Welcome home, victorious Fierce Ones! Heheheh! I knew ye would make quick work of the vile scum with Excalibur in Ar--Derrik's hand.... I see ye have made new friends! 'Tis always a good thing, to grow in strength of numbers and bonds of kinship.... Feast and drink, young heroes! Celebrate your victory over great evil this day!.... But then rest.... For the Vampire Von Ulrik yet stalks the world of the living, and the longer we give him to plan a defense, the more difficult will be the battle to lay him in his grave for good....
Merlin grins and winks at a few of The FOs before sitting down beside a comely young Navajo woman, who hands him a bottle of Corona with a wedge of lime in it....
Waking up the next morning, Naomi is groggy but shockingly less hung over than expected.
Ugh... It's like freshman year at the sorority all over again... Only with more death and monsters.
She spends some time going over her belongings and organizing things in her new room before sequestering herself away to start working. First order of business was returning to work on deciphering some old parchment pages she had pulled out from a rather ancient book found in a library back in Chicago.
With the help of Dirge and after a fair amount of time searching through the compound for relevant items, they were able to make some significant improvements to her gear.
First order of business was working with the fine magical mithral armor she previously concealed within her jacket. It was now able to be more easily worn by her under her clothes and fit her like a glove nearly imperceptible to the naked eye. The motorcycle jacket (fairly ravaged from previous journeys) was scrapped in favor of a fine quality trench coat uncovered in an old crate. The two worked through a better part of the day laying various enchantments found detailed by the old parchment on the duster to make it more suitable for the upcoming challenges.
Heading out to explore the nearby landscape, she spotted the perfect Arizona Ironwood tree that had been recently knocked down(identified by her as Olneya tesota, but a fact she kept to herself, as no one else would have probably cared). Setting to work with some help from the natives she stripped it down and carefully fashioned it into a long sturdy staff a little over 5ft long. Once more returning to Prof. Dirge for some much needed guidance, she was able to enchant the rod using arcane steps laid out in another of the parchment pages and meticulously carved hermetic runes along its length before treating the wood with an appropriate stain.
Finally she pulled out an old headband of hers that she kept buried in the bottom of her duffle bag. Using the last parchment page ripped from the Chicago grimoire, the two professors proceeded to follow the steps to create a occult device to boost the young summoner's magical potential.
Emerging from the study, she was more drained than she ever thought possible.
"So much for R&R..."
Back at the navajo camp Koran feels more at home then he did in florida. he enjoys the more primitive ways of the navajo. a navajo shaman brings koran into his tent to reward him. he when he emerges the hilt of his hammer is now wrapped in a thick leather binding with glowing runes etched into it. the head of the hammer is also etched with the same runes and has one large rune embossed on it in a way that if the hammer contacts with flesh it leaves a mark in the shape of the rune. if asked what the rune means koran simply replies Fury
Bear-strong they call you right?
Would you care for some friendly competition?
How about some old fashion wrestling?
Koran grins a toothy wide grin.
Yep! I love wrestling, buddy! Let's see who's stronger....
Grapple check
Bear-Strong claps his great arms around Koran's shoulders in a standing clinch, but is unable to secure a grip on the mighty tiefling.....
Kate surprises Grimm with a picnic lunch in a secluded, sunlit grotto in The Grand Canyon on the day after their victory in Tombstone (Thursday, April 18th), producing a bottle of Cabernet chosen as part of her reward from the wine cellar of Pandora's Box in the Canyon....
Kate finishes her phylactery of positive channeling with Sister Maria De La Rosa's aid (final 2,000 gp of the 11,000 gp price invested), and will now heal an additional 2d6 points of damage whenever she channels positive energy (so 5d6 currently)!
She also spends time with some of the Navajo medicine men, crafting a bearskin belt of mighty constitution +2 (4,000 gp) to bolster her in combat and against hardship in general....
Finally, with the medicine men's help, she creates a deerskin medicine bag like those used by some of the Navajo medicine men, with the same magic that imbues Grimm's old-fashioned backpack (handy haversack worth 2,000 gp)....
he accepts grimm's and rad's hands
I am Yingzen pleased to met you. Welcome to Arizona
Derrik-Baby.... I keep hearing everyone say that you're, like, the reincarnation of King Arthur, or something.... You're something really special, baby.... But I'm just big, dumb Jewels.... Do.... Do you still feel the same way about me, now that you're.... Well.... Would I ever be good enough to be King Arthur's queen?
Amber Lynn watches Derrik and Jewels talking together near a campfire on Thursday night (April 18th), pretending to pay attention to the story another young lady, Amy, was telling her....
Her heart aches in her chest as she gazes longingly at her hero, whom she fears she could never confess her love to....
Derrik smiles warmly, though unable to be seen in his armor, he gently grasps Jewels' hand in his. Looking up to her with stalwart confidence.
" My Dear Jewels, What they say of me.. I believe is true at this point; I am the reincarnation of King Arthur. But that is not something to dwell on.. I am Indeed Special as you say, I am especially Stubborn and Determined and Keep Asking for more. when others would break or Perish. Jewels, I have refused.. countless women who by all means are beautiful.. My mind was strengthened against their sway. For I have one that is more beautiful in many ways. You. As Amazing as I may seem, There saying that goes 'there is an equal woman behind said man' and I believe You would make a Greater Queen.. and Mother than my reincarnation's queen. You need not to be small and smart, to be caring and loving. Besides you still are the only other, perhaps other than The Great Merlin, that knows my appearance.. My Trust in you is no little act "
Derrik nods finishing his little speech. He is.. aware of the others
Koran flies into a furious bloodrage and stares at bear=strong with a menacing glare.
He then lunges forward and grabs the navajo around the waist in a bear hug around the waist.
Sitting around the campfire that night, Naomi was content to just relax after the day of toiling. She cleaned her six-shooter and observed all the others: her new found companions. A chuckle of amusement hit her as she watched her previous protector and her newly met tiefling friend battle it out. She felt a pang of sorrow for Amber Lynn as she recalled times in her past where she was crushed by unrequited love. But the train of thought merely lead her back to memories of her late fiancé whose death still haunts her to this day. It has been so long since she could just unwind and have a feeling of relative safety, but in that safety came the opportunity for her mind to wonder back to those tragic days. Holstering her sidearm, she proceeded to stare unfocused into the campfire playing with her ring and recalling days long gone...
Koran flies into a furious bloodrage and stares at bear=strong with a menacing glare.
He then lunges forward and grabs the navajo around the waist in a bear hug around the waist.
OOOFFF!!!
The air is crushed out of Bear-Strong by Koran's super-humanly powerful bear hug....
Grapple check to escape bear hug fails despite a terrific effort by the powerful (but-not-quite-as-powerful-as-Koran) young Navajo brave....
Okay.... Okay!! You're stronger!
Several rowdy young Navajo braves gather to watch the brief wrestling match between Bear-Strong and Koran. After Bear-Strong is bested by the mighty tiefling, other powerfully-muscled Navajo braves come forward in friendly challenge....
Grapple
Grapple
Grapple
Grapple
Grapple
....but none are strong enough to out-grapple the demon-strong young tiefling....
The legend of "Demon-Hammer", stronger than the grizzly bear, fiercer than lightning, and fast as the striking rattlesnake, who has a sea dragon wife, has begun to be told around the campfires....
Yingzen stands on the edge of the camp in the shadows practicing with his sword. He moves with a grace that one would not expect from wielding such a large sword.
he speaks softly to himself as he glides thru his drills
Battle is a dance, Death is not an end but its a beginning, Death sweeps from the shadows. I am the shadows, I am death and I strike swiftly and quietly.
The sword seems to be apart of him
After a few days of rest, recuperation, and relaxation, The Fierce Ones are again ready to carry on the fight against the Great Old Ones and their horrific new regime....
Specifically, the time has come for Vampire Von Ulrik to be destroyed.
On Saturday, April 20th, at high noon, The Fierce Ones are teleported by Merlin to the rooftop of the White Tower in London. It is a bright Spring day, certain to keep vampires and other sunlight-adverse creatures indoors....
The Fierce Ones are perhaps somewhat surprised that no guards have been posted, though The Kraken is visible docked beside the White Tower, indicating that Von Ulrik and crew have not abandoned The Tower of London....
They haven't left yet, as ye can see.... But don't be surprised by tricks or traps.... They know they're being hunted now, and they've had a few days to prepare for us.... Not ideal, but it can't be helped.... Move with caution, Fierce Ones.... And bring back that magic hammer!
Merlin points with his staff down at the U-boat....
And try not to sink that magic boat-'neath-the-waves.... It will make fine plunder, and a right proper way to get about in the Seven Seas, should our adventures require it....
"How good is everyone's German?"
For the next sixty seconds, Levinson mutters to herself in an ancient Hebrew dialect while tracing over her tattooed forearm. As the air in front of her warps and shimmers, a beast begins to materialize. Something between a mighty bird of prey and a ferocious bear yet distinctly not of the natural world with great wings and six strong limbs, Kepler has arrived back on the mortal plane.
Levinson affectionately scratches him under his beak before casting mage armor on the outsider. She then readies her rod in one hand and revolver in the other as the severity of the situation finally hits her. I think I'm going to be sick...
Perception checks, please....
Kepler:
Levinson:
Perception
Perception
There.... whispers Merlin, nodding toward one of the towers in the outer wall surrounding the yard....
....and there.... nodding to another tower in the outer wall....
....and also, there.... nodding to yet another outer wall tower....
....and they be speaking into some kind of modern scrying device, it appears.... Our arrival has been noted and announced, Fierce Ones. Act accordingly. I shall remain here incognitus until your successful return.... Don't forget to remove the heads of all vampires ye encounter, or put a stake in each blackened heart....
With a gesture and incantation, Merlin transforms into a hawk and perches on a merlon....
Kepler: [dice=Perception]1d20+9
Levinson: [dice=Perception]1d20+3
Kepler telepathically alerts Levinson to the presence of guards on the rooftops of three of the towers in the outer wall, squatting behind crenellations and "whispering to black boxes", according to the avian outsider....
Feeling suddenly exposed and vulnerable, Kate huddles in the midst of her bigger, more muscled companions, instinctively trying to take cover from potential sniper fire behind Koran or Derrik, then feeling guilty and self-conscious when she realizes she's doing it....
To distract herself, she turns to Levinson and gives her a quick hug.
By the way, it's so nice to have another chick in the party.... This team needed a little more estrogen to balance it out....
The DC to spot the guards in the three outer towers is 25, so Grimm, Yingzen, and Koran fail to notice them until Merlin surreptitiously points them out....
Go ahead and roll initiative--the tower lookouts have relayed your arrival to others, presumably, and are now raising rifles to start taking shots at you!
Initiative
initiative
Initiative
After smoking some peyote and counting with the spirits the the s
Dessert Vash returns with renewed vigor (and a cooler bow)
Vash
Gaza
Vash and glaze are still a bit dazed from there second ever teliportation... And the peyote.
Vash
Gaza
Levinson returns Kate's hug, "Now, let's make sure to get everyone home."
anyone who beat a dc 8 perception check also sees a thin light blue man attempting to hide. his hair seems to be blowing in the wind despite the still air.
Kailin tries to hide behind a crate but ends up stumbling forward and being seen by everyone.
While the night progressed the rune from before slowly crept to completion its greenish hue glowing as the etching writes itself in the night.. but stops short... Derrik did not have the material to finish.. to his dismay he pawned Highlander to DL.. only temporarily. The rune finished a burst of power erupts from it as Derrik adrons his armor and spells " Judgement " in a mystical language.
Derrik now leads the group with both Dawnbringer and Excalibur his eyes not letting any tricks bypass them.. spotting the strange Fey'ish man as well as the hidden foes.. but more concerned about those hidden with other magicks.
Yingzen looks around the area seeing the little fey'ish man
Who might you be?
seeing that he is nitgoing to me stealthy kailin dusts himself off and steps forward a few feet.
[b]My name is Kailin Kros, I have come here from lands afar to document the adventures and victories of the Fierce ones.
Vash!
Glaza!
Koran!
Levinson!
Nazi submariners!
Yingzen!
Derrik!
Kepler!
Kailin!
Kate!
Eeeeek! Eeeeek!
Kepler:
Vash rapid shots The nazis
Vash rapid shots The nazis
[dice=shot 1]1d20 + 7; 1d8 + 5
[dice=shot 2]1d20 + 7; 1d8 + 5
[dice=shot 3]1d20 + 2; 1d8 + 5
All three arrows bounce off merlons the Nazis are hiding behind....
Revised:
Vash!
Glaza!
Koran!
Levinson!
Grimm!
Nazi submariners!
Yingzen!
Derrik!
Kepler!
Kailin!
Kate!
Eeeeek! Eeeeek!
Koran takes two of the large hubcap like chakram at his waist and hurls them at on of the guards in quick succesion
Koran takes two of the large hubcap like chakram at his waist and hurls them at on of the guards in quick succesion
[dice=attack 1]1d20+10[dice=damage]2d6+6
[dice=attack 2]1d20+5[dice=damage]2d6+6
The first chakram comes close to striking the lookout, but distance and cover save him; the second chakram strikes the merlon the lookout is taking cover behind....
[dice=Initiative]1d20+3
Rad goes between Kailin and Kate!
Squizeeeek!!!