The Knights of Saint Alexius have weathered the abdication of their leader, Sir Faisul and have appointed the bard Alister as their new leader, who has taken the title Sir Alister.
Sir Alister and his court have explored much of the Greenbelt and the northern Narlmarches, confronting dangerous monsters and wily fey, coming to the brink of war with a powerful clan of trolls under the lordship of the self-described Hammer of Asmodeus, Hargulka.
After the disappearance of their allies, the Numerian tribesman Kundal and the faerie dragon Sir Perlivash, they have ridden deep into the southern Narlmarches, encountering the nixie sorceress Melianse and the dryad druid Tiressia. Their search has brought them to a ruined elven citadel of unknown age. They encountered and defeated two guardians, a lightning-fast and murderous quickling and a bestial elf-like creature.
Having retreated to regain their strength, the companions have awakened to find their wizard, Piotr, is missing. Having learned from Corb, Piotr's familiar, that Piotr was taken by a "dancing lady", the team has donned their armor and pursued the pair to the central keep of the ruined citadel. There, they have run afoul of a strange mist that seems to sap their will.
Mikhail listens at the stairs and if he hears nothing he climbs towards the second level.
He's not quite certain what he hears. It sounds like some kind of scuffle.
Is there any obvious threat aside from the vision? If not, Ahran continues in, and tries to ascend the tower towards the light he saw outside. If there are obvious monsters here, he withdraws out of the tower.
Sounds like Mikhail is doing the same so the two of them will be going together.
Mikhail looks over at Ahran and shrugs at the sound of scuffling and begins the journey up.
Ahran is joining Mikhail.
The four companions climb the stairs to an upper chamber and there see an astonishing tableau. The large room is dominated by a single four-poster bed, in which two occupants are in the throes of a very physical and very private moment. One is Piotr, naked and tied to the bed with flowering vines. His attention is entirely consumed by the fey woman on top of him.
She is lithe and beautiful and seems utterly unconcerned by the arrival of four armed men in her boudoir. She is a creature of the First World, not bound by the trivial and provincial morality of mortal lands. She appears as a female elf with pearl white skin, golden hair, and eyes of emerald. Her figure is sleek and curved and she moves with a cat-like grace. She continues her tryst with the rapturous Piotr with a languorous smile and no particular haste. Her rhythmic motions are so enthralling and captivating that Our Heroes merely stare in open-mouthed fascination, which brings a delighted smile to her blood-red lips.
Only Aristu feels a shameful mixture of lust and startled recognition.
Piotr smiles dreamily, ignoring the distant nattering from jays or other annoying creatures.
(vs. DC 17; +3 base, -1 for WIS damage)
(vs. DC 21; +3 base, -1 for WIS damage)
Mikhail breaks free from her mental control and charges her.
Mikhail races across the room and slashes at the beautiful and surely dark fey creature that has taken Piotr.
The beautiful fey's eyes open wide as the angry Abadarian warpriest tries to kill her. She is not only lithe but quick and disengages from her lover with grace and speed. "Are you mad? she cries. "You dare to attack a minister of the queen?"
Still moving in a sinuous, rhythmic dance that keeps Aristu, Alister, Ahran and Piotr enthralled, she gestures to the flowery vines that grow on the walls. "Seize him!"
Corb flies across the room to land on the bed beside his master. Once landed on the bed, Corb delivers a peck to Piotr's forehead.
All the while, Corb is projecting images of a great weasel about to enter the nest and squawking "Wake up! Danger!"
Mikhail sees Corb pecking at Piotr to try and awaken him and snarls, "Snap out of it you fools!" and then quickly chants to Abadar as he attacks the dark fey.
"Foolish Man!" she says. "I came for nothing you could not have replaced. But now I will take your life as payment for your effrontery! Perhaps my son will be wiser." She waves a hand vaguely at the room, then lashes out at Mikhail, still dancing, still mesmerizing everyone but Mikhail.
Her attacks are vicious, but of little use against the warpriest's heavy armor.
In the meantime, Corb's attempts to rouse Piotr have proved futile.
"Release them now foul creature!"Mikhail slashes at her once more trying to force her to release his companions.
Corb increases his efforts, hopping about on Piotr's chest before reaching to grasp his master's left ear in his beak. The familiar then pulls back while twisting, hoping to awaken his master.
Mikhail's attack misses the swift and naked fey by a country mile as she dances back in to the attack. Meanwhile, Corb tortures his master with no effect while Piotr stares rapturously at the gorgeous woman fighting his ally.
Her claws rake at Mikhail's eyes, but he remains protected by his holy prayers.
Mikhail sheathes his blade and tries to grab the dancing fey to stop her enticing moves from distracting his allies.
The Dancing Lady claws at Mikhail as he tries to seize her, but his armor proves too effective. He, however, also cannot come to grips with her.
Giving up on his master, Corb now flies at the fey in an effort to assist Mikhail.
The fight drags on, neither combatant apparently able to harm the other.
Mikhail tries again to tackle her.
Corb again tries to distract the fey creature, flying into her face and trying to break her concentration.
The beautiful naked fey manages to bite Mikhail on the wrist.
[4 damage to Mikhail.)
Mikahil tries to get her into another hold.
Mikhail manages to sieze the lithe fey by the wrist and pull her tight to his body. She smells like honey and lavender while her creamy skin feels like silk stretched over taut cables of muscle. But most importantly...she stops dancing. All of his companions suddenly start awake as if roused from a lovely dream.
With a shriek, she pulls free.
Initiative Order
Mikhail (4 damage)
The Dancing Lady
Alister
Ahran
Piotr
Aristu
Anyone, go!
"Close your eyes!" Mikhail tries to grab her and closes his eyes if he fails.
PIotr blinks, staring up at the ceiling befoe realizing that he is laying on a bed. For some reason, his forehead and ear hurt and his clothing is disheveled. Furthermore, that annoying sound was his companions.
"What is going on? Who is that you are fighting?," the wizard asks as be steps to the floor. The images that he is receiving from Corb are, frankly, embarassing. But he understands that the fey has attacked his companions and himself. In reponse, Piotr begins casting a spell.
"You're awake!," cries Corb. "The thing spelled you!"
Crob continues to fly about, trying to drive his beak into the fey's eyes.
Piotr, you're literally tied down to the bed with flowery vines.
Alister pulls himself out of the areas of the vines. He circles around the fey until he's on the other side of Mikhail. Then he slashes at her with Thorn, which seems to burn with a bright heat as it nears the fey's flesh.
Piotr struggles against the vines, trying to get loose. "Corb! Help me over here!"
Aristu snaps out of the lust induced trance and begins to struggle with vines pulling at his limbs. Suddenly the shock of recognition washes over him again. Shame, hope, anger and fear battle to control his emotions. It can't be her. Fey are tricksters, and she is trying to unnerve me, some half-lucid part of his mind whispers.
"Why are you wearing my mother's face?!?!" he screams. With a surge of adrenaline he pulls his arms free of the vines. He forces his emotions into a vortex of fury that pulls arcane energy from his source. Struggling against the grasping vines, Aristu tries to sculpt the energy into an irresistible compulsion.