Archepex, by wearing the talisman and clutching it in your hand, you can see through the eyes of any other living thing within eyesight range. Just focus on them and the next time you blink, you're looking from an entirely new perspective. Let go of the talisman to return to your own sight. Just be warned - more powerful and/or alert beings might sense the scrying magic...
Dhice, don't forget to mark an XP. :)
Emma, you find a pocket-sized stone with a small peephole on two sides that you can look into. When you do, you see a pair of miniature, tiny faeries dancing with each other. It's inscribed with flowing patterns.
Myk-Myk, you find a horn of knowledge. While this horn is equipped, whenever you succeed at a basic or class move against a monster, you gain a useful tidbit of knowledge about them, as if you rolled a 7-9 on a Spout Lore about them.
Archepex smiles when he recognizes the smiley for what it is. I think I found how they were spying on us. He then describes the function.
When they come to the cavern Archepex is momentarily stunned speechless. A "music" concert? What was this world coming to? He quickly looks for any bats or other things he could use to get a better view of what they were in for.
No way in hell are any natural creatures willingly staying near to so much noise. No sign of animal life anywhere. Even Mule seems highly uncomfortable by being so close to the commotion.
Everyone can roll for loot from the gunners' bodies. 6 or less gets you 1d10+5 coins only, 7-9 gets you 2d10+10 coins and a random selection from the inferior loot table, and a 10+ gets you 3d10+15 coins and a random selection from the superior loot table.
coins
"What's the game plan, kids? Try and stealth to the big rat's platform for a little assassination/rescue mission?"
Morley shrugs out of his leathers and puts on one of the gunner's ratted robes. Worth a shot I suppose ...
As he changes, he points at the various auto-crossbows, adding the one he previously took to the pile. He speaks to the group as a whole. Hjalmar, can Agatha hit at 130 yards? Archepex, what about your bow? These cross-bows should have the range.
Here is what I propose. I will attempt to make my way through the crowd to that captive's side. If I make it, or if I am discovered, you should all shoot the rat queen and fall back. I will use the distraction to either free the captive or escape. Dhice, can you rig this tunnel to collapse on the Skaven that pursue you?
It is dangerous, but we can't take them all at once. Our priorities should be to kill the queen and free that woman.
I would collapse the ceiling if I could. The more of these things that dies the better. But we don't have the gear for that. I guess a stab and grab is our best bet. I even have a few special arrows that I can use on that monstrosity. In fact, due to their magic, I bet I can use all of them at once! A slightly bloodthirsty gleam crosses into his eye as the idea dawns.
Dhice sneaks up to a vantage point and takes a close look at the cavern's and access tunnel's construction with an eye towards finding weaknesses he could exploit. If I start weakening the support structures there... and there... maybe... .
"Hjalmar, your dwarven brethren sure make stout mining complexes. Help me out here, do you see any weaknesses in this structure? I was thinking that central column, but it looks like its stood the test of time pretty well and is stronger than you'd think."
Emma frowns "It's all well and good talking about bringing down the ceiling and so forth, but what about the captives. It might be easier if... All the Skaven were out of the room." She thinks for a moment. "Any volunteers for being live rat bait?"
Don't worry Emma, I wasn't planning to collapse the entire complex. Just trying to think about how we could cut them off from pursuing us once Grigor has that poor woman.
Being called by Dhice, Hjalmar huddled up next to the man, peering at the section of the cave he was indicating. "Aint exactly been much of a miner lad, been out in the world since my youth." He grinned. "Though I like to think I remember a thing or two."
He nodded. "Aye, its stood the test alright, but it aint the sturdiest pillar ever. It gets the job done, but I think your brand of magic should be able to bring it down."
At Morleys inquiry, he hefted Agatha. "Well, she can certainly reach that far, but at that point we are talkin' at the very least equal parts marksmanship and luck." He looked a little defensive as he none the less added. "She doesnt shoot perfectly straight. Hittin' at that range becomes a bit of guesswork you see."
Your shots alone should serve as distraction enough. If any of you happen to hit her, all the better.
Morley takes a moment to inspect himself, and then takes the robes from the other gunners, attempting to cover his whole body.
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Your shots alone should serve as distraction enough. If any of you happen to hit her, all the better.
Morley takes a moment to inspect himself, and then takes the robes from the other gunners, attempting to cover his whole body.
You could also be constantly cycling through perception of the Skaven around you and weave your way through the blind spots where no one is looking at that very moment.
Archepex sets up both the remaining auto-crossbows so that they have good firing lines to the tunnel.
If you run out of useful things to do, grab one of these and start firing into the crowd. Don't worry about hitting. You mainly want to discourage them from storming us. But if you drop a few, all the better. he instructs everyone.
He then sets himself up with a clear shot on the abomination and prepares himself for an epic shot. All six of the magic arrows come out.
My discern realities question is "what here is useful or valuable to me" in the context of finding a weak spot.
Morley takes several calming breaths as the others prepare. He hands the Monacle to Archepex. If I don't make it, I wouldn't want these rats to have it. Could Mule distract the large ones standing guard? I should be able to disappear into the crowd easily enough once I'm past them.
Anyone have any implements of mass destruction? Dhice, do you still have that flame trap?
Bathilda quietly pulls out the grenades Morley gave her.
"So, I just chunk these and they go boom, right?"
yeah I've got the fireball sigil sticker right here. I could probably also mess with the floor a bit and trip them up to cause a but more general confusion. Or... he pauses and gets a funny grin on his face. or I could bring Muppy back and send him in there. That would probably work best actually.
Dhice, the central pillar is indeed beyond your skill to damage. Perhaps if you were higher level - but as you cast about the ceiling, seeking ideas, you hit upon something else. Stalactites hang from the ceiling in multiple places dotted around the cavern, and with the right targeting, you could send huge spears of stone raining down on the mosh pit.
Morley gingerly takes the flame trap from Dhice and carefully affixes it to the floor a ways in front of the auto-crossbows. With his knowledge of the trap, he rigs it to trigger if stepped on. He covers it with some dirt. Don't step on this. When the survivors start charging this way, fall back to a safe distance, and continue firing into the confusion.
Archepex, you face a choice as you prepare to set up the Skaven auto-crossbows. You can set them up so they have the clearest possible shot on the most possible Skaven - which would potentially expose you to discovery by the Rat-Ogre bouncers prematurely, ruining the element of surprise. This would require a Defy Danger roll to set them up stealthily. Alternatively you can set them up further back in the tunnel, sacrificing some of your killzone potential in exchange for more breathing room as you prepare. What do you do?
Dhice has apparently talked himself into summoning Muppy back into being, with the idea of sending him into the horde behind Morley to trip up and confuse the Skaven, hopefully distracting them from the imposter in their midst. If he can stay active long enough to help cover Morley's escape with the captive, then so much the better.
The young man moves over to one side of the tunnel and sweeps up a pile of loose debris with his foot. He then unleashes a stream of magic into it and causes the pile of rocks to animate into a wriggling mass of writhing stone and gravel, somewhat like a thick, living carpet .
Pleased with his creation, he tries to solidify the Elemental's existence but struggles to tie it off. He feels a little bit of its power slip between his fingers as he realizes that the summoning wasn't performed perfectly
"Follow Morley from a discrete distance, Muppy, and trip up as many Skaven as you can OK? Don't stay in one place, and don't draw attention to yourself as much as possible. Try to keep them confused. Hopefully they won't even figure out that you're there at all."
Sneaking is really fundamentally the same whether you're in the woods or in the caves. It's the details that get ya. A snapped branch, a gust of wind, an ill timed sneeze will all get you found. Thankfully, a rock concert is fantastic auditory cover. The stench of so many congregated Skaven is another kind of cover, and Archepex's skill does the rest.
Edit: Mostly.
Dhice then gives the roiling mass of rock, dirt and dust an affectionate and even playful pat on one of the larger chunks of stone. The rocks skitter around his feet and lap up at his ankles, causing him to snicker quietly.
Archepex carefully sets the bipods up on the three auto-crossbows he has to work with. The traps are laid. Truly are the adventurers beginning to think like Skaven themselves...
While he works, the rest of you hear a sudden gasp coming from the crowd in the cavern ahead. The electric licks of the magic guitar that the lead guitarist of WITCHMOTHER is unleashing have created a demonic effect on several of the concert-goers! A brace of the most hardcore fans of the band have opened their hearts fully to Chaos, embracing the demons that live just beyond the veil of our reality.
The band's guitarist enters a solo, his fingers flying over the strings as his vicious melody only increases in tempo and complexity. The hardcore fans find themselves lifted off the ground in the embrace of Chaos energy, their bodies twisting and contorting as demons take possession of their very souls!
At the climax of the solo, the Skaven that were floating in midair burst like flesh balloons, leaving demons with flapping wings flying over the crowd in the spaces where the hardcore fans just were. The hardcore fans became living sacrifices to portal in demons from the Chaotic Abyss! The demons promptly throw up the horns and cheer, and the crowd below roars in approval!
Muppy acknowledges your command, Dhice, rubbing its pebbly skin over your fingers a moment like a dog forcing you to pet it by rubbing against your hand. It follows Morley closely, nearly knocking him over at first.
We've got to do this now! Morley, GO! Archepex hisses from his perch
Sighting down his trusty Agathas slender body, Hjalmar kept his eyes fixed on the rat ogres. The things would need to be held up for as long as possible for this to work, and he had just the thing. Resting within Agatha on a bed of coarse black powder, another of the Imp shot was loaded and ready to fulfill its purpose.
There's one Rat-Ogre that's a full head taller than the others, and he's wearing a brace of gold necklaces in the manner of Mr. T. You'd bet your buckshot that he's the meanest of the bouncers.
Archepex is suddenly slightly disoriented as he finds himself peering out through a cowl of ratty robes. His eyes take in the scene, crossbow emplacements, ogres, traps, and Muppy. His gaze finally falls on Bathilda, back turned, checking on her grenades. The gaze slowly moves from her boots to her head, lingering a bit too long in a few choice places. The gaze suddenly swings over to a tall elf who is frowning and staring right back. The left half of your vision fades for a moment, then returns.
...
At Archepex's words, Morley cannot wait any longer, hoping these new demons will fully distract the ogres. He walks forwarded purposefully, daggers drawn but concealed, towards the bouncers, every bit the Skaven scum returning from guard duty. He lets Muppy gain a lead, and follows behind, trying to slip by when the guards focus on the golem. His plan, once he makes it past, is to slip into the crowd and lose any pursuit.
Dhice commands Muppy to coalesce around the feet of the smallest of the rat-ogre bouncers, with the intent of knocking him slightly off balance, forcing him to stumble. Perhaps as if he'd fallen asleep on his feet, or was too drunk to stand upright? Hopefully it will pull the bouncers' attention enough to allow Morley to slip past with a minimum of fuss.
Hearing the commotion, Bathilda turns and finds herself surprised as she sees the rat ogres.
"Great. Are we grabbing the girl now," she asks matter-of-factly.
Bathilda puts the grenades away and goes for the young, nearly naked woman being held by a chain. She pulls out her sword, hoping that it would be enough to shatter the chain.
Of course, she has to get past the brutes first, and if she did it right, this would make for an amazing tale to share over drinks.
Bathilda takes her sword and charges the rat ogre in the middle, looking as if she's about to got for his neck, only to drop out of sight as she tries to skid past between his legs.
Please let Morley proceed to his backstab position before we charge.
The thief Morley hunches his posture and exaggerates his gait to try and resemble a Skaven gunner on his way back from guard duty. The bouncers are mostly paying attention to the newly-revealed demons over the crowd in the mosh pit. The music has switched tempo, to an incredibly fast-paced form of thrash metal. It sounds like the guitarist is playing his fingers bloody on the strings on stage.
One of the smaller Rat-Ogres - who still stands nearly 7 feet tall - turns his attention to Morley in the darkened tunnel. "Got your ticke..." is all he manages to get out before Dhice's elemental shoots underneath his feet. "Huh?" is all the dim-witted brute can get out before he sinks three feet into the stone! The elemental that Dhice summoned wraps its body around both of the rat-ogre's ankles, and he windmills his arms to try to keep his balance! Failing to do so, he falls sideways, but his feet are still rooted, so he screams in pain as his legs bend unnaturally.
"Hey! STOP!" the other bouncers, two of them, including the Mr. T-looking mothaf%$$a, make to grab you. You slip past their hamfists and into the crowd - give me a Defy Danger roll with a +1 from Dhice's elemental's help. Once you get past the bouncers, the elemental will move away from the legs of the bouncer it tripped and try to follow you - but the bouncers will be trying to follow you as well!
Once you're inside the mosh pit you find yourself surrounded by stinking rat bodies, both Skaven and feral, all moshing to the thrashing speed metal blasting from the stage. You have to bend slightly over to keep your height from being too conspicuous, but doing so leaves you slightly off balance in a very bad situation to be unbalanced in. Once you resolve your Defy Danger to get past the bouncers, give me another Defy Danger in any manner you choose to try and get through the crowd. Also please inform me if you try to sneak under the demons flying over the crowd (which would be more direct) or if you try to avoid getting too near to them (which would delay you getting through, in the fiction.)
Those of you back in the crowd can see the musicians really getting worked up on stage. The presence of the Chaos demons above the mosh pit is driving the concert to unholy peaks of wickedness. The crowd is a roiling mass of blood and fur and teeth that your friend is trying to make his way through. There's only one bouncer that stays behind to man the entrance - the rest of them are following Morley as best they can through the crowd, tossing Skaven away in their wake.
I march towards the remaining bouncer, looted axe in hand, firmly saying extremely derogatory things about the cleanliness of his brood-mother.
Morley attempts to weasel his way out of the ham fisted attempts to grab him.
Morley, the magic of your ring activates when you wriggle and squirm to try and escape the grasp of your attackers. With a sudden flash coming from your finger, you find yourself in a new location in the mosh pit, chosen at random.
Good news is it put you out of reach of the Rat-Ogre bouncers, who are confusedly trying to locate you in the crowd. Bad news is that you're standing in front of a particularly dirty-looking punk rock Skaven wielding an axe. The song coming from the stage climaxes and the Skaven, completely unaware that you just teleported in front of him, wildly swings his axe in enthusiasm for the song. Blood and gore on the axe's blade show that this Skaven has already killed several other people in this pit. Life is cheap to the Skaven, especially in mosh pits. The axe is rushing right at your face. What do you do?
Morley is completely surprised by the teleportation. Fortunately, his years of honing his reflexes make him subconsciously raise his daggers to attempt to parry the axe.
After narrowly parrying the blade. Morley tries to exit the mosh pit area as fast as possible. What the hell was that?
Okay, your second Defy Danger roll allowed you to escape the swing of the axe. As you dodge once more, your ring activates again, this time differently, more controlled. Time slows down and you see three locations in the crowd that have glowing, ghostly versions of you appearing in them. Select one of the three locations and you will be instantly teleported there.
Morley chooses the location closest to the Rat Queen.
You blink and your eyes open from a new location. Archepex feels highly disoriented by looking through your eyes during the teleportation. You're less than 15 feet from the Skaven queen, who is pounding her fist in the air from her luxury box. You see now that you're closer to her that she's reclining in a litter, and there are burly Rat-Ogres keeping the riffraff away from her in a perimeter 10 feet around her. They have their arms crossed and are scanning the crowd. This close, you can see the woman being held captive by the Skaven Queen. As you watch, she rises from her seated position, her chains on her neck clanking together. The crowd roars in renewed vigor as they see her climb to her feet again.
A spotlight from a stalactite hanging from the ceiling opens up on her, as the Skaven Queen looks on next to her with a smile on her face. The captive hesitates as the demons leer at her from their hovering above the crowd, but the Queen tugs on her chain.
WITCHMOTHER's music reaches a crescendo, then abruptly cuts out entirely. Exactly when it does, the captive begins to sing again - the haunting lament that you heard echoing through the mines this whole time. She sings and the band shreds alongside her. Her voice, magically amplified and added to the undercurrent of chaos energy from WITCHMOTHER's music, creates a shiver of energy through the crowd. All around you, Skaven are losing their sh*t, gibbering and screaming as the energy of the crowd intensifies with the music. The demons overhead are screaming "!SEY !EROM DEEN EW! !SEY !EROM DEEN EW!"
Morley looks down at his hand and makes a single signal. Now.
"Human? HUMAN!?" the Rat-Ogre takes a moment to process that a single, lone human, bold as brass, is daring to approach the concert. For a moment he almost seems amused, then he realizes that most of his other bouncer buddies have chased Morley into the crowd. He draws his weapon, a long wooden club studded with metal in the shape of a baseball bat, and smirks at you. He takes a few waddling steps to meet you as you walk up, and swings his club in a quick uppercut motion to the underside of Emma's jaw!
Emma's adopted weapon bats away the wooden club of the Rat-Ogre with ease and she swings it at his arm, inflicting a minor cut. He falls back, calling, "WE GOT OURSELVES SOME PARTY CRASHERS, BOYS!"
As he does, Bathilda comes charging down the tunnel, careful to avoid the fire traps that have been laid. Drawing her sword and going for the direct route, the barbarian slips beneath the legs of the bouncer. She's successful, but gets clocked in the head by the Rat-Ogre's fist for her troubles. Take 1d8 damage, Bathilda, but you're in the crowd.
Unlike Morley you didn't conceal your identity at all. The Skaven in the pit immediately swarm you as soon as you notice them! You can roll Hack and Slash to try and cleave through them or Defy Danger to barrel past, but it'll be a lot tougher than when Morley was making his way through the crowd!
Over all the conflict is the beautiful, melodious voice of the woman captive near the rat queen. Interspersed with her beautiful singing is the coarse rocking of the Skaven band, using her vocal energy to heighten and sharpen the chaos energy their music is summoning. The demons overhead are growing in size as the crowd feeds them its insane energy! What do you do?
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Hjalmar had been squeezing the trigger in anticipation, precariously close to firing before it was time. Yet he managed to fight the urge to fire every time the rat ogre he had in his sight presented a particularly good shot. As their ambush began, he howled a dwarven battle cry of promised vengeance, so loud he could be heard over the thunderous rapport of Agatha.
The bullet impacted the ogres shoulder with a hollow thud. To Hjalmars annoyance, it tore clean through, as evidenced by the sudden explosion of imps directly behind it. As before, the infernal beasts began jumping around, cackling and clawing at everything in sight. "Im gonna have to commission some more of these." He mumbled to himself as he began reloading.
As the two warrior women engaged the horde, he quickly realized they would be needing all the assistance that could be mustered. Getting up and hustling forward whilst still reloading, he began shouting as loud as he could. "Oi! Ya scabrous vermin, over here." He stopped, waving his arms above his head, making every obscene gesture he could think of. "No matter where ya hide, no matter what you do, you still dont have what it takes to stop a dwarf from comin' into yer filthy holes and deliverin' a good thrashin'!"
He raised Agatha, pointing it at the vast shape of the skaven queen. "And im startin' with mommy dearest!"