The skyclad part doesnt bother me as much either but the shaman's last remark has me a little on edge. 'Strength of mind will carry the day'.
Sentis was unsure of himself at times and he realized that he would have to be very strong willed to cleanse the mask.
He grinned in spite of the impending battle at the sight of Doc's battle wagon and was once again amazed at the dwarf's craftiness.
Sentis and Darkbiter return to the barracks from their visit to the Mwangi shaman with a hard task ahead of them.
Kaavel's comment elicits a bobbing head from Bom "Good good..." pursing his lips a few moments before cocking his head and having a lightbulb moment "Would you like to try them?"
"Sure." Kaavel says to the gnome.
Blaze continues to assist Doc, remarking "What did we do with the rest of the stuff we looted from the ziggurut?"
"Oh! Right, Ah almost fergot. Too wrapped up in work. Ah think Kaavel an' Grusk took th' stuff no one had claimed back t' th' barracks. Ah hung on t' this though." Doc says, pulling out the rusty looking rod. "Still got one button t' test."
Picking up a scrap of Ankheg plate, he tossed it out into the middle of the work area, waited until people had gotten clear and then ressed teh last button in the direction of the chunk of armor.
As Doc presses the button, he feels a thunk of recoil as an intangible but visible tentacle of force lashes out to grip the ankheg plate. Two beats later the Doc is pulled forward as the tentacle retracts forcefully and wrenches the ankheg plate from where it sits to send it hurtling at speed towards his body...
Kaavel's Big Fists and Feet:
Bom smiles as Kaavel decides to give the contraption a go and spends a few minutes adjusting the loops and bobbles to accomodate his larger frame.
When the frame is worn Kaavel finds it difficult to move due to the weight of the stone hands and feet, and similarly very difficult to balance as the rig is not evenly distributed. However he gets to thinking that if he could bulk up his ability to bear a load and also find a means of becoming more stable then he could really put the rig through it's paces.
After the Doc's display of the rod's other use...which could be quite handy... Sentis will relate his tale of the mask and the shaman's advice on how to deal with it.
What do you all think? Your council is always appreciated.
Grusk makes himself scarce as Doc likes to test things.....
Blaze chuckles at Doc's new toy. "Well, that could be useful. Did we ever figure out what the mystery tube did?"
Watching the pate clatter across the ground next to him, Doc grins. "Wull now, aint that fun. Ah, wonder..."
Shaking his head to keep his mind from wandering into further realms of conjecture and experimentation, Doc looked to his elven friend.
"Ah'm confused. So ye got t' git naked an' put on th' mask, an' that's s'posed t' drive out th' evil in it? S'pose it makes sense. If'n a naked elf tried t' mount me on their face, Ah'd prob'ly run the hell away too."
Hah! Ha! haha!
Sentis laughed with genuine mirth despite being the butt of the joke.
Ah, Doc; your way of finding humor even under the most dire of circumstances is truly exceptional...and reassuring. The shaman said he will summon the spirit of the mask into our world where I will have to fight it. Darkbiter has thankfully offered to join me in this battle.Im not really sure what will happen if we lose but I doubt its good.
"Wull, if'n ye c'n have help, Ah'd bet we're all in. Ah still don' unnerstand why ye got t' be naked though. Ye think yer gonna scare it t' death wit' yer elfy man-tackle?"
Sentis was slightly embarrassed at the idea of trying to scare anything in such a way but the thought did take the edge away from the impending fight.
Thanks Doc. I have no idea why the shaman said skyclad. Maybe its more of a spiritual battle or contest of wills. Or maybe just an even playing field?
"You nature-y types got all kinds o' strange rules. Why th' hell would anyone want t' fight on even playing field? That's a good way t' git dead."
Looking over at his cookpots, he shrugged. "Wull, if'n ye gotta fight it tha' way Ah'll mix ye up some stuff tha might un-even your evenness."
Kaavel pulls out the stone he had before giving it to the gnome.
I cant disagree with you about that Doc. In nature there is typically no such thing as a fair fight and certainly no beast seeks such a thing. Even our namesake wolves take down single prey as a pack.
The last was said with a hearty petting of baran's head.
We should such tactics as often as possible.,,hmm, I guess thats actually what we're planning.
Kaavel turns to the gnome "I have another stone, I will come back tomorrow with the second stone." Takes the stone back before waving bye to the gnome.
Spying Docs potion brewing Grusk continues to elude detection....
Dark just smiles at the conversation over fairness. "I have seen some animals practice fairness in the wild, even wolves do so to some extent within their own pack. The smart ones leave it behind when they enter the battlefield though; at that point, winning is what matters, not fairness."
The rest of the day and night passes without much to ennoble it. Sentis and Darkbiter prepare for their venture into the world of the mask while Doc busies himself further with his bubbling potions and pimp wagon preparations.
Morning comes with wan sunlight shining through an overcast sky, portending mixed blessings for the hours that will follow. As you take breakfast in the courtyard of the barracks - your reverie is interrupted by heavy thumps outside in the street.
Moving to where you can see the barrack's entrance you find your gnomish acquaintance Bom literally bouncing on the balls of his feet as he checks over a pile of wood and stone for any damage from it's fall from the carriage you see moving away into the distance.
Sentis shook his head at the gnome's troubles and wondered what he was up to but not for very long as today held a higher importance. The future was uncertain. He took the time for some intraspective and spiritual preperations before meeting up with his brothers who were coming bravely with him.
Before Sentis and Dark go to this ritual, Blaze gathers the entire unit together.
"Sentis, I understand you wish to rid the mask of its evil. But is it truly worth the consequences? What exactly will you be gaining that is so important that you're willing to yourself at risk, as well as Darkbitter? Not to mention the whole of the Steel Wolves, should you fail."
Blaze's concern was evident and caused the typically unsure half elf to again reconsider his decision...but...its what we do Sunny. We didnt have to free Thronebound and certainly risked all of our lives in doing so...and for what? Because it was the right thing to do...at least it seemd to be and this seems to be a very similar situation.
He ran a hand through his knotted locks and checked the height of the sun...it will be time soon... besides, what else would we do with it? Sell it? So that someone else takes the chance of being possessed and perhaps causing harm to innocents? We cant do that...
Sentis regarded his friends that had agreed to join him and smiled almost mischeviously...plus with brothers like these at my side how can I fail?
Blaze shakes his head "We freed the Thronebound while in the midde of a mission. That is what we do. We're a band of mercenaries, and that was our asignment. This is just your desiring what exactly? I am not saying you should not do this, but I would like to know what you gain out of this, and if its truly worth the risk of your life as well as the other Wolves who go with you. Or could we instead have the your Shaman friend destroy the mask??"
"I think tha magic suits Sentis I recall tha attack tha trees tha apes tha way it happened tis a powerful item o tha druid use, no use tah myself err you err even Doc, but we all have err own paths. In this I trust Sentis judgement o tha item, he ken cleanse it an bring forth a useful thing in tha process."
"I understand your concern, but it is something that must be done. If that was your soul, would you simply wish to be destroyed with due consideration? Besides, if cleansed, it would be a powerful tool, and that cannot be ignored. It is dangerous, but not overly more so than Doc's attempts to kill himself and/or others with the creating and testing of his various concoctions. Sentis and I are creatures of nature; we can no more allow this to continue than Doc could allow someone to develop a new concoction first." Dark is quiet, but firm, as he speaks. While he highly respects Blaze, there are certain things the foreign born city boy will never fully understand.
Blaze looks hard at Dark. "You are under my command, yes? Excellent. Now, there will be no attempting this cleansing until I have more information. Let us go speak to this Shaman together. I have questions and if I get the answers I seek, I will join my more naturalistic brothers in their battle."
Dark suppresses a smile as he shrugs, "As you wish." Speaking to Doc as they depart, [b]"Try not to blow yourself up today. Between your experiments and this crazy gnome, one has to wonder about the safety of those in these barracks."[b]
Sentis was truly touched by both Sunny's concern and his fellow Wolve's defense of his decision.
While we were on a mission freeing Thronebound wasnt The mission and we did it anyways...its like Dark says; we just have to. And yes, it's true we follow you and if you want more information then by all means lets go get it.
The half elf couldnt be more pleased than if all of his pack mate's joined in on the ritual.
Tossing sentis and Dark the potions they'd asked for Doc nods. "'Ave fun wit' yer nekkid elf stuff."
Team Nekkid:
Team Green embarks with the squad leader in tow away to the Mwangi shaman. It does not take you overlong to pass through the early morning streets of Kalabuto, and you find the shaman sitting outside his shanty hut in full tribal regalia drinking from a wooden cup. He notices you come and raises a hand in greeting.
Team Boom Boom:
Doc sets a tinkering on his wagon, as Bom finishes his check over the stone and wooden frame. Attempting to gather Kaavel's attention from the street he waves him over.
Sentis returns the shaman's greeting and makes introductions.
Good morning to you grandfather. May you find shade this day. These are my pack mates Darkbiter, Grusk and Blaze. We have some questions before we begin.
Kaavel goes and walks over to Bom to see what it was that he wanted.
"Greetings revered elder. I am Memluck "Blaze" Seljuk, and I am in charge of the unit Sentis is apart of. He tells me of a ritual combat he wishes to take part of. I would like to know a bit more, as I may offer to help"
Dark bows to the elder as he waits quietly while his leader talks with the shaman.
Team Nekkid:
The Mwangi shaman greets you with a smile "Good morning Memluk... he who seeks to act as a ray of the sun. Your kinsman has indeed chosen to tread a path of danger... what exactly do you wish to know?"
Team Boom Boom:
Bom smiles and hurries inside, before being struck dumb and speechless for a few moments by Doc's pimp-wagon. Glassy eyed and slack of jaw he looks upon it for silent seconds before seeming to raise himself from the reverie and ask Kaavel "Umm... I brought the stone... thingy... do you have the other stone... thingies..." clearly distracted by what is before him. He then asks "Who made this thing of beauty?"
Blaze bows respectfully. "For starters, exactly how dangerous is this likely to be? Secondly, I have some skill in the arcane arts. Would I be able to use them in this battle? How about beforehand?. Also, I have heard that sometimes, these battles create a spiritual duplicate of a weapon one holds dear, such as my Sunstrike. Is that the case here?"
The Mwangi shaman responds "All things hold danger... though this would risk the mind itself in the contest. If you fail then the tokoloshe will live on not in the mask... but within one of you. De battle would not be one that you are used to, with blade and spell - but one of the mind. Your thoughts shape de way that the battle would be fought... and de tools you have to fight it."
Grusk sits down in meditation.....
"Seems tha spirit should know we seek to help in release not in a great contest or conquest. Tha tokoloshe likely was a warrior at one time, let tha spirit join tha wolves, let tha spirit pass on wit tha other wolves who hast gone before, end tha spirits lonliness."
Raises an eyebrow and looks at the shaman across the fire for any futher information.
"Might we discover tha name o tha spirit?"