On shaky legs, she walks towards Alaric, key in hand. She approaches closely, then closer, then reaches both hands around him, pressing the front of her body against his.
With a twist and a click, the manacles spring open and clatter to the floor.
The kiss is passionate, nearly brutal. He parts from her, looking down at Zaiobe.
He leans in, but does not kiss. "Now, you get what you gave my people." She finds herself roughly spun around, bent over. He is poised behind her, brushing against her lips for a long, agonizing moment. A look to Melinda, locking his gaze with hers, and with a savage thrust...
...takes Zaiobe.
The taciturn and laconic Ulfen woman does not make friends easily. Among your group, she is perhaps the most traditional "adventurer" in her way of thought - her way of life is to kill the enemy and take their stuff, and she does not trouble herself with the moral questions that plague many of the rest of you.
She is a bit of a perfectionist, especially where it comes to her swordplay, and she spends many hours practicing slashes, thrusts, and parries. Even in the heat of her barbarian rage, she is driven to maintain her form.
She gets on well with Skygni, and of course with Rhost, although exactly what is between Rhost and her remains largely unspoken. After what may have been some initial friction with Melinda, the two women seem to be getting on reasonably cordially now.
All coherent thought driven from her mind as she is overwhelmed with sensation, with need.
Her hands reach forward to seek Melinda as she thrusts herself back against Alaric.
Kalimac activates his newly acquired magical item, and suddenly the area around him is filled with a pleasant warmth, as sudden and welcome a change from the biting cold as slipping into a heated pool.
Slowly, subtly, the positioning in the elevator changes as people edge towards the warmth. Zaiobe, flying above the level of the elevator, shifts a bit closer to him. Then Ameiko, getting herself out of the cold. Shalelu steps into the heated area, keeping herself beside Liothonae and leaving a space for the other elf should she want to move close as well.
Suddenly, without any preplanning, Kalimac finds himself surrounded by a redhead, a brunette, and a blonde, all huddling close to him for shelter from the cold.
It's good to be warm.
Ulf blinks in surprise. "Really? I'd ... figured out Melinda was part orc, from the, uh, there are ways to tell, but I didn't think ... She'd have to be a second cousin or something ..."
"Huh. She's the one with 'a tendency to meet previously unknown relatives' or whatever, right?"
He glances up at you. "... Everything OK?"
She doesn't quite look alright, but she's not running away or anything.
"You share the same grandfather." A pause. A very long pause.
Lio, her face having gone a curious paler shade than her normal near translucent complexion, seems to be in a much more serious conversation with Ulf all of a sudden.
Kalimac activates his newly acquired magical item, and suddenly the area around him is filled with a pleasant warmth, as sudden and welcome a change from the biting cold as slipping into a heated pool.
Slowly, subtly, the positioning in the elevator changes as people edge towards the warmth. Zaiobe, flying above the level of the elevator, shifts a bit closer to him. Then Ameiko, getting herself out of the cold. Shalelu steps into the heated area, keeping herself beside Liothonae and leaving a space for the other elf should she want to move close as well.
Suddenly, without any preplanning, Kalimac finds himself surrounded by a redhead, a brunette, and a blonde, all huddling close to him for shelter from the cold.
It's good to be warm.
Yep, Lio, an arm around Shae, finds it is a nice thing to linger in the warmth. So Kalimac is surrounded by a redhead, a brunette, a blonde, and Lio, who's silver white hair blends in against her cold weather gear. She pets Attatoq.
Alaric pictures Kalimac in a smoking jacket. Resolves to buy one for him at the next town.
His gaze locked with Melinda, he sees her eyes widen as he thrusts into Zaiobe, her hips rocking slightly. Unable to move for long moments, eyes locked with his. This near trance state lasts until Zaiobe reaches for her. Her eyes still locked with Alaric, Melinda kneels in front of the red head, kissing her.
Slowly, Melinda straightens, bringing Zaiobe with her. The winged woman still leaning forward, but her breasts within easy reach of Alaric's hands. With a final look at Alaric, a single thought searing through the air between them, Melinda kneels before Zaiobe, giving the red-head a much more intimate kiss.
Alaric pictures Kalimac in a smoking jacket. Resolves to buy one for him at the next town.
Mel looks longingly at the area of warmth and stubbornly stays next to Alaric.
Kelda:
Sandru smiles. "Well, humans have to be quick off the mark. Anything that takes us a hundred years to figure out, we're probably not getting it done."
"Suppose ye 'ave a point 'ere." Lio concedes. "Though, ye coulde always try ah wish sp'll if ye need moare time." She adds, lightheartedly. "Ta make ye young'r... Hmmm... now thot aye thenk about yet, yer goen a little grey, 'erhaps we should start saven gold 'en." She teases, a small smile on her face.
Koya's own smile widens into a grin in response to your infectious joy.
After a little while, Lio asks, "So, whot did ye do, 'afore ye were travelen across 'e world in a buncha rickety wag'ns?"
Lio, her face having gone a curious paler shade than her normal near translucent complexion, seems to be in a much more serious conversation with Ulf all of a sudden.
A slight pause as a number of facts slowly click together into place.
"So ..." he says carefully, sounding intrigued rather than upset, "Should I be asking you about my elvish heritage as well?"
Not seeing rejection, Lio visibly relaxes, no longer quite so fragile.
After I asked you to watch Jorun when everyone was drinking, for example." She says quietly. "He shunned me for a week. Wouldn't even talk to me after I died and came back."
In takes Mel a minute, but slowly she says, "Solstice." She looks uncomfortable, "His discomfort around you had nothing to do with making sure Jorun was okay." A pause, "It was something else that made him uncomfortable, but he asked me not to talk about it..."
It takes Mel a minute, but slowly she says, "Solstice." She looks uncomfortable, "His discomfort around you had nothing to do with making sure Jorun was okay." A pause, "It was something else that made him uncomfortable, but he asked me not to talk about it..."
"Since he will not discuss it either, resolving the issue or preventing it from recurring is rather problematic," Shalelu comments mildly.
After a little while, Lio asks, "So, whot did ye do, 'afore ye were travelen across 'e world in a buncha rickety wag'ns?"
"Mostly lookin' after my mother," Koya says. "An' before that, havin' tempestuous love affairs. Filled th' time."
"Suppose ye 'ave a point 'ere." Lio concedes. "Though, ye coulde always try ah wish sp'll if ye need moare time." She adds, lightheartedly. "Ta make ye young'r... Hmmm... now thot aye thenk about yet, yer goen a little grey, 'erhaps we should start saven gold 'en." She teases, a small smile on her face.
"But then I will never achieve my dream of being a cranky old curmudgeon," Sandru points out.
"Since he will not discuss it either, resolving the issue or preventing it from recurring is rather problematic," Shalelu comments mildly.
Mel's gaze towards Shae is hot for a second, but cools almost immediately. "If Lio had made the request of you that Alaric made of me, would you be doing as she requested?" Her own voice mild. "But," she says with a little bit more of a smile, "His discomfort was not caused by asking me to make sure Jorun was okay. And I can only think of one other thing that Lio did that day that would affect Alaric." She shrugs, "There may have been something else, but if so, I don't know about it."
Lio, still talking quietly with Ulf. Sits down on a convenient perch as they speak. She looks a bit stressed.
A thought-line creases his brow.
A slight pause as a number of facts slowly click together into place.
"So ..." he says carefully, sounding intrigued rather than upset, "Should I be asking you about my elvish heritage as well?"
Lio isn't surprised that he's put two and two together, but she's still kind of shocked, and although there is no particular note of panic, someone really observant might note that panic is only a wrong breath or two away.
"Yer about as much elven as yer Orc." She says, quietly, taking a step to the side, where a convenient perch awaits, and she sits down, the overwhelming information threatening to overrun her still sometime fragile mind. "Whot woulde ye like ta knoue?"
Mel's gaze towards Shae is hot for a second, but cools almost immediately. "If Lio had made the request of you that Alaric made of me, would you be doing as she requested?" Her own voice mild. "But," she says with a little bit more of a smile, "His discomfort was not caused by asking me to make sure Jorun was okay. And I can only think of one other thing that Lio did that day that would affect Alaric." She shrugs, "There may have been something else, but if so, I don't know about it."
"I was not asking you to speak of it, Melinda," Shalelu says, still calmly. "If I had been, I would have said so."
This many small Elementals.
This round: Concentration Check:
Next: Concentration Check:
Air Elemental:
N Small outsider (air, elemental, extraplanar)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +4
Defense
AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +3 natural, +1 size)
hp 13 (2d10+2)
Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +0
Defensive Abilities air mastery; Immune elemental traits
Offense
Speed fly 100 ft. (perfect)
Melee slam +6 (1d4+1)
Special Attacks whirlwind (DC 12)
Statistics
Str 12, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 15
Feats Flyby Attack, Improved InitiativeB, Weapon FinesseB
Skills Acrobatics +7, Escape Artist +7, Fly +17, Knowledge (planes) +1, Perception +4, Stealth +11
"Mostly lookin' after my mother," Koya says. "An' before that, havin' tempestuous love affairs. Filled th' time."
Lio grins. "Sounds busy." A small smile, "Ye 'ave any childr'n? She asks.
Lio doesn't say anything. She's busy trying to think of what she could have possibly done that could have offended Alaric, and can't think of anything.
"But then I will never achieve my dream of being a cranky old curmudgeon," Sandru points out.
"Ken yer already 'ere. She teases.
Myri tosses unwillingly tosses aside her mace and moves around the control panel. As she moves her scarf is undone from her waist and somehow finds a way to move around her despite the tempestuous downdraft. The wind whips the scarf towards the undead monster, and its bladed end slashes through ice and bone.
The demon woman still out of reach, Hrunndalf instead seeks out the next skeleton and swings a violent overhead blow at it in an attempt to draw its attention away from Ameiko. However, the storm gales throw off his aim, and the strike misses.
The undead creature moves closer in an attempt to protect its flanks, and slashes its claws at Myriana, hitting her twice.
,
"Oh, nüüd te kindlasti ei saa mingit jäätist," snarls Kalimac at Katiyana as he tosses his lance and shield into the 200 foot deep shaft. Melinda, close by, casts feather fall on the dropping items, keeping them from being shattered into pieces at the bottom of the deep hole.
His Challenge made, he nudges Attatoq into a Charge. The undead horror takes a swing at him as he goes.
Undead to hit:
:
Kalimac draws his sword from the Scabbard of Vigor on his way in and slashes at Katiyana when the charge brings him home. He cuts her deeply at the end of his charge with a mighty swing, rich dark blue blood welling forth from the wound.
The second undead monstrosity continues its assault on Shalelu. It strikes her twice, slowly wearing away at the elven ranger.
,
But again she escapes paralysis.
Mel looks once at Alaric with a smile, before charging up to the blue woman, fighting against the wind as she walks on the air. "I'm relatively certain that we got the better end of the gene pool." As she slashes at the woman with Suishen. The first time the sword has actually been used in combat since he was rescued from the well. And the blow lands, the blade of the magic sword wounding Katiyana still further.
”Ha! Take that! En garde! Have at ye!” Suishen shouts excitedly.
Ameiko steps in and spears the undead creature by Hrunndalf and Myriana still further, piercing through bare vertebrae with her rapier. She continues to sing as she fights.
Liothonae begins a summoning chant, barely audible over the winds.
Katiyana looks angry now. Wind begins to swirl around her in a cyclonic circle as she spreads her wings and rises slightly into the air. Practically ignoring the two foes who have just wounded her, she turns to Zaiobe.
”OK, big sister. Here’s how I see this going down.”
Without even glancing at him, she slashes a claw into Kalimac’s face.
”I don't think you can do squat to hurt me. So I’m going to basically ignore you and kill all your friends here while you watch. Then the two of us are going to have a little chat about what exactly you’re doing here, who sent you, and why.”
She offhandedly stabs another claw through a gap in Kalimac’s armor.
”I’m going to start with the midget with the puppy here, because that sword blow kind of hurt. Then I’m going to work on the little girl here you got all upset about when I was mean to her. I think I’ll kill her slowly. Then her dad, since that got you all huffy, too. And so on and so forth, making it more painful for them the more upset you get about it.”
Finally turning to Kalimac, she savagely bites him on the neck.
Kalimac slumps down in the saddle, but does not fall out.
Katiyana turns back to Zaiobe, Kalimac's blood dripping from her mouth down her chin.
"Get the picture?"
Zaiobe, who had been waiting to see how events unfolded, flies over and lays a healing hand on Kalimac.
Shalelu slashes twice at the undead monster in front of her with her short sword, knocking off more of its unliving substance.
Rhost runs up and into the air, eyes focused on Katiyana. He doesn't stop until he is standing next to Katiyana, wind whipping his hair into a frenzied saffron halo, and whips his Earth Breaker into Katiyana in an Attack of Savage Fury. But his mighty swing misses the swiftly dodging winged woman.
"You might want to shut up now," Alaric growls. His tangible aura of fear seems to expand, in the form of an enlarged Bane. But is has no effect on Katiyana.
Shalelu -28
Myriana -13
Kalimac -66
Katiyana -39
Hoarfrost 1, -19
Hoarfrost 2, -11
~~~~~~XOX^XOX~~~~~~
~~~~~X..##W..X~~~~~
~~~~O...#MKR..O~~~~
~~~>....YZ.....<~~~
~~O...@HUI..L...O~~
~X##...+++++...##X~
X###..+++++++S.###X
~X##...+++++.U.##X~
~~O......A......O~~
~~~>...........<~~~
~~~~O...###...O~~~~
~~~~~X..###..X~~~~~
~~~~~~XOX^XOX~~~~~~
. = 5’ square, stone
X = Wall
~ = Outside
+ = 200’ shaft
# = Platform (50’ above floor)
O = Open window (50’ above floor)
>,<,^ = Blue crystals (50' above floor)
@ = Crystal Control Panel
W = Winged Woman (Katiyana) (55’ up)
U = Undead Creature
M = Melinda (55’ up)
R = Rhost (60’ up)
H = Hrunndalf
A = Alaric
L = Liothonae
K = Kalimac (on Attatoq) (55’ up)
Y = Myriana
I = Ameiko
S = Shalelu
Z = Zaiobe (55’ up)
Kalimac
Myriana
They will both drop their weapons on their turns - if they are able to do so.
Paralyzed and unconscious people are encouraged to still post actions.
Lio, still talking quietly with Ulf. Sits down on a convenient perch as they speak. She looks a bit stressed.
Lio isn't surprised that he's put two and two together, but she's still kind of shocked, and although there is no particular note of panic, someone really observant might note that panic is only a wrong breath or two away.
"Yer about as much elven as yer Orc." She says, quietly, taking a step to the side, where a convenient perch awaits, and she sits down, the overwhelming information threatening to overrun her still sometime fragile mind. "Whot woulde ye like ta knoue?"
"I ... really don't have any idea," he admits. "I'm from dwarf and gnome country. I know less about elves than I know about quantum mechanics, and as far as I'm aware those are guys who fix quantums for a living and probably make good money at it."
"So, I'm a little unclear as to whether elves are the proud warrior scions of an ancient race, or more along the lines of really long-lived hippies who like frolicking in the woods. You kind of hear both versions."
"Ken yer already 'ere. She teases.
"Only because of the kids today with their loud hair and their long music and their pants all falling down onto my lawn," he replies immediately.
Lio grins. "Sounds busy." A small smile, "Ye 'ave any childr'n? She asks.
"None o' my own," she says, "But I somehow ended up takin' care of other people's kids, more 'n once. Kept 'em out o' trouble when their parents were tryin' t' keep 'em in it."
NOTE UNHALLOW/DESECRATE – +10 HIT POINTS, +2 TO HIT, +2 DAMAGE, +4 AC, +4 SAVES, +4 ADDITIONAL TO RESIST POSITIVE ENERGY
Hoarfrost
To hit
Damage (+1d6/1d6 cold)
Glaciate: DC 14 Fort or 1 Dex damage and paralyzed for 1d4+1 rds
Hoarfrost
To hit
Damage (+1d6/1d6 cold)
Glaciate: DC 14 Fort or 1 Dex damage and paralyzed for 1d4+1 rds
Katiyana
Spell on Mel
Ameiko
Rapier
Bardic
Shalelu
Short sword attack
Damage
Zaiobe
Cure
Entropic Shield
Kalimac activates his newly acquired magical item, and suddenly the area around him is filled with a pleasant warmth, as sudden and welcome a change from the biting cold as slipping into a heated pool.
Slowly, subtly, the positioning in the elevator changes as people edge towards the warmth. Zaiobe, flying above the level of the elevator, shifts a bit closer to him. Then Ameiko, getting herself out of the cold. Shalelu steps into the heated area, keeping herself beside Liothonae and leaving a space for the other elf should she want to move close as well.
Suddenly, without any preplanning, Kalimac finds himself surrounded by a redhead, a brunette, and a blonde, all huddling close to him for shelter from the cold.
It's good to be warm.
"As you may recall, I said at the time that I thought he seemed more deeply embarrassed than angry or offended."
She considers.
"Perhaps he accidentally saw us having sex that night?" she suggests to Liothonae. "He is clairvoyant, and humans sometimes have odd notions about such things. We were quite vigorous and inventive that evening, and if perchance he saw you naked atop me in the throes of orgasm, as one example, it might explain why he avoided you for a time, and did not wish to discuss it thereafter. As an attempt to forget the incident, rather than ingrain that image of you in his mind?"
She is not certain of her theory, but seem to think it might account for what happened.
Regaining consciousness, Kalimac instinctively lashes out at his foe, slashing with the temporarily enchanted sword. "Põrgu ei sega seda," he snarls.
Rhost stands his (insubstantial) ground, and windmills his Earth Breaker in a truly devastating blow -- once, twice, three times.
Þrumublað, trip maneuver, Power Attack , Bull's Strength, Divine Favor,, +1 bard song, +1 Bless, +1 Ameiko threatened, flanking with Ameiko:
Combat maneuver check:
Þrumublað, two-handed, Power Attack, Bull's Strength, Divine Favor,, +1 bard song, +1 Bless, +1 Ameiko threatened, flanking with Ameiko:
To hit: (crit )
Damage: (crit )
. . . plus electric,
. . . plus precision damage.
To hit: (crit )
Damage: (crit )
. . . plus electric,
. . . plus precision damage.
Possible AoOs :
To hit: (crit )
Damage: (crit )
. . . plus electric,
. . . plus precision damage.
To hit: (crit )
Damage: (crit )
. . . plus electric,
. . . plus precision damage.
"I ... really don't have any idea," he admits. "I'm from dwarf and gnome country. I know less about elves than I know about quantum mechanics, and as far as I'm aware those are guys who fix quantums for a living and probably make good money at it."
"So, I'm a little unclear as to whether elves are the proud warrior scions of an ancient race, or more along the lines of really long-lived hippies who like frolicking in the woods. You kind of hear both versions."
She answers, although she doesn't know exactly what to tell him.
"Yer, Elven great-great-grandfath'r, was a rune-mage. He belived in 'e power of names, so the names he gave 'is children sounded pretteh an' elven enuf, bought 'ad no meaning. Your Elven great-great-grandmoth'r was an artist. She wos fragile and kind an' beautiful. 'ey were Snowcast'r elves, ah suppose, bought 'ey didnnna live in e far north. Probableh due ta her delikate constetushun, 'erhaps bekause 'ere's naught much work fer a wizard thot creates runes unless yer near a citeh. They lived in a small village, bough yer great-great grandfath'r traveled a lot, to sell 'is magek. I'd tell ye more about 'em from when 'ey were alive, but honestly aye can't. I dunna remember ey'r first names. 'ardly remembered my own."
She tries to gauge if she's on the correct subject for him, or if he was more interested in Elves in general. sense motive:
Lio laughs, amused, at something Sandru said.
"Only because of the kids today with their loud hair and their long music and their pants all falling down onto my lawn," he replies immediately.
"Thot long musik es pretty dang'rous. Gotta wotch out fer those pants lyen around, might trip o'er them, when yere walken across yer lawn." She grins.
"None o' my own," she says, "But I somehow ended up takin' care of other people's kids, more 'n once. Kept 'em out o' trouble when their parents were tryin' t' keep 'em in it."
Lio listens attentively. "Like Rhost an' Alarek?" She asks, since those two seem especially close to Koya.
Cast Shocking Image.
"So... My turn?" Mel says as she sleeps back into the air. A few twisting words and there are six Melindas carefully moving in the air.
Number of Images:
If her attack roll hits Mel's AC (currently a 25 (+4 Dex, +4 shield, +4 mage armor, +1 natural, +2 dodge from fervor)) then she rolls if she hits the 'real' Mel.
Additionally if her attack misses by 5 or less, she automatically takes down a image. Each image does 2d6 electricity when the image is destroyed.
No spell resistance for the images, but there is a one for the electrical damage, but only once the first image is taken out.
She tries to gauge if she's on the correct subject for him, or if he was more interested in Elves in general.
You get the impression he's pretty much interested in whatever you have to say. It may occur to you that both of his parents died when he was young and he has never mentioned any other blood relatives; he may have as little idea as to what to do upon meeting a previously unknown relative as you do. Perhaps even less.
Lio listens attentively. "Like Rhost an' Alarek?" She asks, since those two seem especially close to Koya.
"Sandru. Rhost. I didn't meet Alaric 'til he was a bit old fer that kind o' thing, but I s'pose I had th' same reaction to him."
She shrugs. "Call me a sucker for lost souls, I guess."
Shalelu looks deeply thoughtful.
"As you may recall, I said at the time that I thought he seemed more deeply embarrassed than angry or offended."
She considers.
"Perhaps he accidentally saw us having sex that night?" she suggests to Liothonae. "He is clairvoyant, and humans sometimes have odd notions about such things. We were quite vigorous and inventive that evening, and if perchance he saw you naked atop me in the throes of orgasm, as one example, it might explain why he avoided you for a time, and did not wish to discuss it thereafter. As an attempt to forget the incident, rather than ingrain that image of you in his mind?"
She is not certain of her theory, but seem to think it might account for what happened.
Lio turns red in several interesting shades. "Oh." She thinks a moment, not quite understanding why he'd be embarrassed, since it was hardly his fault that he was clairvoyant, but smart enough to connect the dots, ...that if he was embarrassed about maybe seeing Lio and Shae together, the present she left for them might not have been well received. A glance at Melinda, "So, giving you and Alaric a set of benwa balls for you, and a ring for him probably bothered him?" She sounds unsure. She really can't imagine why it would bother him so much, but is willing to entertain the idea that it could. After all, she wasn't happy about the idea of being seen by others, even accidentally, although she didn't think she'd react so poorly to a well intentioned present, no matter how strange it was. Yet this train of thought begins to upset her. It's pretty clear she's angry about how he treated her for an entire week and then pretended nothing had happened. "I don't understand why he over reacted so badly. If he saw Shae and I, well, he hasn't been avoiding Shae. And if it's because whatever he saw was made worse by my present, which by the way, was not intended to embarrass, but rather to help you during your pregnancy, since Benwah balls strengthen the muscles you use while giving birth, and any healer would know that if he stopped to think about it, and yes, they're also fun and enjoyable and that's their other purpose. And I did give him a toy, sure, but that's just ridiculous. How can he avoid me for a week, and then pretend like he wasn't avoiding me? I don't know how to deal with this. I can't just pretend all is fine, when he did that. It's not fine. I'm not alright with it. It's like I have to walk around on eggshells, and anything I say or do that doesn't meet his standards sets him off. I'm terrible with people to begin with. I try to do something nice, and it backfires and makes things worse." She's not trying to raise Mel's hackles or make her defensive. She's not even trying to attack Alaric. She is however upset and venting.
Lio laughs, amused, at something Sandru said.
"Thot long musik es pretty dang'rous. Gotta wotch out fer those pants lyen around, might trip o'er them, when yere walken across yer lawn." She grins.
"Well, that's kids today for you," he agrees with an answering smile. "No respect, not like back when I was thieving and looting. I thieved and looted politely."