Wardove's Rumble in the Jungle

Game Master Laithoron

"Wait," Alis nodded her agreement to Lureene even as she held up a hand. "I want to make certain I understand what you're getting at, Major. Are you saying that Ozyrankhus would have needed to cast that... 'gate' on her beforehand? That Lureene merely triggered a pre-existing spell to go off?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying, but there's more."

The tall, bloody warrior shook his head in frustration and struck the flat of his blade on the anvil beside him. "'Crack and fume...' those were the words I heard just before I got knocked out yesterday morning."

"Crack and fume," he muttered under his breath.

*Ahem* The sound of the Master Chief clearing her throat got your attention.

"With all due respect, Highness, Major. I don't know much about the arcane arts, but if that... thing could get called away then couldn't she get sent back here? My opinion is that we should tend to our injured first so we can get back to fighting form, and leave the academics of matter until later."

"Uugh," Sasha wiped her brow and leaned heavily on the table, and fumbles in her pack for her water skin which she promptly poured over her head raising a cloud of steam. "Yeah, please. I feel like I'm gonna burn up here!"

Even as the huntress said as much, her face flushed with heat, Isaac swayed unsteadily and fell over, heat blisters visible on his face and hands. Even Lureene felt an uncomfortable twinge of fever — a sensation she was only accustomed to feeling while under her mother's scrutiny.

Party Buffs:

• +4: Attacks & Damage (2 morale, 2 competence)
  
• +2: Saves & Other Checks (2 morale)

• A hp: 41 = 41/41 ER 20: fire
     (mage armor 0et, shield other 3md, resist fire 20 4db, see invisibility 4db, protection from evil r390, good hope r346, inspire courage +2)
  
• k: 20 = 20/20
  
• M hp: 62 = 62/62
     Str 1 = 1/ 12 -5 penalty
     (protection from evil r373)
  
• D hp: 95 = 95/85
     Str 7 = 7/ 20 -6 penalty
     (resist fire 20 4db, air bubble r 304)
  
• I hp: 5 + 23 - 7d6 ⇒ 5 + 23 - (5, 2, 4, 4, 2, 5, 6) = 0/66
     Str 19 = 19/20 -0 penalty
  
• L hp: 55 = 55/55 ER 5: fire
     (mage armor 4md, shield r372)
  DR 5/cold iron, SR 13, ER5: Cold Fire Shock

• M hp: 90 = 90/90
     Str 18 - 5 = 13/ 18 -2 penalty
  
• S hp: 54 + 8 - 8d6 ⇒ 54 + 8 - (1, 5, 4, 3, 3, 5, 2, 2) = 37/62
     Str 7 = 7/ 13 -3 penalty
     (protection from evil r390)
  

The tip of Alis' rapier scraped the floor as she stared slack-jawed at the two warriors practically burning-up before her.

"Her spell hasn't ended yet?!"

In alarm, she quickly rushed to Isaac's side and cast a protection spell upon him before doing the same for Sasha.

"There, hopefully that will keep you. Gods what a day."

Looking to Malinda, Alis nodded. "Yes, let's heal what injuries we can and press on. Lureene, do you think we should let Ieana deal with that? The lower levels might be safe enough for them to enter if the Master Chief escorted them."

Lureene gasps as Isaac collapsed and impulsively starts to rush to his side. Alis' words stop her short. I need to let Amhranai do her job here...we are not out of the woods yet.

She nods to the Princess, "That would be a wise idea, 'Lis. If I tried to interrupt those beams, I may send the whole Citadel crashing into the bay! Let me contact Grak here and he can lead the others to the lab." She then proceeds to contact her faithful companion and informs him of what the group has encountered.

"Well," Alis held a hand to Isaac's forehead to make certain the burning had subsided, "not without one of these necklaces he won't. Master Chief, I have two allies waiting outside, hidden beneath the piers. Prince Amthyrian of Aramol, and Professor d'Adora, a mage from The Academy of Starsha. The professor's appearance may be... unique, but she is a trusted ally. Please escort her here with all due haste, Lady Ourson will send word ahead for her to meet you. If you require healing, I would suggest receiving it before you set out."

Malinda waved-off Amhranai. "I'll be fine. If you aren't exhausted by the time I get back then you can heal me while the mage is at work."

Looking to Alis she saluted, "Highness," and was off.

While everyone is discussing strategy, Darvesch stands in front of the skull, contemplating the fight that just occured. He casts a spell to aid him refresh his memory of what he learned from training against witches, demons, and heretics. Know thy Enemy

Briefly, he entertains a thought just as he finishes his spell, but holds off until his training comes back to the forefront of his mind.

Darvesch reflects on the prior fight, trying to determine what you might do differently if faced by such an enemy a second time.

"What is the best way to destroy this thing? Did they cover things like this skull in training? What's this thing even do?"

Darvesch asks, "What's this for?," as he thinks back, trying to remember anything about powerful magical objects. "I wonder if it radiates evil.." Detect Evil

Behind the dwarf, his Frænka answers, "Hopefully Ieana can answer that for us when she gets up here in a few minutes. El, were you able to figure anything out?"

Lureene shakes her head helplessly, "I...I have no idea, 'Lis. I suspect interrupting the power beams would be really BAD, but there is no way to know for sure without risking it..." She glances towards the stairway where Malinda just disappeared, "Like you say, maybe Ieana has heard of this before."

"To be honest, Frænka, I'd rather just destroy the skull now. The fact that the skull is radiating an aura of order is confusing. I don't like it."

He stretches his arms a bit, "That shadow really did a number on us. I'm willing to keep going. We need to get those hostages to safety. Which way to O'beilumanji?"

"Darv, fallen angels like the one we have fought do have an aura of law associated with them. Certainly, all of the layers of the Hells are based on contracts and words, trying to use those contracts to gain what they most desire from you...your SOUL!" There is a note of distaste in her voice leaving little doubt how she feels about such things.

"Calm down, El. I wasn't saying that I'm confused about the skulls aura specifically. I was commenting more on the fact that my assumption it carried an evil aura was wrong." Darvesch sighs.

Stuff about hostages and destroying the skull.

And here I thought I was supposed to be the reckless one...

"Important as it is," she approached the pedestal, studying it and the skull closely, "killing that madman, and even the safety of those hostages, is not our chief priority."

While Lureene and Darvesch argued, she paused to cast detect magic, promptly wincing in pain as she examined the auras before her. After a few moments of intense study, she rubbed her eyes and gave a sigh.

"The pedestal is some sort of conduit to a source of nearly limitless arcane power, but the skull is another matter. You said it detected as being aligned with order, Frændi? Well there's a good reason for that. It's a relic dedicated to Bälezu, the Valar who rules over the spirit world. I'm just not certain why she would have had it."

"Alis, did you say there's a relic of Dalus here?" With Amhranai and Sasha's help, Isaac got back to his feet. He still looked like hell but at least his injuries had been healed and Alis' spell kept the worst of the fallen angel's fire magic at bay until it subsided. "There's a huge temple to Dalus in Colossineum. We had gotten some reports of break-ins there about two, maybe three weeks ago, but nothing came of it."

Alis arched an eyebrow at the Marshal's phrasing. "What do you mean, 'nothing came of it'?"

It suddenly occurred to Isaac that he was in fact speaking to his new employer and he probably wouldn't want an answer like that if their positions were reversed. Thinking on how to put it, he said, "One of the junior members of the watch, a half-Dafari actually, trained at that temple as a girl. The senior members of the priesthood contacted her hoping to handle the alleged breach discretely without getting my office involved."

He shrugged and concluded, "The Private did the right thing and notified her superior about it. She gathered a small group to spend one night in the crypts to see if they could apprehend the intruder and captured a rather incompetent sneak thief who–"

Isaac's palm struck his forehead and he cursed under his breath. "Who had since been imprisoned in our newly destroyed jail until her case could be heard. Damn!"

"Aww, don't feel bad, Izzey." Sasha hopped off the countertop where she had been sitting to give him a hug. "She might still be alive, I'm sure lots of people escaped."

The Princess' fingertips pushed her circlet up as she massaged her temples. He's still new to the job... He hasn't been doing this for long... He just about got killed a few minutes ago...

Alis took a deep breath and tried to appear calm, even though Darvesch could sense that she really wanted to choke someone right about now. "I spent long enough in a monastery to know that temple elders don't exactly like to rely on outside agencies to sort out their scandals — particularly not secular offices."

"Oh yeah," Sasha nodded emphatically, still patting Isaac on the back, "back where I'm from people, especially rich people make a real big deal about how their ashes are stored. Oh man, they'd be sooo piiissed if they found out, Ize! Haha, don't worry I won't tell."

As the others talked, Amhranai quietly went about the work she had been doing for most of her life. The swelling and outpouring of emotion that had gripped the elf moments before was quelled in favor of detached observation, even as the salty tears wet her lips. I don't know what afflicts Isaac and Sasha, but if it's a spell, I might be better off allowing it to run its course. I know Darvesch was assaulted by a shade so some of what was lost will need to be restored. Same for myself. Alis and Lureene look relatively unscathed and Malinda is gone, so it seems the first order of business will be Darvesch, then myself, Sasha and Isaac.

After helping Isaac to his feet, she squeezed his shoulder and quietly reassured him, "I'll be back shortly," before crossing over to Darvesch, who stood before the skull, trying to discern its purpose. Amhranai placed a hand on his arm and, a moment later, gentle warmth suffused the dwarf, returning what the shade had stolen.

Before performing the same procedure on herself, the elf caught the eyes of Alis and then Lureene. "Do either of you know what ails Sasha and Isaac? I don't want to set about healing them now only to have that effort negated."

Cast Restoration on Darvesch

"Important as it is," she approached the pedestal, studying it and the skull closely, "killing that madman, and even the safety of those hostages, is not our chief priority."

Lureene looked up in surprise at Alis' words. Before she had been determined to bring that madman to justice. Now all of a sudden, things have changed. She was not sure why, but she suspected it had something to do with the Bälezu relic.

"Lis, what do you mean stopping O'beilumanji is no longer important?"

Alis Kirmoon wrote:

"Important as it is," she approached the pedestal, studying it and the skull closely, "killing that madman, and even the safety of those hostages, is not our chief priority."

Lureene looked up in surprise at Alis' words. Before she had been determined to bring that madman to justice. Now all of a sudden, things have changed. She was not sure why, but she suspected it had something to do with the Bälezu relic.

"Lis, what do you mean stopping O'beilumanji is no longer important?"

A flash of anger overcomes Darvesch, and dies down at Amhranai's touch, "Seems that El and I are in sync on this one. I was under the impression that our number one priority was saving those hostages from O'beilumanji." He whispers to Amhranai "Thank you."

"Lis, what do you mean stopping O'beilumanji is no longer important?"

Alis takes a measured breath...

"Lureene, it's going to be very important from here on out that you don't misquote me, particularly to others at court. What you just did, what you just said is something I would expect of a political adversary trying to defame me. I did not say that stopping O'beilumanji is no longer important, I said he's not our chief priority."

"Seems that El and I are in sync on this one. I was under the impression that our number one priority was saving those hostages from O'beilumanji."

Alis shook her head, the expression on her face pained but serious. The walked over to the window on the north east wall and held out a hand. As you approached, you could see the city on the east-side of the river. "No, our chief priority is the safety of the tens of thousands of people living in the city around us, and of the hundreds of thousands living in Dafar. Killing O'beilumanji is important, as is rescuing those hostages, but he's not worth potentially destroying our capital city's chief defensive structure and killing the newly arrived ruler over."

Isaac scratched the back of his head. "The city has been a mess since Gwiniel was killed. Plus I don't think the Freebooters will be happy about our naval victory yesterday."

"Not that I'm complaining, mind you," he added.

Amhranai levels a smile at Darvesch. "You're welcome." Taking a step to the side in order to encompass everyone within her field of view, Amhranai took a moment to think on the half elf's assertion before speaking.

"I don't think she's saying that O'beilumanji or the hostages are no longer important, only that the mystery of this skull is a potentially bigger threat. What is its purpose and why is it here? Recall the undead that we've seen so far-while it's possible that witch-the Maiar-could have raised so many so swiftly on its own, I don't believe that to be the case. I think this skull may have helped that process along and what we're encountering here may just be the first step to further threatening Port Eldarion. O'beilumanji's aims be damned." The elf's eyes moved from one face to the next before concluding: "If we can't figure out how to negate the skull's effects, stopping O'beilumanji and the Maiar will only delay the inevitable."

"Why don't we just go deal with big O now, and then retrieve Ieana? That way she'll have the amulet near to protect her from the calming effect of this air." Darvesch realizes his cousin is about to have an aneurism, and decides to offer a suggestion in the hopes her vein doesn't burst.

Lureene mutters ungraciously, "Small consolation to those already being threatened by that madman! I am sure they would be really understanding of this!

This should have been been a few posts up:

"Do either of you know what ails Sasha and Isaac? I don't want to set about healing them now only to have that effort negated."

"I couldn't place the spell, if it was a spell, but basically before she was revealed, our recently-departed enemy attempted to set our blood to boiling... literally. My spell should protect those I've cast it upon — I only felt a twinge of discomfort, nothing more. If you've healed their injuries then they should be safe at by now."

"Small consolation to those already being threatened by that madman! I am sure they would be really understanding of this!"

"Yes, well not everyone has the sake of the entire country to consider either..."

"I don't think she's saying that O'beilumanji or the hostages are no longer important, [snip]"

Alis takes a measured breath and nods graciously to the priestess. "Thank you, Amhranai."

She folded her arms across her chest and glanced disapprovingly at the contraption. "Frankly I'm not sure what the skull portends. I did overhear that Maiar chanting a summoning ritual just before the shades appeared, so it is possible she had other powers over unlife. The strange this is that there's no taint of necromancy about it. The only aura I picked up from the skull was enchantment-based just like the mist."

"Why don't we just go deal with big O now, and then retrieve Ieana? That way she'll have the amulet near to protect her from the calming effect of this air."

"It's already been about five minutes since the Master Chief left, she should be back soon." Alis brushed a few strands of hair behind the tip of her left ear. "If O'beilumanji hasn't advanced his time-table, then it means he wasn't spooked by our battle. If possible I'd like to disarm the defenses before we proceed in case... well, in case we fail. At least then any surviving defenders might be able to take action."

"At any rate," she sighed, "I don't want to risk smashing things we don't understand. I have it on good authority that destroying certain magical artifacts can have explosive results."

"Yeah," Sasha chimed in, still holding onto Isaac quite tightly even though he was clearly fine at this point, "probably not good to have the god of death pissed of at us either, right?"

From down the western hallway, the sound of clanking armor was followed by a familiar voice. "I for one am in favor of not provoking the ire of agencies of supernatural origin — particularly ones that I and my associate cannot personally overcome."

"Some would say a soldier simultaneously serves and pisses off Balezu every day."

"Frænka, why not send me in alone? The very least I can do is entertain big O, distract him from the hostages, until you, Ieana, and Lureene can determine the best way of disarming the skull. We don't all need to be here, and my life is expendable, yours is not." Darvesch stares at the skull, face turned away from Alis.

Even as Ieana smiled at Amhranai's, Malinda frowned at the eclectic group of beings beings before her. "Yeah, Bälezu is too popular with most soldiers either."

Looking to the cleric she asked, "You have any spells left? I didn't get it as bad as you or the dwarf, but after a few hundred steps I'm starting to feel it."

Alis sighed and looked at her honor-cousin with a bemused look on her angelic face. "Oh Darv..."

"It's already been about five minutes since the Master Chief left, she should be back soon." Alis brushed a few strands of hair behind the tip of her left ear. "If O'beilumanji hasn't advanced his time-table, then it means he wasn't spooked by our battle. If possible I'd like to disarm the defenses before we proceed in case... well, in case we fail. At least then any surviving defenders might be able to take action."

Lureene takes a deep breath as she feels a cramp pass through her body. Strange she would be concerned about that at this point in time.

She is right, she does have responsibilities that I DO NOT have...not that I want those Mother wished to foist on me...but I do owe it to her to support her as best I can.

She gives Alis an apologetic smile. "Sorry 'Lis. I meant no offense with my remark. I know you are concerned about those hostages as well as Port Eldarion."

After Alis remarks, and Lureene apologises, Darvesch breathes deep and says aloud, "If anyone has another one of those bubble spells to help me breathe, please do so now."

An addendum

His audible sigh relieves much of his tention as he speaks again, "It wore off." He lowers his head and moves to the opposite side of the room. "Nevermind. Ieana, can you tell what that thing is, and how to stop or reverse its effects?"

Deep inside his head, he can't help but ask for guidance. "Kahn. I feel lost. Please help me find my way. I want to do good. I want to help those innocents, and I want to bring O'beilumanji to justice. And I realize she is my superior, and I must follow her orders. But, I can't just leave that madman up there with those hostages. I know it's for the greater good, but I have a hard time reconciling that. What can I do?"

Alis squeezed Lureene's hand and rapped on Darvesch's pauldrons as they watched Ieana work. "We'll deal with O'beilumanji in just a moment. I just want to see if we can get this one final advantage before we proceed. Our murderous friend's faith in his 'witch' will be his downfall..."

Ieana nodded at Darvesch's inquiry. "Well this is interesting. I've witnessed comparable devices employed to safeguard less expansive crypts, yet never anything on such a grand scale as we have here. It would seem that the local Temple of Dalus must have used this device to immobilize any grave robbers foolish enough to plumb the depth of their vault unbidden. Naturally that begs the question, 'How would a thief have been able to abscond with such a site's very anti-theft system in the first place?' No doubt there's quite the fascinating mystery to be puzzled there."

The Master Chief nodded in thanks at Amhranai's administrations. "So can you disable it or not? As far as I knew, only Glorohir and the Commodore had access to adjust the Arrowhead's wards."

"Yeees, be patient, my dear. Frankly I am rather astounded at how robust these wards are. Typically when I happen across a ruin wherein such works were employed, the ruins are decrepit precisely because some foolhardy and long-dead tomb raider deigned to simply smash apart what they failed to comprehend. Tell me, have you ever witnessed a retributive strike upon a Staff of the Magi?"

"I've heard rumors of such acts from my sister, but I've never witnessed one, no."

"Mmm..." Ieana nodded slowly. "It was a rhetorical question actually. If you had witnessed such a strike you would either be some manner of incorporeal undead, or we would be having this conversation on another plane of existence." She looked up and winked, "Probably not one either of us would fancy visiting, either..."

At Ieana's nonchalant warning, Lureene and Darvesch both felt a tug as Alis took a step backwards. "You can disable it though, correct?"

A thought occurs to Alis and she changes tack. "That is why I'm offering such a generous retainer for your continued services, after all."

Alis uses Inspire Competence.

Ieana did not respond but instead maintained the utmost focus as she cast some manner of spell upon the pedestal. Before you could tell if it worked or not, she gave a loud, "HA!" and caught the skull as the energy stream abated.

Looking to the Princess with a well-pleased smirk on her face, the half-serpentine wizardess answered, "Yes, and I must admit I am rather looking forward to something more than the pittance normally afforded to scholars of my station by The Academy. Honestly, it's a wonder they can retain talent in such a competitive field!"