Oaken Spirit please help me discover the truth of this matter. I sense great wisdom in you.
This is the underworld, not a city,
not a place to be just, or to have pity;
nothing here is wrong, so no one can fix.
Maybe one, but not two, let alone six!
The damned are all here,
I am sorry to say, but I fear
thou can do naught; believe,
solve thy own problems, and leave.
Yet these vipers may happen to care
a few rumors with thee to share
whereabouts of thine Order of the Rose,
so if thee judge, I will aid, not oppose.
The snakes listen to the talking peg, then look at one another, confused.
Bithia: Does that peg wishes to take the egg, Elsa??
The wooden peg cries in frustration.
For all I care,
ye can both die!
To such brainless pair,
I need not lie!
A sharp blade is the tongue
with which to persuade the fools,
whereas e'en the most beautiful song,
is one of the most useless tools...
I care not about the egg
I need the vipers inside,
they shall help this peg
be to these heroes a guide.
Elsa moves slowly, coils up, then before any of you can react...she strikes, gobbling the wooden peg completely up.
Reflex save DC20 to stay out of her mouth.
Bithia: It's true Elssssa, they want the egg! This is no Knight of the Rose!!! Kill them, Kill them!!!
The snake Elsa gobbles up the helpless peg -- hopefully it will not break, constricted by the serpent's insides.
haha! that's true... what is the DC to understand your peoms??
Ill rp it in a sec. If it comes to fighting Grim will be forced to fight on the side of the snakes.
It seems the stick is not what I thought it was. Now that it has been dealt with tell me your story please. I gave my word of honor that a peaceful solution would be found and no one shal raise a hand toward you In my preseance.
A cacophony of hissing, clacking and guttural sounds booms from inside Elsa -- the stick's voice can be distinguished as its source.
The stick is (further) cursing the damned existence of the snakes, in a direct, non-poetic manner, arguing that their souls are indeed deserving of fighting over pointless eggs for the whole eternity, reenacting the memories of avarice of their former living selves, that damned be the greedy merchants and jewellers, who forgot the needs of others, blinded by their desired for true beauty, beauty that time consumes -- of course, the only such word for beauty in infernal refers to fake beauty.
It also curses the heroes who, in their foolishness, relinquish the invaluable assistance of a herald in the underworld.
Please release the staff. It is not in your intrests to act as such. Tell us what the issue is here. Would it not be better for the egg to come with us rather than there be bloodshed?
The snake spits out the stick.
Bithia whispers something into Elsa's ear. Elsa listens carfully, then says: The knight speaks true. Come Bithia, let us retire. Surely we can be happy leaving this one egg in their cusssstody. We have others, after all, don't we??
The two snakes back away giving you a wide birth. After a few moments, they slither away down the path leaving you alone with the egg.
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What did Bithia wjisper to Elsa? I don't like this...they gave up that egg too easily!
Nadi pulls an 8inch dagger from the velvet underside of her cloak. It's more of a gothic letter-opener really. Not too dangerous. But then she pulls out a phile from her sleeve and pours a white powder on the blade. Noticing Grim watch her quizzitively she says Io-cane powder. and gives him a wink. Just in case.
Just then you hear a tiny 'crack' sound. Looking down you notice the egg is hatching!
Suddenly, the two giant vipers decent upon you from above. Slithering ahead they must have ducked into holes in the rocks and moved up shafts to the tops of the canyons! Now they plop down between Grim and the summoner, all coiled up...you have but a moment to defend yourself from their onslaught!
VIPER BATTLE - ROUND 1
I agree. Egg laying creatures are not known for their maternal instincts. This pair is acting quite odd. We should proceed with caution. Spirit are you hurt? Tell us what is the inside of a talking snake like?
The spit stick hops back into standing position, and responds to Grim,
It was not at all a delight,
I am glad I am not split,
but I advise: pay attention to thy fight!
I will do what I need, as thou partaketh in it!
Then the stick moves towards the egg, hitting it with its butt and cracking its shell,
Let us have an early birth
and see what lives inside;
I say "Viper, do not hide,
and prove me thy worth!"
With those words, a black, small sized, king cobra emerges from the egg and curls its body around the pole, and it nags To hell with those two, one would eat me, and the other would abandon me! Well, who would guess, we are already there! I prefer to stick with this one! It chuckles. Hmph! Poor peg, this piece of wood thinks it can be a Caduceus, with me it can barely be a half-baked rod of Asclepius!
The snake then coils, preparing to fight against the two large-sized cobras Well, then, let me at least bring my family issues into this brawl...
Grim draws his sword with frighenting speed(class ability)and slashes at a snake headed for his throat!
The magic sword leaves the snake badly wounded.
Gaaa! says the snake just slashed What has that peg done?! It has bewitched my babiesssss! It uncoils and strikes at grim, trying to sink it's poisonous teeth into his hobgoblin body!
Misses entirely...
Grim's second action.
Miss! How sad...
The snake retaliates!
Hit! Ouch!
One snake (Elsa) took a turn already. Now Bithia attacks the Herald...
Left to act this round: The Summoner, The Herald, Antoni.
Please play over me to keep things moving, I'm at the hospital right now and I don't have my character sheet (appendicitis)
Please play over me to keep things moving, I'm at the hospital right now and I don't have my character sheet (appendicitis)
Jehane attacks the snake fighting Grim (I think that's Elsa) with whatever she has in her hands!! Her rat leaps upon Elsa's head too, trying to claw out the jewel in her forehead!
A major hit!
Elsa Noooo! My babiesssss! Forgive me, my children! and she dies pitifully.
Bithia, locked in mortal combat with Nadi, yells at Grim. You call this Honor? Foul knight...evil knight! If you vanquish me I shall meet you again in the lowest circles of the underworld!!! Then, believing her babies bewitched and stolen, she begins to sob, lashing at Nadi with her fangs and trying to hit the Oaken Herald with her tail...
END ROUND 1
START ROUND 2
Grim Charges at Bithia. I was helping. You attacked us and ended my aid.
And with a mighty two hand slash the snake dies.
As the second snake slumps dead upon the sandy path you notice the jewel in their foreheads go dark. Their spirits have indeed moved to some other, deeper part of the underworld.
Grim Sheathes his sword.
Well not that that unpleasantness is over with. Some introductions are in order. I and Gandrick The Gold Knight of the Rose. You knew me in another place and time as Grim. We were comrades there but things have changed and you may not remember me now. Is this ringing any bells?
So is this game over? =(
I'll GM it if it picks up again. it bums me to see it end...
Please no I'm still very much interested I just need this break if y'all don't mind
You follow the path at the bottom of this canyon for about a mile until it breaks out into the most amazing sight you have ever seen: You are standing at the top of some rough hewn steps that lead from this mountain chasm path down into a dim valley below. From here you have a commanding view of this valley - and a massive river, so wide the opposite shore cannot be seen due to a persistent fog. There are souls in this valley, thousands of them. Some have full corporeal form, knowing exactly where they are. Others are more ethereal, floating along forlorn. There is a long line waiting at a wooden boat dock down by the river bank. On the dock there is a pole from which hangs a mighty brass bell. But perhapse more impressive then all this is the small hill, maybe 50 ft high, next to the dock. There is a trail leading to the summit. A wooden sign at the trail head says information with an arrow pointing up the hill. Nothing special really, accept for that standing at the top of the hill is a freakin' angel. A real one! A full feather winged glory glowing angel in shining white/silver armor. A massive broadsword is sheathed at his side and a white hood covers his head. You cannot see his face, only the glow of two firy eyes that shine like bright sunlight reflecting off mirrors. Souls approach this being and it appears to be pointing this way and that. Is it giving directions?
I just want to repost this question before we continue.
Well not that that unpleasantness is over with. Some introductions are in order. I and Gandrick The Gold Knight of the Rose. You knew me in another place and time as Grim. We were comrades there but things have changed and you may not remember me now. Is this ringing any bells?
What hast thou come here for, Gandrick?
Do not lie to me, nor play me a trick:
if thou tell me the truth of thy quest,
I can help thee put thy heart to rest.
My spirit has soared the circles of Hell.
Much have I seen, though not well,
and even less of that do I recall,
lest my mind would in damnation fall.
Yet of the Rose I remember some,
who are in Alfaz, that wretched city,
whence many evil denizens come,
to torture mortals with no pity.
Ah, that noble knight, Alfazi,
prince of Alfaz, so inspiring!
He knows all that is transpiring,
but may he not know of thee!
In his citadel, at least, he does...
Oh, he will not deny a favor to any of us,
but at a very high price to thy soul!
A favor for himself, in return, is his toll.
The black cobra, too, speaks, after the staff does Gold-Knight-Gandrick, what does that mean to be a Gold Knight, and what is this Rose you speak of?
Check succeeds. Apparently somewhere in the underworld is a City called Alfaz where many evil beings dwell. Ruled by a creature named Alfazi, It is the part of hell where the torture of souls occurs. Many souls in Alfaz were evil in life, or enslaved to sex, money, corruption, or things like the dreaded drug Haphisto-Weed. It is said that Haphisto himself lives in Alfaz, and all who become addicted to the weed are given to Haphisto in the underworld to endure everlasting torture. As if the living hell of the addiction wasn't enough!
You wish to learn of my order? Very well. The Knights of the Rose were formed when the world was young and brutal. An oath was swore by Pendrik the Platinum, Gandrick the Gold, Silvia the Silver, Cantron the Copper, and Irazz the Iron, that they woud create a group of warriors that would fight for the rights of the weak. I am not of course the first Gandrick, but I begin to fear I was the last. I must find the other knights and many more than 5 of us were there. The 5 metals made up the council of Thorns. I must learn what happened after I was banished. The fate of all realms may depend on it!
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I have heard of the Knights of the Rose. It is said the 5 members of the council of thorns cast a statue. It's head was platinum, it's body and arms silver and gold, it's lower torso was was copper and it's feet were made of Iron. It was said that as long as the statue stood in the Rose Cathedral no cosmic evil could befall Golarion...the Thorns made an agreement with the gods to that effect. But they were all deceived, for the gods secretly made plans to subvert the Thorns. They set their own agents, in disguise, to earn knighthood in the order and overthrow the Thorns from within. They almost succeeded. But one of the gods, I don't remember which, double crossed the others and warned a single knight. I don't remember what happened after that. And I don't know why one god would betray the others. Where the actions of Hell often seem straightforwardly bent on destruction, the motives of Heaven are unfathomable.
History? Ha well I suppose it is history now. Correct on all accounts...I suppose I must have been the knight the god warned. I had a dream that I some how knew was a warning. I am sure I told the council...It is all so hard to remember now. Then I remember...my punishment.
This is how my words come
not plainly, but in verses;
all of them, not just some,
except my infernal curses.
Canst thou speak
with thy hair or thine eyes?
Well, neither can I seek
to communicate otherwise.
In this rift of great sorrow,
it is better to forget,
yesterday, today, tomorrow,
thyself, thy treasure, thy debt.
I am a spirit of old,
but here old is of no matter:
time in hell is painful and cold.
Just a spirit I am, none better...
It just is that it needs my help to substantiate its arcana into these planes, adds the snake. I for one am fine with it: many, many things are preferable to the torments of memory one goes through in this place... This stick seems decided on guiding you to do whatever you must to do; I would not trust anything in these lands, and I still do not trust this pole will do us good, but I trust that it will take us around in safety so that you do whatever you must do. These herald spirits do their best to avoid having the living roam freely through the underworld.
That I do not know who,
it could only be one of these two:
Raziel, an angel of noble seat,
or Falafel, a spirit of deceit.
Falafel, the deceitful one
weaves truth into lie.
Eternally does he have fun
putting the souls into vie.
Raziel aids those in need,
but others he does not heed,
lending aid or denying it,
to the latter, as he sees fit.
Grim will follow Nadi. Ripper walks behind.
After the decision is made, the stick hops its way to the angel, leading the group.