"I think a nice donation of around 500 gold coins would be enough to appease the Sacred Flame. And me."
"Wait a minute," Karrin says, "There's also the matter of the other temples, and my holy mission. They need to get a cut as well I'm thinking. Maybe we should bump that up a bit, maybe 700? Like I'm not even sure what's considered good jink these days, when you're getting some 10 grand a mission all this chump change seems a tad inconsequential. Like I want to charge you enough to hurt, you know like the beating I planned to doll out, but I don't want to be too draconian like a tyrant and stuff. I mean I was going to make sure you were missing a tooth or two and you were piddling blood but I wasn't going to break your arms or legs so you couldn't find honest work or something. Maybe you boys should start emptying your pockets and such, you know for a collection, and we can figure out how much we have and how much is owing."
Pulgh looks angry, and desperate
"I don't have that sort of jink. "
His minions look nervous
"I said I'd leave yer temples alone, yeh'll either have to take that or we brawl"
"I don't think you were listening," Karrin says, "Leaving the temples alone is a given, what we're trying to determine is what we do about past crimes. If you want a beating I'm fine with that, but my friend here suggested a tithe, and I suspected that he wanted to do that in loo of a beating. What he and I were discussing amongst ourselves is what would be a fair penalty, and the problem with that is we have no idea how much a street grub like you makes, but if we just jump straight into the violence it makes it easier for me. A tithe is more of a symbolic punishment anyways, you need to figure out how much is reasonable and all that stuff, but a good old fist to the kidneys is pretty much universal . . . unless the person your punching doesn't have kidneys . . ."
Karrin pauses, looking a bit troubled, but then she smiles: "But it's no bother, you got kidneys Pulgh, nice big soft ones I bet. I'm thinking I'll have you pissing crimson for at least a week!"
Rhiannon watched the sadness in Nari's face at the idea of her friend's decline. She had lost friends before, and the slow wasting ones were always the worst.
She reache out, placing a supportive hand on Nari's shoulder.
Nari blinked back tears and gave Rhiannon a watery smile.
"I know there is nothing I can do. Even aside from his illness, Majeed is quite old for a xeph. But I am not a xeph, and this seems very soon to me. I will miss him very much. He was the first person to ever show me kindness."
She hastily wiped her eyes on the back of her hand.
"Since we're here, is there anything that we can help with? I should go report to the higher-ups about recent events before I go, but I think I still have time to scrub a few floors or anything else that needs doing," she said, trying to distract from future pain with present work.
Hlar smiles
"Why don't you go outside and work with some of the orphans? I think one of your party is already out there"
He puts a hand on Nari's shoulder
"Majeed is well taken care of. He has you to thank for that"
"I don't think you were listening," Karrin says, "Leaving the temples alone is a given, what we're trying to determine is what we do about past crimes. If you want a beating I'm fine with that, but my friend here suggested a tithe, and I suspected that he wanted to do that in loo of a beating. What he and I were discussing amongst ourselves is what would be a fair penalty, and the problem with that is we have no idea how much a street grub like you makes, but if we just jump straight into the violence it makes it easier for me. A tithe is more of a symbolic punishment anyways, you need to figure out how much is reasonable and all that stuff, but a good old fist to the kidneys is pretty much universal . . . unless the person your punching doesn't have kidneys . . ."
Karrin pauses, looking a bit troubled, but then she smiles: "But it's no bother, you got kidneys Pulgh, nice big soft ones I bet. I'm thinking I'll have you pissing crimson for at least a week!"
The crime boss' mouth tightens
"So be it. "
initiative
Gurdough goes on 21
Ekuur 19
Qurresia and Thelnarin 18
Ekuur reacts a bit quicker than normal, and targets Pulgh with hold person. DC 17
Thelnarin scowls. "You'll regret it, scum!"
Thelnarin targets the closest of Pulgh's thugs with doom (DC 13).
Gurdough smiles at the impending brawl, but remains otherwise silent. Reacting even before Ekuur, Gurdough targets the weapon Pulgh holds with burning disarm (DC 13 Reflex to drop and take no damage, or else 2d4pts).
Qurresia grimaces a little, but echoes Thelnarin. "You will pay for desecrating our temple!" She completes the casting of her sanctuary spell.
Karrin goes on a 22
"Sweet," She says as she swings the flat of her axe into some skulls.
Attack:
Non lethal damage:
Plus Lethal cold damage
Cleave attack if possible:
Non lethal damage:
Plus Lethal cold damage
Rhiannon watched the sadness in Nari's face at the idea of her friend's decline. She had lost friends before, and the slow wasting ones were always the worst.
She reache out, placing a supportive hand on Nari's shoulder.
Nari blinked back tears and gave Rhiannon a watery smile.
"I know there is nothing I can do. Even aside from his illness, Majeed is quite old for a xeph. But I am not a xeph, and this seems very soon to me. I will miss him very much. He was the first person to ever show me kindness."
She hastily wiped her eyes on the back of her hand.
"Since we're here, is there anything that we can help with? I should go report to the higher-ups about recent events before I go, but I think I still have time to scrub a few floors or anything else that needs doing," she said, trying to distract from future pain with present work.
"Yeah if theres anything we can.....help with let us know." Merle sounding slightly more hesitent than Nari
Initiatives:
Karin: 22 [atk-hit]
Gurdough: 21 [burning disarm-drop]
Ekuur: 19 [hold-fail]
Qurresia: 18 [sanctuary]
Thelnarin: 18 [doom-fail]
Pulgh:17
Street toughs: 16
Karrin hits with Ferissirion, smashing one of the toughs inhis face witha meaty *smack*. The blow affects him, but he stands his ground. A black patch forms on his skin where the searing cold of Karrin's axe freezes his flesh
Gurdough gestures at Pulgh. His large mace glows red hot . He drops it to the ground with a shout
Ekuur brings a short length of iron out and points it at Pulgh, murmuring a syllable of Ignan
"Kif!"
Pulgh shrugs off the effect
Thelnarin points at a nearby tough
"Mout!"
The man looks unaffected
Qrresia finishes her casting, holding her flame symbol high. a ripple of warm air surrounds her
Pulgh points at Karrin, holding an iron bar much like Ekuur had. He points his at Karrin
"Ostanovit!"
The three toughs in front advance on Karrin, Ekuur and Thelnarin.
Karrin:
Ekuur:
Thelnarin:
Crit confirm Ekuur:
The middle two clamber straight up the sides of the surrounding buildings with a fluid grace
They reach the line of second floor windows and dive inside
The back two near Pulgh aim their crossbows. one at Ekuur, one at Thelnarin
Ekuur:
Thelnarin:
Will save:
Attack:
Non lethal Damage:
cold damage:
Karrin will attempt to cleave if possible:
Attack:
Non lethal Damage:
cold damage:
If cleave isn't possible Karrin will instead take a full round of attack and take second attacks on the first goon (supposing he's still standing):
Attack:
Non lethal Damage:
cold damage:
If the goon drops after the second hit Karrin will move towards Plug.
Karrin feels a momentary twitch in her muscles as Pulgh's spell passes over her. With a shake she shrugs the spell off
Karrin's blue axe misses its mark this time, as the tough anticipates her swing and gets outside of it, swaying as he brings his short sword up
Be Vewy Vewy Quiet: ** spoiler omitted **sneaksiesIssac:** spoiler omitted **
Issac heads back towards Hellgate and the Great Foundry. The day is getting rainier, and the cold drips find their way down Issac's collar despite his best efforts. Soon enough, the multiple stacks of the Great Foundry rear in front of him
Isaac heads into the Great Foundry and finds himself a quiet workshop area, grateful to be out of the rain and into the furnace. When he's sure of his privacy a bit more, he takes a neat cast of the Athar pin he had pilfered and uses it to make a mold- using the fire resistance granted by his gem of smithing to speed the process along a bit. With the mold completed, he counts on his fingers.
Karrin, Ekuur, Rhiannon... probably Nari... Merle probably won't need one... Justin... it couldn't hurt... though keepin' 'im invisible with his sodding bonebox snapped may be better. Five will do it, I reckon.
And he sets to work pouring five copies of the pin.
Issac works deftly, crafting the mold with the lost wax method and pouring some melted pewter to make several shiny copies. He dulls them intentionally to age them a bit and finds himself done as the early hours of early Afterpeak shade into the umbral darkness of Before Antipeak. Issac steps from his workbench, banking the charcoal forge he was working on. A smudgy apprentice coalboy runs up and takes over, prepping the area for the next Godman who needs the space.
The Great Foundry yard echoes with the coming shift change. Foundrywork is a hard job, and most factionmembers work doubleshifts of 12 hours when assigned to the faction's headquarters.
The shifts are staggered: The main foundry, Old Scratch, has been running nonstop for centuries, cradled in strong enchantments and with portals opening to the Elemental Planes of Fire and Earth. Such a potent artifact requires constant attention, and the river of molten steel it produced from the portals needed pounding into the swords requisitioned by thousands of armies scattered throught the multiverse.
Issac breathes the sulfur-laced yellow fog that encases his faction's headquarters and contemplates his next move.
"Yeah if theres anything we can.....help with let us know." Merle sounding slightly more hesitent than NariRhiannon watched the sadness in Nari's face at the idea of her friend's decline. She had lost friends before, and the slow wasting ones were always the worst.
She reache out, placing a supportive hand on Nari's shoulder.
Nari blinked back tears and gave Rhiannon a watery smile.
"I know there is nothing I can do. Even aside from his illness, Majeed is quite old for a xeph. But I am not a xeph, and this seems very soon to me. I will miss him very much. He was the first person to ever show me kindness."
She hastily wiped her eyes on the back of her hand.
"Since we're here, is there anything that we can help with? I should go report to the higher-ups about recent events before I go, but I think I still have time to scrub a few floors or anything else that needs doing," she said, trying to distract from future pain with present work.
Hlar smiles sadly
"There's always things to do here at the Gatehouse. If you'd like you can read to some of our residents. We have a small collection of books in the day room. Or, the children always need supervising. We try to keep them off the outer walls, but they are dilligent in attempting to explore, and the surrounding Hive is not a wholesome place for them to go traipsing about. If you want, you can assist me as I tend to some of the more ... sedentary cases."
The old man hops off his stool and stars riffling through a honeycomb-style scroll shelf
"Let's see. Where did I put that scroll? Fly, message, polymorph other.."
The proprietor soon finds everything Justin asks for
Ekuur grimaces as the tough cuts into him. As he realizes Pulgh isn't pulling his punches, he calls out in a rage. "I'm sorry Karrin, but blood will be answered with blood!" He swings with his trikal at the thug.
trikal
damage plus fire
Following his master's lead, Thelnarin also swings his trikal back at the thug whose attack narrowly missed him.
trikal
damage
Gurdough shouts a command at the thug attacking Karrin to "Fall!".
Qurresia casts bless, affecting all of her allies.
"Well it looks like I'll need some tooth picks tonight," She says, "Why can't people just accept the beating?"
"Thank you, Hlar."
"Come on, Merle. Let's go play with the kids. It's the best thing about coming here," she said with an encouraging smile.
She enjoyed the time spent, playing a modified version of a game she learned from the street kids in Susir during a time when she got separated from Majeed; a strange combination of hopscotch, kick the can, and hide and seek.
Before it was time to leave she made sure to go and give her report to her superiors, letting them know about the extraplanar goings-on as well as her own changed circumstances.
Merle, Seph, Rhiannon and Lynora all spend some time with the herd of children romping through the walled enclosure in back of the Gatehouse. Desite the scuffed and worn look of the building and grounds, there are more trees and vegetation here than anywhere else in the Cage outside the Lady's Ward. A lot of love and work goes into keeping things growing in the fetid air.
After a bit, Lynora excuses herself to go report her findings to a higher-up. She finds Factor Tyvold in his office overlooking the children's play area. Tyvold is an elf, which gives Nari a bit of a shiver, but his eyes are sad, not angry, and his face shows the careworn lines of one who has worked tirelessly for years at his duties. He listens to her account, and calls for his secretary to take notes. The scratching of a quill fills the cramped office as Nari tells of her trip through the Outlands, Yggdrasil and Arda.
"Quite interesting. The mighty fall, no matter that they claim infallability and immortality. Something bad is building out there in the Outer Planes. We must prepare to weather the storm."
Tyvold, sensing Nari's hesitence, doesn't approach her, but he smiles warmly
"You have done well Nari. I will bring these tidings to Facol Lhar and we will take them into account when planning our next cycle's activities."
"I am glad to be of help," she said formally. She wondered if she would ever feel at ease around elves.
She relaxed a little as she glanced out the window that overlooked the courtyard. Watching the children at play made her smile just a bit. "Please let me know if there is anything further I can do to be of assistance."
"Oh, and I would not want to forget..." she pulled out a purse with fifty gold coins in it. "I hope that this is of help. I have little use for money and I know that the people here have much need of it. I would give more, but I have a feeling my companions will have need of things like healing potions in the near future. I intend to use the rest of my funds to buy those things for them."
Gurdough shouts a command at the thug attacking Karrin to "Fall!".
The thug falls to the ground, prone
"I am glad to be of help," she said formally. She wondered if she would ever feel at ease around elves.
She relaxed a little as she glanced out the window that overlooked the courtyard. Watching the children at play made her smile just a bit. "Please let me know if there is anything further I can do to be of assistance."
"Oh, and I would not want to forget..." she pulled out a purse with fifty gold coins in it. "I hope that this is of help. I have little use for money and I know that the people here have much need of it. I would give more, but I have a feeling my companions will have need of things like healing potions in the near future. I intend to use the rest of my funds to buy those things for them."
Tyvold accepts the pouch gracefully
"This will help immenslely, Naridre. Thank you."
Karrin misses her foe, but the command FALL! makes him drop to the fetid muck on the street. Ekuur's trikal connects and a puff of flame bursts from the wepon, searing his foe. Thelnarin is less lucky. His swing goes wide.
Initiatives rd 2:
Karin: 22 [atk-miss]
Gurdough: 21 [Command]
Ekuur: 19 [atk-hit]
Qurresia: 18 [bless]
Thelnarin: 18 [Atk-miss]
Pulgh:17 [Searing RT 3d8]
Street toughs: 16 [attacking]
Pulgh sizes up Karrin as the more clear threat. He points an open upraised hand at her and speaks a word:
ZUCHAYA!
A dazzling beam of light springs towards Karrin
Ranged touch atk:
The beam sizzles over Karrin's head.
The toughs continue their attacks.
Ekuur:
Thelnarin:
Crit confirm on Ekuur:
Ekuur's foe recovers from his burns and stabs his short sword past the Athasian cleric's defenses
The two by Pulgh level their crossbows at Karrin:
Fumble confirm:
one bolt finds the tiefling duskblade's arm, furrowing a shallow red gash across it
The two sheltered in the windows above the street aim at Ekuur
Neither suceeds
"Let me soften these boys up for you," Karrin says as she attacks the two standing goons, chopping first into the one in front of Thelnarin, and then attempting to cleave into the one in front of Ekuur:
Attack:
Damage:
If that connects Karrin cleaves into the goon standing in front of Ekuur:
Attack:
Damage:
(Karrin will wait to see if the goon in front of her tries to stand, if he does Karrin gladly takes the AoO):
Attack:
Damage:
Gurdough takes a 5' step back and then channels energy, making sure he only gets Ekuur, Karrin, and Thelnarin in the burst and not any of the thugs.
Realizing Pulgh is still the greatest threat, Ekuur takes a 5' step back into the spot vacated by Gurdough, and sends a fireball directly into the square Pulgh occupies.
damage
Thelnarin presses his attack.
attack
damage
Qurresia targets the thug in front of Ekuur with command to "Fall!" following Gurdough's lead.
Karin: 22 [atk-defeat]
Gurdough: 21 [healy-bomb]
Ekuur: 19 [FIREBALL!]
Qurresia: 18 [command]
Thelnarin: 18 [Atk-miss]
Pulgh:17 [MISFIRE]
Street toughs: 16 [attacking]
DM stuffs:
More:
Karrin's first swing cleaves into Thelnarin's foe, ripping a large rent in his chain-and-leather street armor which is followed by a rush of bright red blood frozen in a scatter of reddish crystals as Ferissirion's blade smokes through them on the backswing. Karrin lets the massive axe follow through, burying it deep into the shoulder of Ekuur's foe, sending him staggering. She hears a groan as the thug she had hit before tries to rise. Wrenching Ferissirion's smoking blue haft free from Ekuur's foe, she sends its silver-rune-graven shaft backwards into the man's skull as he rises. He collapses on the ground, a smoking circular frostbite mark outlining a new dimple in his forehead.
Gurdough prays in Ignan and a pulse of warmth caress the group. Their wounds pain them a bit less
Ekuur chants and points. A fireball ignites where Pulgh is gesticulating
A roar goes up as the ephemeral fireball ignites, blackening the timber-and-basalt facades these particular temples seem to be built in.
Pulgh's chanting turns into a scream of rage and pain as Ekuur's flame washes over him, disrupting his incantations. His minions attempt to dodge the worst of the flames
They both blacken a bit
Qurresia turns her scarred face towards Ekuur's foe and speaks
He falls to the ground in front of Ekuur. Qurresia wonders briefly is he might be relived to be taking a dive
Thelnarin swings again, but his greeness with the trikal shows. His attack goes wide.
The two toughs on the street next to Pulgh swing their hand crossbows up towards Karrin again
The small crossbow darts are ineffectual
The two at the second floor windows toss bags' down on Karrin and Ekuur
The contents spatter across both of them and they feel the sticky goo hardening as it is exposed to air.
The last standing goon swings at Thelnarin
The toughs's razor-sharp short sword finds the young cleric's arm.
Gurdough reaches forward and touches Thelnarin with guidance.
Reflex
Strength check to break free
Thelnarin presses the attack
attack
damage
Qurresia channels energy, keeping the thugs out of the burst
Reflex:
"You'll need to do better then that chumps," Karrin says as she skips away from the tanglefoot bag and over her downed opponent, "and now," Karrin says looking at Plugh, "For my next trick . . ."
Karrin casts quickened invisibility and charges straight at Plugh:
Acrobatics to avoid AoO:
Karrin moves the 25 feet between her and Plugh and then dismisses the invisibility the good old fashioned way: By way of axe to the head.
Power Attack: (Plugh can't use his dex against this attack as Karrin is invisible):
Damage:
If that hits Karrin will cleave into the goon to her right:
Damage:
"Boo"