crew offstage, chocking the wheels and running a long rope behind them to operate the serpent. The curtain rises on act four, The Belly of the Beast.

****

After an opening exchange between Larazod and Dentriss on the nature of fear, Drovalid describes the coming trial.

"The Beast is a hideous thing whose stomach is a nest of acid spewing serpents. It shall swallow us whole and wash us clean in its acid well. If we are innocent and speak no lies then the Beast's Belly will leave us unharmed."

A few more remarks. Calseinica as Ilsandra takes Larazod's side and is condemned by Thesing as the Magistrate to stand the trial with him. She joins the party, greeting Raven with a long, long, long toe-curling kiss. The audience loves it.

The crew dips the serpent's head down to waist height.

The serpent is a wonder of the glassblower's art, a huge and curious sculpture of green glass banded and held by iron and polished wood. The sculpture is a vast serpent. Its mouth is large enough for a man to slip inside. Its belly is made of transparent but very thick glass.

Larazod's gang must slide one by one through the serpent's mouth, down the throat and into the acid-filled belly. One person per round. Pick your order. Acid damage each round you're in the belly. (Obviously the first person in will take (a lot) more damage than the others.) Then you must wriggle out of the serpent.

If Zarabeta still has access to the wand of silent image mentioned earlier, she'll attempt to gussy up this trial with phantasmal serpent images writhing around whomever is in the belly of the beast, modeled after her own golden-green acidic serpents. If no wand, she'll use one of the scrolls of silent image she purchased for this event. She will have to maintain concentration throughout this scene, so that she can keep the spell active, although the 'serpents' will only be thrashing about most visibly when there is someone in the belly of the beast, and will be very quiet, with a faraway look on her face.

Performance to make the snakes look, if not real, dramatic and dynamic, which is more important here. 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

Marius looks around at his fellow'actors'and then his eyes fix on Drovalid.."You seem to enjoy the pain..why don't you go first..I'll follow then Raven and Waifrin"

I take it either Escape Artist or Acrobatics checks to get through?