As Tokine's magic rips through the former Inspector, he screams in agony and his eyes light with fury. He looks ragged and torn, and falls back against the wall, glaring hatefully at the Curator. As you all ready yourselves to leap into action, the prince cowers behind Azami and Kyras as the far wall suddenly begins grinding open. You hear the babbling and cackling of some kind of goblinoid creatures from the darkness within.
The Spider Clan scion bows his head to acknowledge the pink-haired man's question. Curator Nagano is a loyal servant of the Emperor and her Goddess. She and I know little of one another, but she has the eye of the Shoto, as would any samurai possessing both beauty and honor.
The pink-haired man looks at you very carefully for a long time, then nods once. "Very well, son of the Shoto. You choose your words excellently. I look forward to someday doing business with your great family."
"I have no wish to harm what is left of the Inspector. You must leave him now." Tokine having learned from the past few days, that too much darkness is filtering into the city....so she has come prepared. She calls on the light from Shelyn again. Once more brilliant light shoots toward the Inspector.
Once again the inspector screams in pain, then falls to the ground, unmoving. He is smoldering a bit.
|
Assuming the inspector was defeated for now Chu turns his attention t the now opening wall in the hopes to finding a solution...
Not known for his strength Chu pulled Kotei no kina off his shoulder and aimed it towards the opening wall. Intending t shoot the first thing that stuck its head around the wall. "unless we can stop that wall we best prepare for battle!"
Urk does his best to keep his cool, but it doesn't last. "Bwahaha... Okay, the face-snake was pretty funny... but why should I choose ONE door?"
3 bullets, Dragon Pistol ready for use later...
Free action, swift action, reload two chambers on the pepperbox, standard ammo.
Taking a quick glance at the fallen Inspector, Azami gives the Curator an approving nod before running towards the opening wall, putting her shoulder into pushing the wall back shut. "Is there some way to disable it?" she calls to Chu.
"Well, when diplomacy and cleverness fail, try hitting things," Khangzhi says and charges at the opening slab, slamming his shoulder into it full force in hopes of jamming it on it's track, or breaking the mechanism powering it.
"That seemed easier than expected," Kyras grouses about the fallen vampire. "Might want to hit him again."
"Fire in the hole," he mutters to himself as he summons flames into his hands and prepares to rain fire down upon the goblins about to spill out. "You guys might want to take a step back. It's about to get pretty warm in here." As soon as the first one comes, he plans on flinging the bead of fire into the back of their ranks. If he aims it right, and there is enough room behind the stone wall, he should be able to miss Azami and the others at the door.
Oh... lovely. I am going to be set on fire.
Missing any hidden meaning in the Pink-haired Man's response, Imuri bows very slightly.
If our business is concluded then, it can be said we have treated honorably with one another in this moment.
@Imuri: The pink-haired man bows in return. "I believe so. Until next we speak." As you depart, you note that if you wish, you will be able to get back to the palace in time to attend the meal proper, though you will miss all of the "prep time" beforehand in the receiving parlor outside the dining room.
@In The Undercity: All of you are startled to hear three loud explosions from behind the door separating you from the circular room where Urk and the guards are. (Were?) The fiery booms sound like nothing you've ever heard before.
The vampiric Inspector Cho continues to lie on the ground, still and smouldering. Despite the best efforts of the mighty Wei, the stone slab of a door at the end of the hall finishes opening and out rush a horde of terrible, fanged, man-like creatures, walking in reverse on all fours. Kyras' fireball explodes into them, but they keep coming, apparently utterly unharmed as the flames just wash over them, spewing out from the hole and scattering forward. Some walk on the ceiling, others clamber sideways along the bars of the cells. There is one of these things in front of each of you, and two in front of Wei.
Tunnel Gouger
Large CE Aberration
Init +0; Senses darkvision 120 ft.; Perception +31
DEFENSE:
AC 27, touch 9, flat-footed 27 (+18 natural, –1 size)
hp 200
Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +12
Defensive Abilities: DR 10/good; Immune electricity, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; SR 23
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft.
Melee 2 claws +21 (1d8+9 plus grab), bite +20 (2d6+9)
Ranged poison spit (10ft. increments) +11 (1d6 plus poison)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Spell-like Abilities (CL 12th):
At will—chaos hammer (DC 19), deeper darkness, detect good, dispel magic, greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), invisibility (self only), unholy aura (DC 23)
3/day—chill touch (DC 16)
1/day—feeblemind (DC 20), shatter (DC 17)
STATISTICS
Str 28, Dex 11, Con 30, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 20
Base Atk +12; CMB +22 (+26 grapple); CMD 32
Feats Alertness, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (claws)
Skills Bluff +20, Climb +24, Intimidate +20, Knowledge (arcana) +19, Knowledge (Planes) +19, Perception +31, Sense Motive +23, Spellcraft +16, Stealth +11, Survival +19; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Poison (Ex) save Fort DC 24; frequency 1/round for 2 rounds; effect 1d6 Strength damage; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based.
@Urk: You blow the bejeezus out of three of the doors, and there are larger, secondary explosions that immediately follow.
Your quick reflexes serve you well, though, as does your familiarity in dealing with things that go "boom", and you are able to cover your ears and grunt through it, coming out unscathed. "BOO-HOO! shouts Grik-Grok, clearly angry. "Urk no fight fair! Urk naughty goblin! Grik-Grok teach lesson!"
You feel magic wash over you, but nothing seems to happen. You cannot see Grik-Grok behind any of the doors.
Kyras watches in disgust as most of the hideous creatures shrug off his flames as easily as if they were a cool bath. One of the things seems to take a direct hit from the fire, coming directly to him like a burning mass of flesh. Its razor-sharp claws affixed to its backwards arm slash him across his face. The creatures seem somehow lurid and wrong. He takes a step back, feeling his back on the metal bars, and raises his hands. Flames stream out of his hands, hot enough so that he can feel it on his own face. He sprays the closest one of the creatures, arcing the flame towards the one that menaces Azami and the one near Tokine. The fire flows around all three, leaving them unscathed. His spells clearly aren't having much of an effect. "Maybe we should try stabbing them," he calls out to the others.
Tokine hears the struggle behind her, but she must first check on the Inspector. Is the Vampire gone? Is the Inspector still there in any form? She reaches out to touch the corpse, before suddenly feeling intense pain in her leg. She recoils and turns to see a horrible monstrosity....UGLY....CORUPTION...the glaive moves down to attack before she can even think.
The booms from the center room cause her to hunch her shoulders, but once realizing that the explosions aren't reaching them, she puts her energy wholly into trying to close the door, to no avail as a hoard of horrid abominations flood the cavern.
Three of the grotesque creatures assault her and Wei; there's a flurry of claws, easily finding the weaknesses in her armor. Unable to keep her repulsion from showing in a disgusted grimace, she calls out a dry "On it," to Kyras' suggestion. Her hands reaffirm their grip, katana slashing at the beast in front of her.
Splattered in blood and icor, Tokine yells, "Fair Goddess in the Heavens, what are they?"
Imuri's plan is to retrieve the lovely Aki-Kirei and arrive at the palace together. She may have other ideas, but he thinks the display of partnership for any Plum Blossom observers is important. Also, he'd like to start observing responses in how the gaijin groups react to them spending time together.
Is Aki-Kirei willing to go with Imuri, and is she prepared and able to go?
@Imuri: When you arrive back at the Shoto City House, one of your retainers meets you outside the receiving room where Sera-chan is resting. "Lord Shoto. It is my shame to inform you, the lady Sera is not awakening. There is a sorcerer in there with her right now, he says that she is...er...not here. Her essence is missing." The retainer is prostrating himself before you.
|
|
The colored drained from his golden scales when he watched his magical bolt bounce off the creatures hide. He quickly delve into his memory straining his knowledge as he sought what these things were and how to defeat them. What he discovered made him nearly sick...
These were Tunnel Gougers a fairly nasty and tough type of aberration that they, in their current state, couldn't easily defeat.
"Everyone these creatures resist everyone but goodly weapons! They are very fire resistant and spell penetration is nearly impossible they also secrete strength damaging poison and can spit it on you!"
He raises his hands as he steps back and focus his inner Ki, drawing on the innate power that his kind possessed. The world twisted then distorting ever so slightly as he blurred between light and shadow, hoping the this would at least keep the creatures claws off of him.
5 ft step back towards tokine if he is able
Cast blur for 20% miss chance
When Imuri tasks them, he reminds the pair that for all they know, she could be the next matron of House Shoto. Be careful and flattering.
"You must find a receptacle for the spirit of Sera Aki-Kirei. A scroll, or charm, or likeness of her. The Shoto will owe you much."
Wei winces when one of the grotesque bites down on his shoulder. "Well then..."
"What really?!?! You not so smart... Urk find youu...
The Tunnel Gougers fight recklessly, without tactics or coordination, each one selfishly pursuing its foe with slavering jaws and ceaseless hunger. Each one will fight to the death. Their wild bites and swings, while initially fearsome to behold, are so crazed as to cause them to get in their own way, making them miss as often as not.
Kyras, as the one unleashing fire on the aberrations, is a source of particular ire, and gets savaged for his troubles. Poor Wei, as well, suffers horribly at the claws and fangs of his attackers.
Round 2
vs.Tokine:
(184/200):
5 ft. step
claw 1: damage:
claw 2: (canceled by crit fail below)
bite:
vs.Chu:
(200/200):
5 ft. step
claw 1:
claw 2: (canceled by crit fail above)
bite: 80-100 = miss:
vs.Azami:
claw 1: damage:
claw 2: (canceled by crit fail below)
bite:
vs.Wei:
(195/200):
claw 1: damage:
claw 2: damage:
bite: damage:
(175/200):
claw 1: damage:
claw 2: damage:
bite: damage:
Total damage: 93
vs.Kyras: (155/200)
5 ft. step
claw 1: damage:
claw 2: damage:
bite:
confirm crit: damage:
Total damage: 63
Confirm crit on Azami, above:
Getting clawed and bit Tokine steps back and prays on Shelyn for help.
A flock of songbirds materialize in full song and lands upon her glaive. They fade, but the weapon and her arms takes on a powerful glow.
Kyras roars loudly as the hideous creature's horrifying limbs slice into his flesh. Tough as he is, his blood flows far too rapidly. He won't last much longer, even with his body enhanced by his draconic heritage. Briefly, he considers letting Kalaroth take over again, to take care of these things - but that would put everyone (and probably the world) at unnecessary risk. His bellow of pain grows louder until it erupts in actual flames coming from his mouth. He unleashes a furnace of fiery heat upon them. The one in front of him dodges low, but still gets scorched. The flames don't wash off of them like his spells did, giving him a bit of hope. The one in front of Azami, who is shoulder-to-shoulder with him, isn't quite as quick and takes the full brunt of the flame blast.
Kyras pulls together as much magical energy as he can muster, as quickly as he can. The desperate situation makes him desperate. He pulls a faintly shimmer conjuration of force into reality, granting him some slight protection against the claws and fangs of the beasts. It may make a difference, or it may not - but he won't simply stand here and wait to be shredded.
Flush with the strength of Love and Beauty, Tokine swings at the monstrosity with new vigor.
|
|
Round 2, Initiative 14
AC 38, touch 23, flat-footed 25. . (+2 armor, +4 shield, +8 Dex, +5 natural, +1 deflection +8)
hp 66 (4d10+4d6+24) Current Hp [89/107]
Fort +7, Ref +13, Will +12
Immune mind-affecting, paralysis, poison; Resist fire 5, Dragon Resistances; SR 21
Current Buffs: Mage Armor, Shield
Focusing his Inner Ki once more he pulled forth the strength to erect a new shield and through his defensive training was able to do so without the creature striking him.
He couldn't believe his eyes and hoped that perhaps this was some form of powerful illusion or else in the next few moments they would all be overwhelmed. His unnatural abilities had protected him mostly from this savage onslaught but he had no means of striking back. He mustered his powerful to hopeful dispel this situation as some horrible illusion...
Chu Marshall's his resolve and moves up behind the one threatening Tokine.
He hisses loudly in amusement as its attack smashes against his magical defenses, leaving him unscathed. He places himself then in a position that Tokine can use to her advantage by flanking her opponent.
Stricken badly by the two Tunnel Gougers' rabid assault, Khangzhi staggers. "Ooof... One of these maybe, but two may be too much for me..."
Wei drops a pair of satisfyingly hard punches onto the aberrations face, and then braces himself for the attack that will almost certainly drop him.
Shoto Imuri advances into the Silent Crane alone, leaving the Scarecrow outside, surrounded by several of his best samurai. Though most are dressed as ronin or bongi, including one painted geisha, each man is as hard as steel and as quick as silk ties.
Grandfather, Iumuri says with his hands folded together in traditional courtier stance. It is understandable that you do not fully trust the scion of House Shoto. After all, I am but a baby spider, still watching the hunt from my mother's back. However, I assure you that I consider the weight of every bargain fully. You could have treated with us just as if you sat before the Mother of Spiders herself.
Imuri stands in the center of the room, trying to interrupt his surface thoughts with detractors without losing focus. He spreads his hands out peacefully, a practiced gesture that promises peace, but with a thought becomes a drawing motion. Perhaps you thought as the gaijin do - to give me half the girl now, and half when you see the Scarecrow. I ask that you honor the agreement in full this moment. If you choose not to, the Scarecrow remains with the Shoto. Though you approach every conflict as if you have already won, the Spider will prevail in directed conflict against your interests, or drive the cost of your dishonor high indeed
The pain infusing Kyras' roar steels her resolve against the vicious attack of the gouger in front of her, its claws raking her but finding no purchase as she turns her attention away from it and towards its hideous brother in front of Kyras.
Her foot lands a blow to the new gouger's side, harmless but interfering enough to draw some of the beast's attention off her companion.
Issuing her own roaring challenge that blends with Kyras in an fierce, hair-raising chord, Azami's blade slices twice into the creature, nearly severing one of its limbs.