The creature doesn't react to Celest's movement.
Lol
Round 4___________
Notorious Flynn Ryder_____
"Damn this things got reach! <<<blap!>>> Ow! Okay damn it you asked for it, here's a stick in your spokes!"
But this time his attack appeared to be well timed.
"You guys are bad luck or something, everywhere I've been with you guys there is an eminent threat trying to make me dead!"
Lilly Peregrine_____
Lilly steps up again, opposite of Flynn. [But Thomas was already there. She stepped opposite Elise instead.[/ooc] Grimly, she again swings her sword, hoping for better results.
Celest Slysword _____
Celest drops the crossbow and pulls her dagger. She cartwheels in next to the bot. She moves to I6, if the bot threatens the area out to ten feet it gets an attack of opportunity, she tries to mitigate this through acrobatics.
Elise Emeria_____
Elise will try to stab the creature.
She then takes another step back To G9
(npc) Thomas_____
Rhaym_____
Doctor Rhaym is frustrated at the targets proximity to his companions, so he passes.
Enemies_____
Spinning wildly and emitting showers of sparks, the creature bounced off of Flynn (who took 1 point nonlethal), Thomas (who took 2 points nonlethal), and Lilly (who took 1 point nonlethal).
Dodging the crazed machine, Celest moves in for the kill.
"BOO-YAH!"
Celest's weapon sunk into the creatures innards through an open port. The thing is gripped by a seizure as a fountain of sparks erupts through its mouth, then it collapsed like a pupped with its strings cut.
It's pretty dead.
Celest's weapon sunk into the creatures innards through an open port. The thing is gripped by a seizure as a fountain of sparks erupts through its mouth, then it collapsed like a pupped with its strings cut.
It's pretty dead.
"Glad its . . . Uh, does dead apply here? But dang it! Think what something like this could have been worth if we could have captured it intact. I thought these things stay inside that place, not out roaming the streets attacking people."
Elise studies the remains of the robot. "I wonder what caused it to go crazy?"
"Wait, you mean this thing could be worth $omething?"
Celest drops to the ground an furious begins trying to piece the wreckage together again.
Lilly stands, chest heaving, as the dangerous robotic thing falls. She looks at it in disgust, wondering why anyone would want these things around. Looking around at everyone, she goes forward and tries the front door of the house.
Flynn is distracted by Lilly's heaving chest.
"Wow."
He refocuses on the crazy woman Celeste.
"Um, yeah things like that are worth money. How do you think this town survives out here in the middle of nowhere. Sellin junk like that thing there. In fact it was starting to act like we might have disabled it right before you trashed it."
"Good thing though. I'd rather be alive and poor than dead and wealthy."
"Good thing though. I'd rather be alive and poor than dead and wealthy."
Celest looks up at Flynn in disbelief.
"What are you crazy? Being poor is being dead. It's worse than dead, because you know what you're missing out on."
The tinder box behind Flynn popped open with a *BANG*
"Is it over?" Called out the smudged girl in the leather apprentice clothing as she emerged from her hiding place.
"Oh praise Cayden!" She exclaimed as she tacklehugged Flynn hard enough to knock him to the ground.
"hey! <<<Ohoof!>>>"
Flynn stares up at the woman who just jumped him.
"Yes praise the Lucky Drunk indeed. One end has come to make way for our new beginning. The Name is Flynn . . . Flynn Ryder, you may have heard of me, but I won't put you on the spot. And whom do I have the pleasure of meeting after having saved you?i"
"Oh, sorry!" She said, helping Flynn up as if he were an old man. "My name is Val, Val Blaine. I'm Master Khonnir's apprentice."
A PORTRAIT OF VAL BLAINE.
She stepped over to the monster and kicked it. It responded with a *KLONG*.
"'Inert' my ASS!" She swore, shaking her fist.
Limping slightly, she turned to you.
"THAT was a little something Master Khonnir picked up from an expedition to some caverns he found under Black Hill." She explained.
She looked at you skeptically. Then snapped her fingers.
"Hey! You guys must be the heroes contracted by the Council! Miss Dolga said she'd send you this way."
She ushered you into the hillside manor, where she showed you around.
"As long as Master Khonnir is missing, you can use this as your base. I've made up the ground floor rooms of his manor here for your use. There's two single rooms with actual beds, and two double rooms with hammocks. They're all clean and fresh as I can make 'em. Don't go upstairs, that's Master Khonnirs private sanctum. There's a bathroom out back, hot and cold running water, a steam room, there's room at the foundry to make stuff, if you've a mind to, and theres free food and beer at the tavern when yer hungry."
She cocked her head.
"So, who are you again?"
Lilly gives Flynn a withering glare, then huffs in disapproval over the following conversation between Celeste and the dashing and socially inept rogue. She nearly whips her sword at the blonde girl who tackles the man before realizing she was no enemy.
She listened to the girl's words, nodding along. "I'm Lilly, and I happily accept your kind offer. I will take one of the single rooms." She glances over at Flynn, then adds, "Alone." She claps Val on the shoulder with a smile, waiting for the others to make their introductions.
"Oh praise Cayden!"
Celest glowers at the girl and mutters: "'Praise Celest' more like it."
She ushered you into the hillside manor, where she showed you around.
"As long as Master Khonnir is missing, you can use this as your base. I've made up the ground floor rooms of his manor here for your use. There's two single rooms with actual beds, and two double rooms with hammocks. They're all clean and fresh as I can make 'em. Don't go upstairs, that's Master Khonnirs private sanctum. There's a bathroom out back, hot and cold running water, a steam room, there's room at the foundry to make stuff, if you've a mind to, and theres free food and beer at the tavern when yer hungry."
She cocked her head.
"So, who are you again?"
"Celest, guess we haven't met yet. I just started servin' at the tavern." She says a bit self-conscious of the fact that all of her trail rations were lifted from the place earlier that day (along with a set of silverware--she's not a barbarian you know). She shakes Val's hand like your mechanic might after settling on a price, grease from the automaton and all.
She listened to the girl's words, nodding along. "I'm Lilly, and I happily accept your kind offer. I will take one of the single rooms." She glances over at Flynn, then adds, "Alone." She claps Val on the shoulder with a smile, waiting for the others to make their introductions.
"Guess that leaves the other bed for us." She says with a wink and an elbow at Flynn. She then waits to see Lil's reaction.
After you've had a chance to clean up, nap and have your wounds tended to, around sunset a nervous-looking courier delivers a message to you all.
It is a fancy engraved invitation to come visit Torch’s “illustrious tavern and card room,” Silverdisk Hall.
The invitation is addressed from the hall’s owner, Garmen Ulreth, and includes certificates for each of you worth 100 gp for use in gambling and entertainment at his establishment, redeemable anytime during the next week.
A character who succeeds recognizes that Garmen Ulreth is one of the
more inf luential people in Torch—
an impressive quality, given the fact that he’s neither a councilor nor a legitimate merchant.
Indeed, Garmen’s considerable pull in town stems from the fact that a number of Torch’s citizens owe him money in either small or large amounts.
A character who succeeds also recalls that Garmen is associated with what passes for Torch’s thieves’ guild—a gang of thugs and roughs called the Ropefists—and that the owner of Silverdisk Hall may even be the gang’s leader. He certainly employs enough of the Ropefists as bouncers and guards at his gaming hall.
Flynn's face flushes a bit as he get caught looking at Lilly's weapons.
He tries not to recoil from Celest's offer. She's very good looking, but obviously mentally ill.
"Ummmm . . . Thanks for the offer Celest, but I've, ah, run the crazy hot matrix equation on that already. The hammocks sound fine, if I actually need to sleep in one."
He moves closer to Val to take one of her hands in a gentlemanly fashion as one would when meeting a lady.
"Well nice to meet you Val. I am indeed one of the contracted party members. Not to brag, but they needed someone with skills to add to this troop."
"The amenities here seem quite nice and I'm looking forward to a hot bath. Hope I can find someone to help scub my back though cause I got a hitch up here in my shoulder acting up again. Old war injury, I could tell you about it sometime and in turn I would love to hear all the things you have had an opportunity to see in a place like this. Maybe over a few drinks?"
Flynn gets a better look at the girl and realizes she is in fact, just a girl, jailbait in fact.
". . . When we all get a chance to sit down. Yeah, it will sure be nice to sit down as a family for a meal, you know? To get to know one another better. You know outside of being in combat, nearly drowning or suffering from some biological agent."
Lilly gives a long-suffering sigh at the continued antics of Flynn and Celeste, then snickers as Flynn realizes he has to backtrack his comments with Val.
She accepts her invitation from the courier with a curt smile, opening it. Her eyes widen, "This is quite a gift. We must at least go say thank you."
"I've heard of this guy. A lot of people owe him money. We should be careful."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Flynn's face flushes a bit as he get caught looking at Lilly's weapons.
He tries not to recoil from Celest's offer. She's very good looking, but obviously mentally ill.
"Ummmm . . . Thanks for the offer Celest, but I've, ah, run the crazy hot matrix equation on that already. The hammocks sound fine, if I actually need to sleep in one."
"So you think I'm 'crazy hot,' huh?"
Heh, a hundred gold coins and my mad skills should be more than enough to get me out of this joint.
"Later."
Val comes up and serves Flynn a heavily laden platter for dinner.
"Is there anything else I can do for you... Flynn?" She asked anxiously.
Rhaym waived the others off as he sat in the Tavern.
"You all have fun at the gaming tables, but I'm staying here." He said, lighting his pipe after dinner.
You see him writing on cards and pegging them in a pattern on the tavern wall. There is a copy of the writ, there are transcripts of the Council meeting issuing the order, Map fragments and more.
Those of you who answer the invitation find Silverdisc Hall to be somewhat subdued nowadays; the snuffing of the Torch has the locals anxious and holding on to their cash.
Past the bouncers, Garmen Ulreth himself greets you—he’s a garrulous man with a full beard and sparkling eyes, and he’s a bit on the lecherous side. He lingers over Celest's hand in particular.
"Hey pops, what happened? Somebody die? Am I in the wrong place? I thought this was a gaming establishment." Celest spends some time looking about the place and flirting. Then she makes like she's leaving (and thereby taking whatever light is on in the joint with her).
"Maybe after I turn the lights back on I'll stop by again and see if the wake's over. The place has got definite possibilities you just need a draw to get people in the door. Know what I mean?"
[dice=Diplomacy (Get on his good side; If he's got 6+ HD, add 4 to the result for her being Ambitious)]1d20+5[/dice]
"Yeah, it's a nice little set-up." She says with a sigh.
Lilly enters with the others, and almost immediately wishes she had stayed with Doctor Rhaym. The vices going on around her make her in no mood to socialize, and Celeste's antics only make things worse. She has a thoroughly miserable time, but manages to ask, "So, Garmen...what do you think about what's going on? With the Flame out and people missing and whatnot?"
"Oh boy, gotta let this one down easy."
"Yeah Val, tell me the who's who in this place?"
"Hey pops, what happened? Somebody die? Am I in the wrong place? I thought this was a gaming establishment."
Garmen grinned as he made a passable kiss-the-hand maneuver ofer Celest's hand.
"My lady Celest, you are indeed in the right place." He said with an insoucient grin.He threw his arms wide in a dramatic gesture.
"Welcome! To Silverdisc Hall!" He declaimed to you all.
"So, Garmen...what do you think about what's going on? With the Flame out and people missing and whatnot?"
Garmen frowned.
"Well, that is the reason I, and the other men of substance in this town funded the reward for a team of troubleshooters to rescue Master Baine, find out what happened to the Torch (and fix it), and the mysterious movements in the tunnels under the Hill."Such as yourselves!" He grinned.
"Maybe after I turn the lights back on I'll stop by again and see if the wake's over. The place has got definite possibilities you just need a draw to get people in the door. Know what I mean?"
Garmen is an experienced man, and not easily swayed. But he, like half the men (and a few women) look upon Celest with considerable approval.
"Ah, madame; we will pine in the darkness until the light of your sun shines upon us once more!" He declaimed theatrically.
The next morning, you all awake in your own beds with hangovers. You must have drunk to excess at the Silverdisc Hall.
Lilly has none of the cash she started with, but a dozen or so notes from admirers asking to meet her at the hall the next night.
Celest awoke on a pile of coins and notes totaling more than a thousand crowns.
Flynn awoke when Val tried to climb under the covers with him.
Doctor Rhaym greeted you all at the Tavern when you go to breakfast.
"Good morning ladies, gentleman." He said with a smile. "I hope you had a good time last night, it's almost noon now!"
Celest comes down to breakfast last with her backpack slung over her shoulder. She's whistling some pirate tune.
"Oh hey! Here's that gemstone I picked up from the dungeon the other day." She tosses the agate (which still smells of old boot) on the dining room table.
"Might be worth somethin'; maybe a potion or a scroll or somethin'. Lemme know what you get for it. Anyhow, I'm heading out for some supplies. Later."
Lilly wakes up and immediately rubs her forehead. "Ugh, I knew that was a bad idea. At least I didn't wake up in Flynn's bed." She chuckles ruefully, then just shook her head as she noticed all of her missing funds and the notes from her admirers. She doubted they would be offering her her lost money back. Well, they might, but she probably wouldn't be keen on what she would have to do to earn it. She chalked it up to a lesson learned and crept towards the dining room, noting the rather smug-looking Celest.
She smiles at the somewhat surprisingly generous Celest. Lilly had expected the woman to conveniently forget the agate and try to hawk it later when alone. "I'll be sure to let you know and have your share ready." The warpriestess reaches forth and grabs the gem.
"Hah! I bet you thought I was going to hawk it and keep all the money for myself! Didn't you Lilly? And after all we've been through together. I thought we were friends." Celest abruptly turns away and lowers her head. *sniff sniff* "Fine, just keep it all." *sniff* "See if I care...."
Noticing Celest's cheery mood and casual disposal of a valuable object, Rhaym is wary.
Well, that isn't suspicious at all... He thought.
"Well then, make it quick. Flynn is champing at the bit to head out." He said aloud.
He looked at the paper covered wall.
"And if I'm comprehending this transcript correctly, we have one or more rival expeditions for the reward money."
Beet red for some reason, Val came backing through the swinging door to the kitchen carrying a big platter of food.
As she swung around to present the platter to you all, she accidentally bumped into Celest's heavily laden backpack.
"Oh, sorry Miss Celest! Would you all like something to eat?" Val asked with apology.
Of course, the clear *chink* of a lot of coins that sounded when she hit the pack attracted the attention of all present.
"Just some toast fer me." Celest says slipping some off the platter--and buttering it too before Val could completely pass. "Gotta watch my figure so that everyone else does."
With toast in her mouth, she puts one hand on the door and pats Val on the head with the other saying through warm bread. "Don' wurry 'al, yul haff a figur soon."
Lilly gave Celest's backpack a curious glance, but let it go. At least someone in their group had some money, and that was a good thing.
"Alright, are we ready to go, after Celest takes care of her business?" She smiles at Val, digging into the offered food with relish, hoping the meal will help clear the cobwebs lingering in her head.
_o
"Wow. Somebody had a bad night."
Celest drops the coin-laden pack on the table. She spins a chair around and straddles it across from Lilly. She leans in.
"No holier than thou chastisement, no 'were did all that money come from young lady' no 'you should give that to the old warrior widows fund?' What happened to you?"
Lilly shrugs, a wry smile on her face. "I assume you got it the same way I lost mine, in the gambling halls last night. I would like to hope you haven't stolen it, and if not, then it is yours to do with as you please. Giving some of it to those less fortunate than yourself would certainly shed a kindly light on you, but equipping yourself for the dangers ahead is no less a noble goal."
Lilly shrugs, a wry smile on her face. "I assume you got it the same way I lost mine, in the gambling halls last night. I would like to hope you haven't stolen it..."
"Me too." Celest laughs. Really, what had I been doing wrong all those years before.
But then takes a second to ponder it more. Her mind flashes back to a big (somewhat blurry) card game the night before. She'd talked Lilly into sitting down under the pretense of showing her how to play. As Celest recalled it took a remarkable amount of booze to get the statuesque woman that far, and Celest having to prove the ale was safe to drink wasn't much better off. "See, nuthin' to *hic*."
Most of the game Celest had had to feed her friend cards (who to all the other participants--mainly men with silvering hair--was the obvious virgin at the table). No matter how much they lost to the cleric, the men kept playing, and the pots swelled until at last Celest who thought she was gonna barf pulled the plug on her companion's 'luck' and shoved the whole table into her pack and then staggered out into the cool early morning her head throbbing.
"-and-"
"Huh?" Maybe it was just a dream.
...and if not, then it is yours to do with as you please. Giving some of it to those less fortunate than yourself would certainly shed a kindly light on you, but equipping yourself for the dangers ahead is no less a noble goal."
Celest grabs up her bag and leaves.
A moment later, she returns and hands Lilly 14 gp, 6 sp, 5 cp and a note from one of her admirers. "I think this is yours."
And then out she goes again.
"I'M B-A-C-K!!!" Comes the call from the main tap room later that afternoon. Celest is there, wearing what looks like a new, very form-fitting set of studded leather armor complete with a new perfectly balanced dagger.
"Put those boxes over there on that table, and lean that big one up in the corner." She directs a couple of very fit, shirtless Kellid men. "Yessss, just like that."
"Hey Val!" She waves the younger girl over.
"Take a look at that will you...." She says as the men strain to fit a stack of awkwardly stacked boxes through the doorway. *sigh.*
"Yo! Lil, I took what you said to heart and decided to give all the money to the needy. Sold the agate too."
Lilly pockets the note and the coins, looking on in amusement as Celest rushes out.
When the woman returns with her entourage, Lilly's eyes widen. She casts discrete glances at the Kellid men while feigning disinterest, then nods, smiling brightly, at Celest's words.
"I'm happy to hear that. With the loss of their Flame, these people will likely need the money very soon."