"A good blow, well done, as I said to the whore last night. Now suck on this girlie!"
Oso slashes wildly, all reason fled.
He falls.
His sword seems to draw your attention to it. Suddenly, the span of steel in the dead madman's hands is the most interesting thing in the world. It seems to be covered with tiny blue lightning; Oso can feel as though he's covered in static electricity; his sword too.
It's down to Elgan who's fighting two guys;
elgan beldan pip left to go.
Oso looks around at the others. His rage has ended and he's tired, dog tired.
"You ...seeing this? The sword maker is here, yes? You see that, right?"
Pip, seeing that Elgan is double teamed, figures he could use a bit of a goose. He ups the tempo of The Ballad of Oso the Living Sword.
Elgan bear goes into a blur of motion...
Elgan; Beldan left.
Beldan, seeing the two guys hacking away at Elgan, lunges forward – but trips over the legs of someone in the crowd and goes sprawling.
Aww man....anybody see Rashomon?
Rashomon spoiler:
Elgan-the-Druid-Dire-Bear reaches Forward as the two goons charge him, biting at one and slapping at the other before they even realize they are within reach of the nature priest's large form!
Bite: 1d20+10=20, Dmg: 1d8+8=16, Paw: 1d20+6=12, Dmg: 1d6+8=12
Elgan whuffs in surprise as Pip's supernatural riffs take effect, and then happily tears into his two foes with dizzying speed!
Elganbear mauls them. They go down under wounding claw and fang. Elgan feels a sense of power and rancor, at once seductive and horrifying.
Combat ends.
There's a very palpable silence in the room. Pale faces stare at the bear.
xp each 900 xp.
Treasure...
1 +2 chain shirt
2 +1 chain shirts
1 +1 keen bastard sword
1 +1 flaming bastard sword
500 g.p. in gold, gems, misc. salable crap and.....
Osos' foes' sword sends a wide beam of energy at the Kelanite warrior priest. He can feel it filling him with power and wonder and a feeling so sublime Like unto the dream of the Graz'zt sword gifting only waking.
And for an instant, he feels at one with the bladesmith from the prior lucid dream. He is beating the sword in a smithy spattered with sigils smeared in forge's greasy soot on walls masoned by a madman. Chittering things in the shadows gibber and squabble and look on in greedy amazement at the smith. Aye, the zygote sword maturing from a bar of metal under the hammer cries out it's name.......Voidwand.....
"Voidwand," Oso murmurs.
"This sword is being made for a purpose, I believe that my God is taking a hand in our fates. No more folksy native talk, I will not hide. May not be bright but I am smart enough to know you guys have helped me far more than I can ever repay you, however if ever you need my help. Pip, Elgan, Beldan, just ask."
"What in the hells was that all about?" Beldan asks, picking himself up off the floor and looking about for signs of the local law enforcers coming to break up the party.
"Uh, Elgan, time to go native I think..."
The only law enforcement in this section of Sasserine that cares enough to be there is the pair of half orcs working the door who came inside to watch.
One of them says, "hey....you. Made the mess......I'll bring a wagon 'round. You pull them outside."
The joint starts swinging again, after about ten minutes, like nothing happened.
A half hour later, three elves armed to the teeth and an elven mage come in; they go towards the front to listen to Pip. They look pretty dour, but seem to lighten up when Pip's music slides into their neurons.
A half hour later, three elves armed to the teeth and an elven mage come in; they go towards the front to listen to Pip. They look pretty dour, but seem to lighten up when Pip's music slides into their neurons.
Pip notes the three and tries to get a sense of them
Pip entertains the crowd with a quick rendition of The Ballad of Cap'm Flamebritches:
"Oh there once was a terror of the Seven Seas
With his head on fire but no c0ck to squeeze
Since the cabin boy shoved glass up his bum
That circumcised the pirate right to his tum!
Don't shed a tear for the limp pirate Flamey!
Oh the flaming pirate animated many bones
'Cept the one poor bone that he called his own
Though he gnashed and wailed and cast spells dire
His little trouser bone just wouldn't catch on fire!
Don't shed a tear for the limp pirate Flamey!
"Though he screamed and cried like a little git
His undead and flames didn't help him a bit
As the Regulators cut him down right quick
The pirate died as he lived: with a flaccid d1ck!"
Don't shed a tear for the limp pirate Flamey!
"Well the tale of Cap'm Flamebritches is now all done
Now that the Regulators have had their fun
And the only thing folks will remember of him
Is the song I'll sing of his flaccid limb!"
They smile at your music, and look a little less battlehardened.
Yih; you can go ahead and use the evil geiger-mueller on them; you don't get any mR/hr of wickedness on the gauge.
They're not evil.
"Greetings, good hail fellow Pip!" speaks the mage. Or you think it's a mage; robes.....wands......saturn and stars sewed into the lapel of her riding coat.
"We're here to show thee to the House of the Whirling Fury."
Elgan nods at Beldan and shifts back into an elf, still panting from the fighting and his wounds. WHich are more serious than either he realized, or was willing to let on. However a few quick prayers later, and he is good as new, with only a couple of new Pink scars to show as trophies to the ladies.
He looks at Oso, unsure of what to say, sine he was otherwise occupied, he didn't see anything, unusual, but is almost afraid to say so in the face of Oso's fiery and dramatic statements. SO he just smiles and nods.
He warily eyes the elvish newcomers, especially as they are so obviously looking for, or at least expecting trouble. But he relaxes as they do, and is soon back to enjoying the show, and wishing the alcohol would affect him more.
When the Elvish mage deigns to speak to Pip, Elgan looks to Beldan,
"How cum ever'wun seemsta know sumwun heah but ME??" He asks plaintively.
"We're here to show thee to the House of the Whirling Fury."
Pip ends his ballad with a flourish.
"Well, that is a place I'd be interested in attending. Can my friends come too?"
"Yeah. These are dangerous times." speaks the wizard elf. "I would tell you my name, but at this point, the dungeonmaster isn't sure if I'm a throwaway n.p.c. or not...okay it's Pelops.
I wouldn't expect you to come to some strange buildings with a crew of elves that you've never met."
By your leave, they lead you all to the Champion's District nearby.
the group is led through the gates to the Champion's District. 5 doughty warriors of Zelkarune's Horns watch the gate in from the scuzzy part of town just exited; they wave the elves through with a friendly, "good evening, Pelops....hope you're well.....dangerous times for elves to be about,....you've heard the stories, the gorings, the disappearances..."
And leads you to a nonchalant three-story wooden manse. It's pretty unassuming from the outside; looks more like a private dwelling than a temple. The only marking is a symbol of a tornado, before which are crossed blades.
The door opens; it's the halfling girl from earlier. Her azure gown visibly shifts from blue to twilight to star sprinkled darkest night.
"Welcome, Pip......welcome, and be at your ease."
She looks at the assembled Regulators; "and welcome to your friends as well."
She leads you all in through the door, and out a back door onto a porch, and down to a set of three long tables lit with candles and prepared with appetizers. There's a good three dozen people assembled there: humans, elves, quite a few halflings; a gnome or two.
At the center table's head in a throne sits a beauteous elf woman with hair like moonlit snow and eyes sharp like a hunter's.
She's dressed simply in a tunic of blue with silvery needlepoint. Across the back of her throne like the horns of an aurochs is propped a splendid two-bladed sword.
"Welcome, Pip and entourage....I am Lady Silvermane. Welcome to the House of the Whirling Fury, and to the fellowship of the troubadors of stars."
Elgan's sharp eyed take in all as they are led into the 'temple'? And he bows low at the greeting they receive, and smiles happily. Although he remains silent for the moment, seeing as how they actually invited Pip.
"Please, my well met's," speaks Silvermane, "make yourself at home. I've a roasted tapir on the spit, help yourselves. And the wine flows freely here as a waterfall." There is something savory smelling hereabouts...
Most of the assembled eye over the new throng of regulators, then go about their feasting and their cups. It seems a rather jovial assemblage. The wine's been flowing freely for a goodly while.
Oso follows Pip.
Sits, drinks and eats. He is in a bit of a daze.
Gittik follows along a little later, clocks the halfling girl.
"Hey me miss anything? Big bloodstain on floor in inn when me come down. Meh, probably nothing as you no need me to help. Anyway, me have to sneak away, me send girl too jiggy. You go halfling, you no go back, you know what me mean? Heh! So, what Champion belt thing all about?"
Lady Silvermane's ears perk up at the mention of the 'games.
She chides the Horns of Zelkarune somewhat, though you can tell it's lovingly....
"Ahhh, yes. They asked ME if I wanted to join in. I told them that there's ACTUAL DEMONS about in the world, and ergo I've better things to do with my sword."
then she looks at you guys;
"Although, I guess it would be an opportunity to keep one's skills up."
Another younger guy, human, somewhat extravagantly attired, ambles up to Gittik:
"Did I hear you guys talking about the 'Games? My name's Peterhew....listen; where you guys staying? I only ask because my Uncle owns the Burning Dragon, on the Westmarket (area 45 on the Cudgel District).
We've installed a magnificent bath, and an underground training facility.....it'd work the angles if some gladiators came and stayed there."
After spending some time with the librarians debating the merits of unnaming and mind-reading, Altai's mind is swimming. Deciding to call it a day, he checks out the book and wanders back to the ship. Finding it empty, he backtracks a bit, finding the gore-splattered bar and then, after asking around a bit, the Church of the Whirling Fury.
"Gods, my head hurts..."
Beldan comes along, a little unsure what to expect. But he’s pleasantly surprised. He tucks into the food, and some hair of the dog (he’s kind of on an alcohol / adrenaline buzz after the club and the fight), checks out the attractive company and does his best to avoid any religious discussions.
“Boy, if I knew that temples were like this, I would have been more religious maybe…”
Well, comments like that may not help in his avoidance of religious discussion. He is a little drunk after all.
The dinner wraps up, and Lady Silvermane announces, "light the bonfire."
The guests link hands around it in two circles and start dancing; one clockwise, one counterclockwise. The elfen mage starts a chanting song, and three instrumentalists and three drummers join in.
After a few minutes, the unlit bonfire flares in a pillar of occult flame. The flame becomes a woman with fire for hair and a guitar......
"Quiet night of quiet stars.....quiet notes from my guitar,..."
Corcovado....oh, how lovely.
"Is Pip here?" she asks.
Pip strides forward
"I am lady."
Elgan smiles and takes teh lady up on her offer of food and drink.
"Dis' heah place not ha'f bad." He tells a seemingly distraught, or possibly hungover (although it seems a bit early) Altai as the mage finds his way there about an hour later.
"It ain't deh central glade o' deh Deepwood mind'yeh, but it ain't bad. Deh peeples heah seem frendly e'nuff. An' deh roas' iz guud!"
Elgan's attention is instantly captured by the singing and dancing, and he watches enraptured as the 'show' begins,...
After spending some time with the librarians debating the merits of unnaming and mind-reading, Altai's mind is swimming. Deciding to call it a day, he checks out the book and wanders back to the ship. Finding it empty, he backtracks a bit, finding the gore-splattered bar and then, after asking around a bit, the Church of the Whirling Fury.
"Gods, my head hurts..."
Altai enters the streets of the champion's district, on his way to the Temple. Passing by a man juggling fiery stakes and tipsy carousers, several dressed in the gears of war, he gets a sense that this district can be a rowdy, bawdy place.
His headache isn't helped by the shouting he hears as he passes by an alley.....
"THOU SHADOWY SLINKER!!! HO THERE!!! WHAT ARE YOU ABOUT, EH? WHA...MURDER! MURDER MOST FOULLY DONE...STAND AND DELIVER.....GAAAAAH!!!"
It's not too far off...
Elgan smiles and takes teh lady up on her offer of food and drink.
"Dis' heah place not ha'f bad." He tells a seemingly distraught, or possibly hungover (although it seems a bit early) Altai as the mage finds his way there about an hour later.
"It ain't deh central glade o' deh Deepwood mind'yeh, but it ain't bad. Deh peeples heah seem frendly e'nuff. An' deh roas' iz guud!"
Elgan's attention is instantly captured by the singing and dancing, and he watches enraptured as the 'show' begins,...
that's cool....
the tapir tastes like beef; it is indeed good fare.Thought I'd say chicken, eh?
Silvermane (earlier, pre-dance party) asks, "so Dreadwood is whence you came, good Elgan? I thought I recognized the accent.
How fares Dreadwood? I hear there was some action up in Keoland of late."
Pip strides forward
"I am lady."
"Good....the Court of Stars hears thy music, feels thy energy across the aether, and would see you in our service.
I have come to teach thee sublime and heavenly chords and flourishes. Follow along, good Pip."The maiden's hair dances like fire as the ribald flamenco dances from her fingers.
After spending some time with the librarians debating the merits of unnaming and mind-reading, Altai's mind is swimming. Deciding to call it a day, he checks out the book and wanders back to the ship. Finding it empty, he backtracks a bit, finding the gore-splattered bar and then, after asking around a bit, the Church of the Whirling Fury.
"Gods, my head hurts..."
Altai enters the streets of the champion's district, on his way to the Temple. Passing by a man juggling fiery stakes and tipsy carousers, several dressed in the gears of war, he gets a sense that this district can be a rowdy, bawdy place.
His headache isn't helped by the shouting he hears as he passes by an alley.....
"THOU SHADOWY SLINKER!!! HO THERE!!! WHAT ARE YOU ABOUT, EH? WHA...MURDER! MURDER MOST FOULLY DONE...STAND AND DELIVER.....GAAAAAH!!!"
It's not too far off...
Cut scenes.....WOO HOO!!!
Beldan comes along, a little unsure what to expect. But he’s pleasantly surprised. He tucks into the food, and some hair of the dog (he’s kind of on an alcohol / adrenaline buzz after the club and the fight), checks out the attractive company and does his best to avoid any religious discussions.
“Boy, if I knew that temples were like this, I would have been more religious maybe…”
Well, comments like that may not help in his avoidance of religious discussion. He is a little drunk after all.
"Stick around. It gets better...."
a lovely halfelf says, somewhat tipsy, from the other table.She takes Beldan's hand and leads him to the circle when the summoning begins.
Silvermane (earlier, pre-dance party) asks, "so Dreadwood is whence you came, good Elgan? I thought I recognized the accent.
How fares Dreadwood? I hear there was some action up in Keoland of late."
Elgan nods and responds (Pre-dance-summon thingie) QUickly swallowing his bite of food before responding in Elvish.
"Aye fair lady, I hail from the Dreadwood. An' sore do I miss my forest home. But I have been charged with a duty to go forth and learn more of the world surrounding my home, And whilst I did not relish it at first, traveling with these folk has been most educational. And sometimes most entertaining. Whatever else it may be, it has never been dull!" HE grins.
"Ah, you have heard of disturbances from Keoland? I confess that the larger geography somewhat escapes me, and I have lost count of the leagues of which we have traveled. But I would not be surprised if some of what you have heard are adventures that we have been involved in." He speaks a little of their adventures, never going into too much detail, but giving the lady the basics of their harrowing fights and narrow escapes. And like a true (neutral) druid, never overemphasizes his own accomplishments, but praises all of his fellows as the great warriors and wizards they are.
Altai enters the streets of the champion's district, on his way to the Temple. Passing by a man juggling fiery stakes and tipsy carousers, several dressed in the gears of war, he gets a sense that this district can be a rowdy, bawdy place.
His headache isn't helped by the shouting he hears as he passes by an alley.....
"THOU SHADOWY SLINKER!!! HO THERE!!! WHAT ARE YOU ABOUT, EH? WHA...MURDER! MURDER MOST FOULLY DONE...STAND AND DELIVER.....GAAAAAH!!!"
It's not too far off...
"Uh, what?" Still holding on to his beer stein, Altai wanders off in search of the theatrical mugging victim.
Pip strides forward
"I am lady."
"Good....the Court of Stars hears thy music, feels thy energy across the aether, and would see you in our service.
I have come to teach thee sublime and heavenly chords and flourishes. Follow along, good Pip."
The maiden's hair dances like fire as the ribald flamenco dances from her fingers.
Pip attempts to learn the new chords
He a few troubles, but manages to put up a decent showing
Silvermane (earlier, pre-dance party) asks, "so Dreadwood is whence you came, good Elgan? I thought I recognized the accent.
How fares Dreadwood? I hear there was some action up in Keoland of late."
Elgan nods and responds (Pre-dance-summon thingie) QUickly swallowing his bite of food before responding in Elvish.
"Aye fair lady, I hail from the Dreadwood. An' sore do I miss my forest home. But I have been charged with a duty to go forth and learn more of the world surrounding my home, And whilst I did not relish it at first, traveling with these folk has been most educational. And sometimes most entertaining. Whatever else it may be, it has never been dull!" HE grins.
"Ah, you have heard of disturbances from Keoland? I confess that the larger geography somewhat escapes me, and I have lost count of the leagues of which we have traveled. But I would not be surprised if some of what you have heard are adventures that we have been involved in." He speaks a little of their adventures, never going into too much detail, but giving the lady the basics of their harrowing fights and narrow escapes. And like a true (neutral) druid, never overemphasizes his own accomplishments, but praises all of his fellows as the great warriors and wizards they are.
"Aye, we've heard Orcus makes trouble up there.... Know anything about it? This temple EXISTS to battle the forces of the Abyss."
uggh.....work.....callllls......
"Uh, what?" Still holding on to his beer stein, Altai wanders off in search of the theatrical mugging victim.Altai enters the streets of the champion's district, on his way to the Temple. Passing by a man juggling fiery stakes and tipsy carousers, several dressed in the gears of war, he gets a sense that this district can be a rowdy, bawdy place.
His headache isn't helped by the shouting he hears as he passes by an alley.....
"THOU SHADOWY SLINKER!!! HO THERE!!! WHAT ARE YOU ABOUT, EH? WHA...MURDER! MURDER MOST FOULLY DONE...STAND AND DELIVER.....GAAAAAH!!!"
It's not too far off...
He trails off into the alley, and finds a grim sight.
There's a dead man, savaged horribly, against the right wall; and there's a soon to be dead man in a Champion's District Watch outfit. He holds his neck, and through his fingers spurt blood. His face is pale; he stares at Altai sort of, mouthing something.What do you do?
Pip strides forward
"I am lady."
"Good....the Court of Stars hears thy music, feels thy energy across the aether, and would see you in our service.
I have come to teach thee sublime and heavenly chords and flourishes. Follow along, good Pip."
The maiden's hair dances like fire as the ribald flamenco dances from her fingers.
Pip attempts to learn the new chords
He a few troubles, but manages to put up a decent showing
"Repetition. Repetition. Practice makes perfect. But with Astrid of the Firre Eladrin for a tutor, you'll make it."
It's a musical knighthood ceremony, the drums beat raucously, the dancers swirl, and pairs start sneaking off into the gardens....
"Now this is religion..."
bump to show...