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You mean to tell me, that people of their own free will take organic and alchemical produced substances to alter their state of mind! What absolute foolishness. What next Tarak, will peole start rolling up dried weeds and smoke that as well?
Shaking my head in disbelief I notice Tarek reading. Oh oh....looks like there is more...what is it?
As the Archosn continue to try and unravel the mystery before them, the note in Tarek's hand once again glimmers with new writing:
"Time runs short, and I only pray I deliver this in time as if not, all is lost. Once a person passes through the portals in this order, they will be able to pierce the barrier. Please hurry, for time is literally scarce..."
The note is followed by a sequence of portals, spelling out the exact sequence to step through. This note is easily deciphered and the Archons each pass in the corrected sequence and will now be able to pierce the magical barrier and proceed to the fifth floor.
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Well my friends it looks as if luck is on our side. I was beginning to think our only option was harnessing 1.21 gigawatts of power. I am glad we do not have to go that route. Let us make haste and travel to the top of the tower before time runs out. I will be happy to be free of this place as quickly as we can.
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Tarek, truly you have a stunning intellect. Most men cannot even fathom the power of electrify, let alone measure it
Arcanely ready for action....and now invisible.
OK, who is first in....that can be me....let me get to the door here......and..once you are all ready, in I will go.
I wait to see the rest line up behind me, once we are in our stack to enter, I test the door to see if it is open or Ajar, and if so...in I go.
Finally able to decipher the mystery of the belfry, the Archons either leap the broken stairway or climb with a rope, piercing the magical barrier and entering the belfry.
The top of the Clock Tower is swathed in bright light, and barriers of glowing violet block any view of the town of Uringen. The numerous gears that drive the clocks spin and tick in time, and with every twitch of the second hand, a shudder runs through the room. Between the gears of the clocks, a thick, silver-gold substance drips out, crackling with arcs of red and blue.
A comely woman, dressed in a blue, leaf like material, is busy inside the room. She mutters to herself in a smooth, beautiful language works at wall of the tower. She wears a crown of thorns and a closer inspection shows that she is scraping and collecting some of the dripping substance. She does not appear to notice the Archons presence.
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Thinking melee may quickly ensue and Caoilte's need to smash things, Tarek quickly casts shield of faith and touches the warrior.
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S, M (parchment with a holy text written on it)
Range: touch
Target: creature touched
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: yes (harmless)
Mythic: Has Mythic version
Source: Core Rulebook
Summary: Aura grants +2 or higher deflection bonus.
This spell creates a shimmering, magical field around the target that averts and deflects attacks. The spell grants the subject a +2 deflection bonus to AC, with an additional +1 to the bonus for every six levels you have (maximum +5 deflection bonus at 18th level).
The woman casually continues to collect the strange substance as the party gathers about her. She places the substance on a vial and places the vial in a pocket of her vestment. Isador cannot determine if there is any special technique the woman used to collect the substance. The Archons notice she is speaking to herself in hurried jumbled tones of the easy flowing language of the forrest. The woman turns and notices the party. Her face grows stern and her eyes go wide. She speaks harshly to the group in the same flowing language. When she can see that the agents do not react or indicate they understand, a flash of annoyance flashes across her face as she addesses them in common.
"Who are you? Who disturbs my work this day? I warn thee, I shall brook no resistance in my restoration of this abomination. Away now, leave me to my work to return this place to Shyka to whom it so rightfully belongs."
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Archons, let us determine if we can do what we were sent here to do with little hostility as possible
Tarek looks to the woman and attempts to speak to her in the language of the forest
Upon Caoilte's approach, the strange woman's eyes go dark but before she can take any action, Tarek steps in and addresses the woman in light blue in the same smoth flowing language she was speaking a moment ago. The woamn's demanor shifts notably and clearly is taken aback at Tarek's use of the language. She speaks to the oracle in the same language.
The woman gestures about her, showing Tarek small specks of white stone in the walls of the tower.
The woman tilts her head up once and eyes Tarek.
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Tarek thinks for a moment and addresses the woman once more.
You may feel the common tongue is beneath you to speak but I request that we speak so all may understand what has happened. Allow me a moment to speak with my companions. This tower has been a curse to Uringen because it has frozen half the city in time. Perhaps we can aid you in your cause if you are willing to aid us in ours? If you will excuse me, I will speak to the others.
Tarek addresses the Archons It seems this tower was built upon a sacred site to the Fey and and a scared artifact was destroyed and used in the construction of the tower. I think our objective was to determine what this tower does in hopes of freeing Uringen from this time freeze. The lady wishes to destroy this tower and it may be within her rights to do so, as long as it does not bring forth greater destruction
The woman eyes Tarek coolly, and responds to his question in Sylvan.
Havelock observes he interaction but must rely on Tarek's translations. His ominous black blade hums in its scabbard but does not offer any aid to the situation.
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Our goals may not be so different. We wish to study the tower and free Uringen from this time freeze. If the dismantling of this tower will bring no injury to the people then I don't see reason to stop you if someone defiled a holy site and artifact. We may even be able to provide our assistance in exchange for a small vial of temporal essence. The substance is far more important to us than this broken tower.can we come to some agreement?
Tarek reluctantly switches back to speaking Sylvan which has a the effect of soothing the woman's demeanor considerably. At first, the woman says nothing but nods and stares at Tarek intently with hauntingly vivid green eyes.
The woman fixes Tarek in a piercing cold stare as she awaits his response.
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Tarek turns to address the Archons
I have given my word to see this tower is returned to the goddess Shyka in exchange for a vial of the essence. If this land and contents of the tower were unlawfully taken then Uringen has no rights to it's ownership. I have pledged my aid but it is up to you all to decide where you stand. Will you pledge your aid to return this place to Shyka?
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The red shrugs and speaks quietly...
I think it would help to know why the tower was built.
Just to play 'Devil's Advocate', what if, for an extreme example, the tower was built to trap some form of abyssal creature that had destroyed the artifact and was trying to rend time apart for its own purposes?
That being said, a giant clocktower built with stones fixed with a ground up scared artifact and plunked down square on a holy site of one who is purported to be able to reshape the World on a whim? This building's construction was definitely not accidental.
She gives a small head tilting nod towards the woman and continues.
If I were in her place I would be doing something quite similar.
However, bringing this tower down is going to have consequences; no matter the reason it was built. I, for one, would prefer to not be caught with my trousers around my ankles when the aftermath hits; so if we have time, we should try and figure out what that might be.
The woman tilts her head and considers Kat's words. She smiles as the elf speaks the forrest tongue. She speaks to both Tarek and Kat.
The dryad holds up a single vial of the essence she was collected just moments before. She addresses Tarek once again.
The fey once again waits for tarek's reply. Neither Tarek nor Havelock note any deception in the fey's mannerisms and are certain she is speaking in good faith.
The dryad quirks her brow and nods. She speaks to the party, begrudgingly, in common.
Very well, I agree to the bargain. The comely woman hands Tarek a vial of the strange temporal essence and nods. Let us away. Thou hast a task at hand. I do hope the villagers do not protest too much. She tips her head and leads the party out of the tower back into the town square.
Crossing the square,the Archons note the area is ransacked and deserted. As they proceed, several small fey emerge from behind a building. One of them, Eloriand notes it has the marking of a grig, hops forward and speaks to the dryad.
Henbane! Why do you aid these creatures! Destroy them!
The dryad, Henbane, tilts her head and addresses the grig. The time wasn’t right anymore. Your request only made sense at the later time.
The three smaller fey and the grig just nod, then attack the party!
Initiative Order
- quickling3
- quickling2
- Isador
- Kat
- quickling3
- Havelock
- Caoilte
- Eloriand
- Tarek
- grig
Two quicklings launch themselves at the party in a blur! The two fey move at amazing speeds, barely visible as they speed toward Caoilte, flanking him. Caoilte fends off the first attack, but the second strike hits deep, stabbing Caoilte in the back.
The Archons engage the fey!
Isador draws a bead on the vibrating fey, almost sensing another of the speedy fey in their midst. As two of the little evils materialize almost out of thin air to attack Caoilte, Isador sees one begin to materialize. he focuses and fires an arrow which bounces of the things head. Though the arrow did not penetrate, it rang the little guy's bell something fierce.
Isador's shot, however, draws an attack from one of the fey near him. Like a flash of lighting, the fey slices Isador on the hand, drawing blood.
Kat tries the same trick but misses the speedy freest dweller badly.
The last smaller fey darts toward Havelock, swinging a small sword lightning fast. It nicks the magus, drawing blood.
Havelock tries to swing at the few but his attacks cannot land on the speedy devil.
Tarek draws upon his divine power to enhance his weapon and moves into position to attack the fey.[/ooc]
Eloriand easily identifies the speedy fey as quicklings, and informs the party of their ability to become invisible should they stand still. The other fey is a grig.
The grig smiles and disappears from view.
The other quicklings continue their assault on Caoilte. One of the quiclings gets under Caoilte's defense and cuts the fighter deep.
Q113
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Amazed that the little turd could actually see past my invisibility, I swing twice at the little turd, hoping that it's split attention between Caolite and I will soon make this thing physically dead and part of history from a linear Tim eperspective at least.
Gods be DAMNED
Raging....I press my attack.
The fight continues!
Isador tries to snag one of the speedy quicklings with a vial of acid, stepping out the reach of the little bugger before he does. The wee folk are to quick and the vial misses. The vial lands behind the quickling, exploding against the side of a house.
Kat tries her bow, but is unable to draw a bead on the speedy fey.
The quickling in front of Havelock tries another stab, slicing the magus on the shin causing a bleeding gash to form.
The fight continues!
Caoilte takes a mighty swing at the quickling in front of him. He is able to land a solid blow on the speedy denizen of the 1st world. While the axe fails to penetrate the fey's skin, Caoilte can tell it felt that one.
Tarek swings his mighty sword and lands a blow on the darting fey. It hisses as the holy blade causes some damage, though the fey resists much of it.
Eloriand fires off an arrow but is unable to connect.
Suddenly the grig reappears as he finishes the last of a spell. Long vines spring from the ground and begin to wrap themselves around the Archons!
The quicklings surrounding Caoilte continue their attack on the warrior. Their atatcks finally fell their foe, and Caoilte falls to the ground. The vines slowly begin to encircle the unconscious agent.
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The vines creep from the ground to entangle some of the brave agents. Caoilte's unconscious body quickly becomes wrapped in the magically summoned plants. Tarek and Eloriand are also ensnared by the pernicious vegetation while Isador, the crafty rogue, manages to leap out of the vines reach.
Havelock finally manages to land a blow on the quickling before him. The magus releases the long held electrical charge which channels though his black blade into the fey, obliterating it.
Isador fires another arrow at one of the quickling but misses.
Kat fires an arrow at one of jumpy buggers but is short of the mark.
Havelock digs into a further arcane reserve and launches a arrow coated in magical acid at the nearest quickling after taking a step back. Unfortunately, the arrow misses the speeding fey.
Blood begins to seep from Caoilte's body.
Eloriand attempts to draw a bead on one of the quicklings, nicking the little blur.
Tarek reaches out, fighting the entangling vines and holding a quickling at bay to call forth divine power, sending it to Caoilte. The energy settles over the unconscious warrior to stabilize his wounds.
The grig rubs its legs together in a fury and waves its hands wildly, throwing magical energy at Havelock, while stating "Ever hear the one about the maiden, the crowe and three blind mice?"
The remaining quicklings, seeing Havelock explode one of their fellow fey, blur towards the magus, flanking him. They each find their mark, drawing blood from the Chelaxian.
q210