Completely out of her comfort zone, Evalina remained silent, even if she made sure to have her longbow in hand. "I'm not liking this... I'm not liking this at all..."
With her back against the wall, Evalina walked along the perimeter of the room, intending to peek to the west and east corridors.
The spirit's voice boomed, "Why do you presume I am ignorant of what occurs in my temple? Tread carefully or I shall strike you down!"
Without waiting for an answer, it added, "The lizardfolk pay their tribute and are allowed to remain. You must also pay tribute by dropping valuables in the fountain. I shall then answer any question you may have."
tag?
Nsizi felt slightly more at ease when the spirit asked for treasure. He was not unfamiliar with these sorts of spirits, and decided that the creature was probably more fierce-sounding than actually dangerous.
Pulling an amethyst out of a pouch tucked into a fold of his neswambi, Nsizi approached the fountain. Holding the amethyst with two hands, he bowed to the fountain, then placed the gem gently in the muddy waters. "May our tribute please you, ancient one. I am Nsizi, of the Bas'o. We seek the Speaker-of-Swamps, who is here in your territory. Please, oh wise one, tell us where in your demesne he is, and how we may safely find him."
Turn 130 - The Fountain Spirit
Read the OOC.
Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?
Game on!
As the "spirit" spoke, Nsizi realized that it wasn't a spirit at all. There was a hint of a face in there, and wings, and perhaps even horns. Hard to tell with the fall of rain in the fountain. But if it was indeed a mephit, it would explain why the water was so murky still.
Backing away, he said in a low voice to the others, "This is no spirit, at least, not an ancestor. I believe it is what we call an eth. I think in common...an imp? Small demon? As it is in that slimy water, I think probably the njengabona type. How to translate...slime? Can be nasty - clawing and biting, and their breath can burn with acid. If we walk away, it might be content to stay in its pool. Or it might not. Should we attack first?"
waiting...
Once Nsizi had pointed out the true nature of the creature, Zeljka realized that there was more than one in the fountain. "There's more than one in there but they aren't why we're here. I say leave them be unless they insist on fighting. If that's the case, light the fountain up with fire."
Min gave Zeljka a half-nod, half-shrug, agreeing that this would appear to be an unnecessary fight. "We already told you why we came, oh mighty one," she goes on, "in search of our friend. We had no intention to disturb you and hope you will accept our offering as an apology." Lowering her voice, she suggests to the others, "We could give them the jade earrings as well, if they seek to extort us. There is no point in expending resources here we are likely to need against our true enemies, if we can avoid it."
Not familiar with the creature inside the fountain, Evalina was unsure how to proceed. Whispering back to the others, she express her uncertainties. "Such creature could be bargained with? Is there something that it generally desires? It appears that the Swamp Speaker has bribed his way in... perhaps we could do the same. If we have to fight it, do you know of their weakness?"
Nsizi shrugged, "I do not know of any weakness. But for most water-creatures, fire or electricity are a good weapon."
Out loud, he said, "We thank you for your patience, ancient one. We will cease to bother you, and allow you to commune with the storm. We offer you these jade earrings as a token of our esteem. Once we have found our friend, we will depart."
Moving away from the fountain slowly, Nsizi didn't take his eyes off it.
Min looked both ways carefully. "The Great and Powerful Spirit said the Swamp-Speaker was 'under our feet,'" she whispered. "We need to look for some stairs down."
Nodding to Minercuria, Evalina pointed right, her longbow already on her hand. "Very well, we'll take the right corridor then, since it is as good as any other until we have a better idea about the layout of this temple... come, better for you not to stay too much behind this time."
Moving carefully and paying attention to her surroundings, Evalina moved right, peeking inside the north and south passage.
Nsizi followed his women to the east, keeping an eye on the eths, just in case. As they took a look north and south, he kept his eyes on the fountain, not wanting to be caught unawares.
As Evalina turned south, she examined the large pillars of rock. She did not know the exact meaning of what is engraved, but she had seen similar symbols and drawings before. "I believe this is druidic, representing nature elements, such beasts, winds, fire, and so on... I believe this something akin to an altar, perhaps, empowering those who prey to their Gods here..."
Shrugging, Evalina continued south, motioning the others to follow her closely.
Even if curious about the wind chimes, the pillars, and the strings, Evalina was much more concerned about the skulls and bones on the ground. Then everything happened so quickly, causing her to look around, searching for the source of the bell. "What is going on here? Is everyone all right?"
I am very very mad because I wrote a big post last night, and had awesome roles, and posted it, and it's gone. GONE! I'm sulking.
I am very very mad because I wrote a big post last night, and had awesome roles, and posted it, and it's gone. GONE! I'm sulking.
Sorry to hear that but it's happened to everyone I think. :(
Get into the habit of 'sweeping and copying' your posts every 3-4 sentences. That way, you never lose everything.
Looking forward to what you remember.
Game on!
Action 1:
"I believe this is druidic, representing nature elements, such beasts, winds, fire, and so on... I believe this something akin to an altar, perhaps, empowering those who prey to their Gods here..."
Zeljka cocked her head to the side as she looked at the pillars. "If you say so." Even though the half-orc had grown up around the Green Faith, she never had paid much to any specifics.
Action 2:
Between the rain, the wind, and the chiming, a shiver went up Zeljka's spine. "I don't like this room. We should keep moving."
Min shivered a little as the baleful influence passed through the room. "Clearly nothing good happened here," she remarked quietly, agreeing with Zeljka that the more quickly they moved on, the better.
Nsizi felt a strange sense of peace as he moved through the first room. One of the pillars in particular drew him - it featured writing he had never seen before, but it somehow seemed familiar. When Evalina mentioned wind, he smiled slightly. Putting a hand on it, he said a silent thank you to the wind spirits who had watched over him since he'd been touched by the lightning. Almost immediately, as if in response, a gust of wind blew through the pillars, rattling the beads and fetishes on his neswambi, and blowing the rain out of his face for a brief moment.
At the sound of the bell, Nsizi clapped his hands over his ears, and he instinctively began to prey for forgiveness from Gozreh. Wait...Gozreh? Why am I praying to him?
Shaking off the effects, he realized that it was a spell, or haunt of some sort - similar to what they'd experienced back in the fort. Moving quickly to the doorway in the SW corner, he said, "Let us leave this place."
Everyone made their saves? No fair. :)
I'll move this along later today.
Game on!
Nsizi had never seen a lightning elemental before, but he was certain that's what he was looking at. Not one, but two. Two big ones.
Grabbing Min and Zeljka by the arms, he reached out for Evalina too. "Come on come on come on," he said, hurrying them out of the room, and back past the worn statues. He'd been kissed by lightening once, and didn't wish a repeat experience. "Maybe they won't leave the room..."
"But what could that green disk be?" Min wondered as Nsizi escorted her out of the room. "It looks like it might be important."
The stone statues were intriguing, but the rain falling in her face, the crackling thunders, and the urgency of finding their target were too distracting for Evalina to pay too much attention on mere statues. She moved forward without a second thought.
Noticing the elemental creatures coming towards them, Evalina reacted by instinct and, before Nsizi could pull her to the previous room, she was already retreating, however, only after an arrow was on its way towards the nearest elemental.
I assume that you are checking/searching the room out and not just peering from the door. You may not have seen the elementals when you were searching the room.
In any case, we don't have the luxury of stopping and asking for direction or positions in this type of game. We have to rely on 'modus operandi' and just 'flow' with it.
I have to assume that you are all searching the room. If only one person will enter the room while everyone else waits outside, we can do that to but you have to let me know ahead of time.
In any case, you all won initiative so there's no problem if you just want to leave. You all take a full-round action to withdraw.
I'll recap later today.
Questions?
Game on!
Zeljka began to protest against Nsizi pulling her from the room since she wasn't one for running away from a fight. However, two lightning elementals versus her clad in metal quickly changed her mind. Once out of the room, the half-orc took a protective stance to see if the elementals would follow them.
Evalina looked surprised at the lightning elementals, not expecting they would not follow them. Already with another arrow in her bow, she looks at the others. "So... we just leave? Unless you want to take that green disk over there..."
"...Those doors back in the room with the Great and Powerful Spirits in the muddy fountain!" Min continued. "There was a circular depression just about that size. Perhaps it's a key of some sort!"
Zeljka growled in frustration. Of course the green disc was the key that they needed. Even when they tried to avoid a fight, circumstances were against them.
The slayer studied the outsiders trying to determine any vulnerabilities. Not wanting to get too close to the elementals because of her armor, Zeljka unslung her bow rather than her falchion. Nocking an arrow, she aims and fires at the untouched elemental for there was no way that they could get the disc while the elementals were a threat.
Nsizi looked at the disc and realized Min was probably right. "Well, at least they're distracted for the moment. How often do we get to prepare for an attack like this?"
Unslinging his crossbow, he fitted a bolt to it. Before he aimed, however, he touched each of the women in turn, asking the spirits for guidance. He then asked them for their divine favour, and felt a little lucky.
Nsizi then aimed at the uninjured elemental. "I'll aim at the one Evalina didn't hit. On the count of three, everybody. One, two, three!"
His bolt sped unerringly to the elemental, and with crackle of static, pierced it.
"Well, I did say it looked important," Min huffed, rubbing her arm where the Bas'o had seized it. "If you hadn't rushed me out of there in such a hurry, we could have just grabbed it on our way out."
She prepared to cast a magic missile at either elemental or both, depending on the success of her allies' attacks.
Read the OOC.
Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?
Game on!
, hit
, hit
Even though Zeljka didn't like her odds, she had no choice but to continue the fight. Dropping her bow, because of the close quarters, she drew her falchion and took a swing at the elemental.
Well, my reasoning is that you and Zelkja can't both shoot through the door so one of you had to get in. Besides, it's not like the elementals were just waiting by the door so you had to get in to target them.
You have a very narrow shooting range from M7 and you would have not hit anything.
Evalina moves in and shoots (should I discount the bullseye bonus?), Zelkja shoots from the door, and then the elementals slam into both of you.
Granted I could have had Zelkja move in but you had won initiative so I had you move first.
Questions?
Game on!
OK, so Evalina is outside and Zelkja is inside then. You would have to be where Zelkja is to be to hit anything. I'll assume you are (and hit something) unless you tell me otherwise.
I can make these adjustments in the turn recap.
I also realize that it's no fun to be a ranged fighter when you are inside some sort of building.
Also this combat was made more difficult by the fact that you guys retreated and then entered combat again. Otherwise, you'd be able to tell me exactly where your PCs were. Since that didn't happen (one smooth flowing combat), I had to make some calls to keep this moving.
Questions?
Game on!
so...
lots of talk but no decision. We now have Evalina and Zelkja being in each others positions.
Did Evalina shoot in Round 2? If so then she also gets hit. Please let me know.
What is Evalina, Nsizi, and Min doing this round (Round 3)?
Will post in an hour or so. About to have dinner.
Will post in an hour or so. About to have dinner.
Unacceptable! You should have dinner after you fulfill your gaming commitments! :)
Being hit by the elemental was not her plan but she kind of was getting used to it... the difference between practice and real. Stepping back, Evalina pointed her bow once more to the elemental in point-blank distance before releasing it, hoping to bring down yet another elemental.
Worried about the additional elemental, she turned to the others. "Do you believe they will stop coming? Or will we need to destroy that lightning 'thing'?"
"Do you believe they will stop coming? Or will we need to destroy that lightning 'thing'?"
Min shrugged. "I suppose we'll find out! If another turns up when the next one dissipates, I can summon Hepzibah and see if she can get the key for us. No point in trying to clear a beach one grain of sand at a time."
She layered her force armor into existence over her body. Unlike metal, magic doesn't conduct.