Bazsil starts as a set of feminine hands begins to touch his crowbar, and then again when a second, more manly hands help him open the door. Baz smiles smugly as the door pops open; he pauses to flex and roll his neck in accomplishment before he realizes that his muscling performance has attracted a crowd.
And some idiots would want to check if it is locked first! HA!
He bows briefly to the gawkers before following the dark lady and helping hands man into the warehouse.
Look at these laggards watching and gaddygandering. Even a yak. What a wretch hive of scum and villainy.
Round 1
Bazsil drops his crowbar, picking up his hammer as he moves into the room...somewhat concerned that a web appeared from one of the taggabouts.
He moves quickly, a breeze upon the wind, into the fray. Settling upon people that he assumes all are foes, he strikes the one on the top wall (red hood guy).
to hit; (PA)
damage.
Amazingly, none of the assailants within the area of the sticky substance seem to be caught up in it.
Bazsil scores a crushing blow against the crossbowman, who staggers backwards a little and is remains upright by pushing himself off the wall behind him, "Argh!" is all he manages to say.
As the crossbowman feels the impact of his hammer, Bazsil flicks his hand through his oiled dark curls and smiles smugly.
"Lay down and you might be spared," Baz informs the man.
The hooded man cocks his head strangely to the side as though contemplating the question. "No surrender," he says at last in a deep, gritty voice before straightening his head.
Ach! I knew I forgot something. Manacles! Well they're rusty anyways, I'll have to get some new ones while I'm in a town like this.
"For Justice!" And all the gold I'm missing out on since that cap'n died!
"Hmm... guess knocking is out of the question." Elon says as he moves into the warehouse to see what all the fuss is about.
"Let's see. A large cloud, some all-male review on the stairs. What do ye think, Barley?" he turns to Barley after striding inside. "Is this the kind of thing that ye think ye might be into?" He laughs audibly at some sort of inside joke between him and Barley, but the rest of the group feels that it really only makes sense to Elon.
"Mooo..." utters the bovine as he shrugs, uninterested in whatever is happening on the stairs with the paralyzed person.
Only asking to make it easier for all of us! :D
Gratum runs 40'
Elon shrugs and takes a defensive stance as he readies a strike against the first person to approach him with the intent to harm him or Barley.
The dwarves run into the room, ready for action. All of the companions long to hear a melody, but for the moment they must go unsatisfied.
Wrigley pulls forth his lute and begins to play a stirring melody. He strums in time to everyone's attacks, supernaturally guiding them to their targets and to a place where they can do even more damage .
The guy with the red hood drops his crossbow and pulls out a large and vicious looking curved blade. With both hands on the hilt, he springs forth and attacks Bazsil.
Hot blood sprays Bazsil, Ciarán and the black cloaked figure as the crossbowman shows that he is no slouch with a blade.
The dwarven maniac easily steps free from the webbing and swings his axe at Gratum.
Luckily for Gratum, the axe passes close, too close, overhead.
The kobold finishes chanting and a massive, fiendishly aggressive gorilla appears just next to Ciarán and swings at him with two hammer-like fists.
The kobold chants again, and eldritch bolts of energy fly forth from its fingertips to strike the already battered would-be-bodyguard.
The scantily clad woman in the corner attempts to get closer to her prey.
Nimbly ducking through the strands, she makes it to the edge but decides not to close in any further, waiting patiently with both blades drawn.
Finally, the figure in the dark cloak attempts mightily to struggle free from the magical bonds that hold him still.
He is unable to break Aeslin's hold upon him.
Goodies:
- Bazsil -21hp
- Ciarán -21hp
Baddies:
- Red cloak -20hp
Gratum tumbles to the side from seeing that axe cast a shadow over him, (), and sees the back of the figure facing Bazsil ripe for a cheap shot, or two...
He won't know what hit him!
Gado grits his teeth, frowning at the failure of his web spell to do anything significant to the enemies in front of him.
I can do that too... he says, watching the arcane caster in the back call forth the gorilla and the magical bolts.
Gado begins to whisper the beginnings of a spell that sounds, to those astute enough to know the difference, remarkably similar to the one the caster in the back of the room just cast.
Ciaran grunts in pain (not frothing at the mouth, despite rumours to the contrary), and staggers half a step backwards, before gritting his teeth and bringing his greatsword to bear on the gorilla.
Ciaran drops the bloodied tip of his huge sword to wave over the held form of the cowled man.
"Drop your weapons or he dies," he growls.
Aeslin surveys the situation, which has quickly gotten worse. She then starts moving up behind Gratum and gives the crossbowman with a falchion an odd look.
She then just stands there, petting Sebastian, surveying the action.
Ciarán wipes the small bit of foam from his mouth and obliterates the ape, which disappears in a cloud of summoning smoke, and makes his threat . The falchion-wielding guy in the read cloak pauses. For a while, he seems as though Aeslin has just cast another hold person spell on him, but then he resumes movement. It is impossible to tell at this point whether he is sheathing his weapon or bringing it in for an upwards strike upon Bazsil.
Moments later, he is transfixed by Aeslin's glare.
He seems wracked with doubt, and his blade shakes visibly in his hands.
Round 2
Bazsil grunts as the man nearly takes his head off with his first swing.
Holy Piddlespot, this guy is good. But is he as good as 'THE GRIM'?!
Baz dances back to make room for his hammer, swinging it again, making use of the dwarf's distraction.
to hit; (PA, flank)
damage.
Gratum swings madly at his foe, but both his weapons fail to connect or even distract him. Gado begins casting a spell to, hopefully, rival that of the kobold.
As Ciarán's blade hammers through the gorilla, he notices something strange. It is not going through bone so much as just ephemeral 'stuff'. It poofs out of existence and Ciarán starts to wave it off as little more than an after-effect of the summoning process, but then the red cloaked man freezes oddly in place for a moment.
They must be illusory! thinks Ciarán to himself. Blinking his eyes madly, Ciarán sees the assailants become translucent and Bazsil's wounds disappear. Ciarán glances around to find that the only real things are the warehouse mess and the dark-cloaked hooded figure being held by Aeslin's spell behind him.
Ciarán goes to immediately speak, but then a realization dawns upon him, Perhaps this is all just a test! Also, this is one hell of a powerful illusion!
---
Meanwhile, Bazsil gets into correct striking distance with his weapon and clips the red-hooded man with the falchion across his shoulder. Amazingly, he still stands, though he is even more shaky on his feet than after getting that evil look from Aeslin.
"Ach! I got startled by that wee axe of yours. But don't think that you can startle me twice, just put down the blade." Gratum says to the green hooded dwarf.
(evil eye, vsWillSaves, DC15 Will ? 1 round : 7 rounds)
|
The frenzied twang of lute strings being plucked ever faster increases in volume as the halfling enters the warehouse. The inspiring sound leaping from the strings reverberate off of the walls, increasing in intensity and pace, all the while urging the companions to greater acts of daring.
Ahead, Wrigley can see the red-hooded man amidst the group that invaded the warehouse only moments before. After a overly dramatic strum of the instrument's strings, the bard quickly thrusts one arm toward the red-hooded man before resuming playing.
Sumaru blinks as blood sprays, gorillas come and go, and webs fly. This is not how fights usually happen in the jungle. She was surprised, and a bit amused that she had gone from forward shield to rear-guard in a matter of seconds. Fools do rush in, she muses, even in Avistan. Especially in Avistan.
Her blood still boiled with the desire to flay the hooded man, but as Sumaru was now tasked with protecting the group's soft underbelly, she turned her attention to the dual-wielder staying just out of spear range.
"I would also fear to fight," Sumaru spat at the woman, "Were my clothes so ridiculous. Worry not -- I can kill you from here."
With those words Sumaru pulled a Trident from her quiver and flung it at her opponent's unprotected stomach. Only then did she remember her atrocious Avistani hat.
Free Action: Remove hand from spear
Move Action: Draw Trident from Quiver
Standard Action: Throw Trident
Free Action: Two-hand spear once more
Aeslin looks surprised when Wrigley follows up her hex with a spell. She thinks out loud, oblivious to the fact that everyone could hear her, "Sebastian, that's what I was going to do. Save that chap that got pounded. What? No! I didn't realize they'd be helping. Yes, daddy used to say to make sure that the servant do their part... No, I don't think the are servants... do you?"
Free Action: Remove hand from spear... I'm good without that much detail. I know you can remove a hand from a 2-handed weapon that you're not using. Thank you for including it anyway, though! :-)
Wrigley tells a very poor joke, intended just for the man in the red cloak.
The man finds the joke as poor as the rest of the people in the room, and not only doesn't laugh - he doesn't react at all.
"Missed," says the bare-midriffed woman, completely deadpan, as Sumaru's spear flies harmlessly past her.
Elon sees a suave fellow with a nice coif get completely wrecked by a falchion and he calls out to him. "Don't die on me... whoever you are! I think we are on the same side!" as a woman climbing out of the webbing catches his eye.
"She looks threatening!" he says as he moves to strike her down before more of what he assumes to be his crew gets killed.
"Get her Barley!" he yells to his compatriot.
Barley charges into the woman, trying to gore her before she can hurt his best friend with those nasty shiny things.
"MMMOOOO!" he bellows as he charges.
Elon sees Barley charge and lauds him for his charge by patting him on the head. "Good job, Barley!" before he turns to the hopefully injured woman and scowls. "Drop your weapon or I bring the pain with ol' Sharpie here!" he growls.
Barley charges the under-armored woman who looks like she belongs in a Temple of Calistria and gores her with his stubby horns. She seems unconcerned.
"No surrender," says the woman. Elon's retaliatory blade goes wide .
Remembering that these exact words were used elsewhere on the battlefield, Elon takes a good, long, hard look at the woman before him. Her movement is a bit off... and then she becomes translucent.
An illusion! thinks Elon to himself. Checking around himself, Elon sees the assailants become translucent and Bazsil's wounds disappear. Elon notices that the only real things are the warehouse mess and the dark-cloaked hooded figure being held by Aeslin's spell at the stairs.
Elon considers informing his comrades, but then he has another thought: Perhaps this is all just a test!
The red-cloaked figure leaps forwards to try tackling Ciarán to the ground in order to allow the cloaked figure a chance to escape.
Unfortunately for the red cloaked man, he is unable to grab the nimble bodyguard.
---
With grit an determination, the dwarf attacks his kinsman yet again.
This time, he connects, spraying Gratum's blood all over the warehouse floor.
The kobold tries a bold move and steps out of the webbing to get closer to the man in the dark cloak.
He manages to get out his spell and touches the dark cloaked figure, who then disappears from view.
The half-dressed woman slashes at barley with her kukris, clearly well versed at using both effectively.
- Gratum -16hp[/ooc]
- Barley -13hp
Distracted by the yak, Bazsil swings clumsily at the retreating foe.
to hit; (PA, bard)
damage.
Ciaran drops the bloodied tip of his huge sword to wave over the held form of the cowled man.
"Drop your weapons or..." he begins, before growling with frustration.
"Lamashtu's t*%*! They're illusions! They're all illusions!"
He lunges at the cowled man, yanking back his hood.
Ciaran drops the bloodied tip of his huge sword to wave over the held form of the cowled man.
"Drop your weapons or..." he begins, before growling with frustration.
"Lamashtu's t%%@! They're illusions! They're all illusions!"
He lunges at the non-invisible cowled man, trying to grab hold of him.
Illusions? Sure seems real to me... Gado doesn't take any chances, completing the power words to his summoning spell.
A respectable pile of rocks poofs into existence on the stairs, near where the hooded man disappeared and next to the kobold caster.
After an uncomfortable pause, a strange rumbling noise full of clicks, snaps and strange echoes comes from the general vicinity of Gado, sounding like a small pile of stones being rolled around in a wooden drum.
"Ҳамла ба шумо нощисулащл!" the frail man shouts, though those who hear it question how it could have possibly come from the skinny man... or any human for that matter.
seriously, do none of my pets listen to me?
Suddenly the makeshift cairn explodes into action, two rocky arms reaching out for the kobold to crush it in its stony grasp.
for
Quickly following up with the same combination that worked for the kobold, Gado gives it a taste of its own medicine as two energy bolts fly unerringly towards the caster.
"Where did the assassin go? Sebastian, do I know glitterdust?
Elon looks puzzled for a second as the realization is hammered home by Ciaran. He hops up on Barley's back and points with his scythe at the woman. "Look, Barley! Look with your special eyes!" he commands the yak.
Barley looks at his best friend puzzled as he sees him point at the woman who just stabbed him.
"Mooo..."
He decides to gore the woman again.
By the rules, it really depends on if Barley can understand you or not. So... I'm not sure how I'd rule this in future, but I think I'd say that your special bond and mutual understanding means that you can communicate it to him in some way that would grant him the +4 bonus.
---
Ciarán reaches out for the hooded man he is certain will still be there, but ends up grasping at thin air. Meanwhile, his companions look on slightly confused about his statement as an animated cairn, of all things, begins pounding at the kobold who made the cloaked assassin disappear.
Elon looks like this wasn't any kind of big surprise, and so does Barley. Bazsil comes to his senses also, as do Aeslin and Gratum shortly after. The others remain perplexed for a while, and then several things happen all at once.
A familiar voice from between Ciarán and Bazsil says, "Okay, okay, the jig is up. Time to drop the act." At that, the former assailants all freeze in place. They become gradually more translucent until they have all faded from view. All wounds suffered by the assembled explorers-to-be vanish leaving behind only a dream-like memory of the pain. Then, the dark-cloaked figure reappears between the anthropologist and the bodyguard, already drawing back his hood.
It is none other than, "Lord Pellius Krinst, at your service. Sorry for the deception, chaps, we wanted to see how well you'd fight. My friend Marcus agreed to put on this show for us. Come on Marcus, that was your cue. Show yourself! Take a bow, it was quite the show..." Lord Krinst looks over everyone's faces, and sees that not all are amused, "... best to belay that bow, old chap."
From the top of the stairs, a well-groomed man with dark hair pulled back in a ponytail - accentuating his Chelaxian widow's peak - and dressed in colorful flowing robes steps forwards to the edge of the raised platform. "Uh, hi!" he says nervously, "Marcus del Frae at your service. Sorry for all of that. They assured me you'd be okay with it in the end."
"Now, I too must apologize for killing Captain Barbarosa in front of you like that," Lord Krinst takes over once more, finally figuring out why not everyone is in as jovial a mood as he is, "The simple fact of the matter is that asked me to. We'll explain why later, but... is he ready, Marcus?... oh, good... first, meet Captain Rory Barbarosa, reborn!"
A muffled voice from near Marcus del Frae asks, "When does this damned spell end?"
Marcus whispers back, "When you attack something, or when I dism..."
Captain Rory Barbarosa punches Marcus del Fray heartily in the ribs, appearing for all to see. His dress is rather plain when compared with before, a simple white shift and some brown leather leggings poking out beneath. His long beard is unkempt and he looks very shaky on his feet. Otherwise, it is unmistakably the same man they met in the museum.
"You didn't tell me that dying would hurt so fûcking much!" the captain complains. Marcus flinches, expecting another punch, "Or that I'd feel so weak afterwards. Still, better than death being permanent, right?"
Barbarosa straightens and affects a more authoritative bearing as he surveys the warehouse scene below, "You eight were the only ones who ran to catch my killer, eh? Well, a good job you did of it. I struggled to keep from laughing when you caught old Krinst there in your spell! Ha! Absolute classic. You fight fiercely and well. Those illusions were no slouches in combat, but you were showing them what for. So, why don't you come up to our office and we can explain to you exactly what on Golarion is happening."
Ciaran lunges for Krinst, grabs him by the front of his tunic, and hauls him off his feet.
"I told you that if you wanted me to fight, I'd fight. If you wanted me to fall down, I'll fall down. But if you ever play games like this again, I may lose my temper. I'm not your godsdamn puppet to dance for your entertainment," he spits between clenched teeth, a bare inch from Krinst's face, before dropping the noble to the ground.
Ciaran doubles over, as a coughing fit overwhelms him. After he regains control of himself , he says, "Now, are we here to talk business, or do you want to keep screwing around?"
Reminds me how the Lt. used to have his Mages put us through a full day of 'Orc' fights, at a time. 'Course they didn't have to make up extra hellscapes after we all 'died' either...
I'm so happy this trip might still pay!
With gleeful face Gratum sheath's his blades by seemingly tossing them into the sheaths, and says, "Well then captain, sure am glad you didn't get yourself dead. Up stairs you say?" He then makes some odd noises. "Don't suppose you have any drink? The calisthenics you just put us through made me a bit thirsty..."
If you never believed a Dwarf could skip, you'd be right. However, whatever sprightly clomping Gratum is doing up the stairs can only be called "skipping" as the gods have not seen it necessary to make a better word for it.
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Ha! I did it! I'm going to get hired! Gado is suddenly excited at having accomplished what he intended to do. Not to far away the shriek of a raven is heard as the magical familiar celebrates the emotions his master feels through their empathic link.
Gado takes a second to dismiss the magically conjured webbing, almost forgetting about the elemental in the corner.
"Ташаккур барои кӯмак дӯстро андаке кунед . Бубахшед, ман ба шумо як нощисулащл номида мешавад. Шумо бори дигар мебинед ?"
With a puff of dirt, and no answer back, the animated pile of stones disappears.
As Gado approaches the stairs, Koney glides through the door gracefully before flapping his wings a few beats and landing with a crash of feathers on his master's head. Gado's head snaps forward at the impact, forcing the raven to hop to the man's shoulder.
"Mae'n rhaid i chi bob amser tir fel 'na ?"
As the two make their way towards the stairs, Gado's puffed feeling of accomplishment starts to turn as he realizes what it means.
So I will be going... Oi Koney what have we gotten ourselves into? I swear I'm going to come back and haunt bear-face if my throat gets eaten by an overgrown bird... Let's see what his face looks like when he stares into the abyss...
With a resigned sigh, and a nagging curiosity about what arcane mysteries this island might hide, Gado walks into the office with the rest of the group.
"Hired? For what? We were just here to see the museum, weren't we, Sebastian?" She defers to the weasel in her purse.
"eee! Squee! clik,clik, squeek!"
"Oh, really? This was the plan all along? Why don't I believe you, little one? Well, no matter. I guess we are hired nonetheless. Wasn't it neat when your spell froze that big strong man? Made him stand completely still for so long. Why, I guess it is a good thing that the dwarf or that man there didn't cut his head off while he was frozen! I wonder if that would have helped our application, or harmed it?"
She follows the group up, never once stopping her conversation with Sebastian. It is very obvious who runs the show between the two of them... in fact, it seems that Aeslin is not quite altogether there.