Agent 322 gives the lizard a baleful glare as she tries to find a hole in the lizard's defences, without exposing herself too much.
Shihoraj and Marnarius tag team on the lizard. First, Shihoraj's sap seems to hurt it more effectively than any other attacks the team have managed... and then Marnarius nails it with a pair of sword slashes... the first doesn't quite drop it as his blade is partially deflected, but the second does.
The team hen finishes off the foo creatures, just to be sure, and searches the entire library.
The team finds some items of interest. First, there is a small cache of items, which the team identifies as lies a staff of caustic fury (treat this as a staff of fire, each of whose spells deal acid damage instead of fire damage) with 4 remaining charges.
Second, Marnarius finds three interesting looking weapons. The first is an obsidian-bladed scythe with a mahogany handle. The second is a heavy flail made of magically hardened gold and whose head is molded like a roaring tiger skull. The third is a serrated, single-edged longsword made of green-tinged metal.
|
Shihoraj and Marnarius tag team on the lizard. First, Shihoraj's sap seems to hurt it more effectively than any other attacks the team have managed... and then Marnarius nails it with a pair of sword slashes... the first doesn't quite drop it as his blade is partially deflected, but the second does.
The team hen finishes off the foo creatures, just to be sure, and searches the entire library.
The team finds some items of interest. First, there is a small cache of items, which the team identifies as lies a staff of caustic fury (treat this as a staff of fire, each of whose spells deal acid damage instead of fire damage) with 4 remaining charges.
Second, Marnarius finds three interesting looking weapons. The first is an obsidian-bladed scythe with a mahogany handle. The second is a heavy flail made of magically hardened gold and whose head is molded like a roaring tiger skull. The third is a serrated, single-edged longsword made of green-tinged metal.
** spoiler omitted **
Marnarius is oblivious to the notes. In fact, he tries to get one of the magical types to stop looking long enough to identify the weapons.
Hey Vera, Raj, come over here and check these things out. See if you can identify what they do!
I really should let Rataji daze him...but no. It will be much more fun expressing my displeasure at being slighted.
Joliryn gets up close to Marnarius and coldly states "If you were to ask politely, I might be willing to lend my expertise. Otherwise, I shall truly enjoy watching what happens when you distract them from finding the notes."
Rataji is NOT amused to be pulled away from his search for Aram Zey's notes by Marnarius. He considers slapping the man upside the head with a dazing touch, but then pauses, hand still in the air. He raises an eyebrow and turns to Vara as Marnarius shoves the weapons under his nose.
"I'm considering telling him his scythe is a Scythe of Endless Mucous. Or perhaps Persistent Acne. What do you think? If you need someone to sacrifice to the old ones, I think that we have the perfect candidate here."
"Also... After this, would you -- as many of you as wish to come -- consider going on a date? There are many fine cuisines out there that we could sample. Beignets are only the beginning."
He grins, flashing Vara a perfect smile.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Agent 322 gets a sly, malicious glint in her eyes at Rataji's words.
She uses her second sight to scan the room.
During the search, Marnarious spots a pair of stockings under a shelf.
"Z! Are these to hide your hairy legs when posing as a woman. Unless you have other uses for them?"
*Sigh* "Leave 'em. They've got a run in them. And whadda ya mean hairy?" Z hikes up his cleric's cassock revealing a muscled, green thigh as wide around as 322 is at the waist. "Here take a feel.... You never know when you'll have to swim for it."
|
|
Marnarius is oblivious to the notes. In fact, he tries to get one of the magical types to stop looking long enough to identify the weapons.
Hey Vera, Raj, come over here and check these things out. See if you can identify what they do!
I really should let Rataji daze him...but no. It will be much more fun expressing my displeasure at being slighted.
Joliryn gets up close to Marnarius and coldly states "If you were to ask politely, I might be willing to lend my expertise. Otherwise, I shall truly enjoy watching what happens when you distract them from finding the notes."
[dice=Perception, when I get a chance]d20+1
Crap! That politeness obsession of Raj's is wearing off on everybody! Now the little half-pint is demanding I be nice before she obeys. Why in the seven hells did they put HIM in charge instead of me? Too bad I didn't buy some indigestible poison, 'cause I'd sure have a use for it right now, though THAT many doses would require a bigger purse than I have.
I don't know when the Consortium started demanding their agents be polite all the time, but you are all obviously special, so pretty please with bull slugs on top, would you see if you can identify these items?
Also, Z looks pretty beat up and could use some more healing, and others of us less so. If any of you would care to spare a moment from your search and save a potion or two, could you, pretty please with belladonna on top, take some time out for healing? That should be the first order of business after a fight like this.
Which our illustrious leader should have pointed out his own illustrious self
|
|
During the search, Marnarious spots a pair of stockings under a shelf.
"Z! Are these to hide your hairy legs when posing as a woman. Unless you have other uses for them?"
*Sigh* "Leave 'em. They've got a run in them. And whadda ya mean hairy?" Z hikes up his cleric's cassock revealing a muscled, green thigh as wide around as 322 is at the waist. "Here take a feel.... You never know when you'll have to swim for it."
Marnarious looks pretty confused about the swimming reference but quips back "I'm very sorry I asked," emphasizing the sorry with dripping politeness as he glances towards Joli and Raj.
I don't know when the Consortium started demanding their agents be polite all the time, but you are all obviously special, so pretty please with bull slugs on top, would you see if you can identify these items?
Also, Z looks pretty beat up and could use some more healing, and others of us less so. If any of you would care to spare a moment from your search and save a potion or two, could you, pretty please with belladonna on top, take some time out for healing? That should be the first order of business after a fight like this.
joliryn raises one eyebrow as she glares at Marnarius, then shrugs and turns on her heel. I've met goblins who are more civilized.
She then takes a moment to cast something and the blood and guts from the battle vanishes from her blade and then her clothing. She then incants something which causes the blade to burst into flames.
Unconcerned by the flames, she reloads the blade into her wrist-sheath, she straightens her clothing. Apparently satisfied, she then goes back to searching the stacks for any clue to the location of the notes.
Rataji rubs the spot between his nose and turns back to Vara.
Then he turns to Joli with a nod.
"Marnarius, can we talk?" Rataji pulls Marnarius aside, quietly.
"Laugh all you want at my insistence on etiquette, but you have to understand the bigger picture here. We will heal. We will spellcraft. But we will also search these vaults from top to bottom for those notes because we need them. We are about to open a portal in the Hao Jin Tapestry, an artifact so ancient and convoluted that the Society has not unraveled all of its secrets yet. We are going to use it to bring in allies from other planes. And if we don't observe every nicety of etiquette when dealing with those allies, we won't complete our mission, because they will tear us from limb to limb."
He studies the younger man, appraisingly. "You're strong. You're good in a fight. We need that. We need everyone in this mission to be at the top of their game, and to work as a team. If we pull this off, it'll be glory for all of us."
Zurnzal finds the notes after five minutes of searching, while the others bicker. He does his best not to drip blood all over them.
As Aram Zey describes in the ritual’s preface, performing the rite could tear a permanent rift into the Hao Jin Tapestry, allowing uninterrupted traffic between the planes—but always to the same site within the demiplane. He strongly advises against ever performing this procedure.
Rataji is then able to ascertain that the obsidian-bladed scythe with a mahogany handle is a +2 viscious scythe.
After the notes are found, Joliryn takes a look at the two weapons that Rataji indicates he couldn't identify.
"S-sorry, W-we were h-hoping that t-there was s-something useful w-with respect to h-healing m-magic in the vaults." Agent 322 stammers in her pleasant alto."I'll f-fix it."
She walks to Mr Z and winces as she looks at his wounds. She then takes out a wand and taps him with it, being careful not to look when she's doing it.
Seeing Mr Z mostly patched up, she looks at her own injuries, wincing each time the tentacles appear to knit the flesh close. Between the uses of the wands and her own powers, Agent 322 is becoming more distraught.
She then walks over to fix Joliryn.
"I-i don't know i-if you're s-seeing w-what I am, b-but I-i don't w-want to s-see a-any more m-manifestations. I-i n-never a-asked for a-any of this!", she whimpers then goes to the corner of the vaults, her shoulders wracked with sobs.
Rataji rushes over and pulls the sobbing girl into his arms. "Easy now, easy. You see into other planes because you're special. You have a dark gift, one that makes you valuable to both us and the Consortium too. We need you to pull yourself together, Vara. Can you take a moment to do that?"
He then turns to Zed. "Can you help disquise me? You're better at this than I am."
Add 20 to this result if Disguise Self is still active.
Joliryn watches as the tentacles writhe and knit the flesh back together. Seeing that it leaves no lasting marks, she then shrugs and says "Whatever works." Looking towards the fleeing elf, she adds "Thank you!"
---
Once people look like they are ready to move on, Joliryn looks towards 322 and asks "Any idea where that lantern you mentioned should be? I didn't notice it here."
Looking towards Rataji, she asks "How long will it take to open the tapestry? I've a spell I like to put on my blade, but it would only last a little over an hour. As I understand it, we need to get to the tapestry, open it, and then get to the top of the tower. If you think we can do everything needed within an hour I would cast it now."
He then turns to Zed. "Can you help disquise me? You're better at this than I am."
"Sure." He smiles. "Who are you goin' for?"
"Oh, and doll, you missed a spot." He says helpfully to 322 .
Rataji raises an eyebrow at Marnarius. "I've been wounded too, but I think we can both wait a minute for Vara to regather herself."
"You did excellent work finding this," Rataji notes to Zed. "Patrol leader, like you. I can act the part, I just need a little help passing."
"So is any of this crap worth anything?"
Rataji is disappointed to find out the other two weapons are mundane.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
In Rataji's arms, Agent 322's sobs subsides. She sniffs the air, and sees the blood on Rataji's robes. "W-why didn't y-you t-tell me y-you were hurt?", her look one of reproach.
R-really sorry a-about this." and traces a finger over Rataji's bite marks.
She takes a deep breath, wipes away her tears with Rataji's hanky (don't mind I borrowed it?), composes herself and faces the party.
Like a conjurer pulling out a prize act, she pulls out the lantern from her robes.
"It appeared in our possession on the way to the vaults. We would have told you earlier, but we were...distracted." and gestures at the lizard bodies."We've learnt not to question his ways,"in a smooth, cultured countertenor.
Remembering Marnarius's cruel imitation of one of the Four. She turns to Marnarius and blandly states, "We've run out of spells for today."
Catching Mr Z in a corner, she whispers to him, "I'd fix that, but we have a long road ahead of us and might need the healing later."
Agent 322 blends into the shadows as the group prepares to depart.
|
|
Remembering Marnarius's cruel imitation of one of the Four. She turns to Marnarius and blandly states, "We've run out of spells for today."
Marnarius scowls and flamboyantly raises a CMW potion to his lips and drinks.
Wouldn't want you to tax yourself waving that wand of yours, little monster.
If I could use the bloody thing I'd lift it off her and use it myself. Unfortunately the only ones who look like they could use it are Raj and his pet. The consortium will hear about this, though I doubt they will do anything about it.
Catching Mr Z in a corner, she whispers to him, "I'd fix that, but we have a long road ahead of us and might need the healing later."
Z exhales in mock annoyance.
Rataji kisses Vara's hand. "My lady, you are full of delightful surprises. Of course you can keep my handkerchief."
"We're all monsters," Rataji grins to Marnarius. "Some of us not too little. Now, who's ready to go off and open a tapestry?" He looks around the group. "I've heard rumors that the Grand Lodge stocks CLW wands by the barrel. If you see a supply room en route, let us know. We clearly could use more healing."
"You're such the charmer, you," and tucks Rataji's hanky into one of her robe pockets.
Agent 322 has a thoughtful look on her face as she continues,
"What is that screeching language you are using?" Joliryn complains, impatiently tapping her foot as she waits for the group to move on. It seems I'll have to start bringing a wand of Comprehend Languages on jobs. At least that would give me a chance of being able to understand some of these side conversations.
Z fingers the human tongue in his pocket with some agitation--willing the party onward.
Rataji looks around at his team. "It looks like everyone is ready to move on. Let's do this!"
- 322's Stealth: 34
- Joli's Stealth: 20 (she took ten)
- Marnarius Stealth: 28
- Rataji's Disguise:26 (Disguise Self Spell Active)
- Shihoraj Disguise: 14
- Zed's Disguise: 28
|
|
As soon as they EXIT the room, Marnarius will hand the keys over to Shi. The thought occured to him that Shi might lock them in the vault if he handed them over right away.
"Well, I suppose. But if you end up selling these or using them for something other than Consortium business, I wouldn't count on growing much older."
"Closing and locking the doors as we leave would be a good idea. It would be less obvious to any patrols." Joliryn quietly mentions as she is cleaning up any bloodstains she sees on the threshold or outside the vault door.
Noticing a few spots of blood on others, she makes a questioning gesture towards those stains.
Rataji looks down at blood stains all over his shirt. "You're right, Joli. I'm more likely to pass if this is cleaned up. Would you be willing?"
With a quick nod and a wave of her hand, all the stains vanish from Rataji's clothing.
"Could you do mine too? Thanks. People might start smelling it."
With a quick nod and a gesture, Joliryn cleans the blood and any other stains from 322's and Marnarius's gear. She walks around each person, checking the clothing and equipment.
[ooc]See slide 5 - adjust your order as needed. [ooc]
You come up a corridor to where The Leader's information says the Tapestry Room should be.
[dice=perception DC15]
A man's voice yells, "It is your fault that we've pulled this punishment duty! You and your flame first, ask questions later policy!"
A gruff sounding woman replies, "You weren't complaining when I burned them goblinoids and the like off your arse, now were you. Shuddup and take your punishment like a man!"
A third voice is heard to say, "Please, friends, can't we just get along for once?"
[/spoiler]