Well this is a pretty pickle. Guess I get to roast a bit. Good thing my wings aren't particularly dry today. Hmm, I think I'll avoid being an obvious target once I do though.
Casts invisibility and then darts through the wall of fire around to the side away from where the fireball went off for his full 40' move.
Watching as the Behir dies Wulfgar lifts his sword in salute to the large snake, turning toward the Emir he calls out as he moves toward the despot. ”Hegh qabDaj ghopDu'” Ignoring the attacks from lesser men, He lifts his sword high, chopping at the Emir.
Seeing the northman go for the Emir Ihrin makes her move. She moves in and stabs with a dagger seeking to end him while he is distracted with the jibberish spewing barbarian.
Watching as the Behir dies Wulfgar lifts his sword in salute to the large snake, turning toward the Emir he calls out as he moves toward the despot. ”Hegh qabDaj ghopDu'” Ignoring the attacks from lesser men, He lifts his sword high, chopping at the Emir.
[dice=attack]1d20 + 14 [dice=damage]3d6 + 1 + 10 + 6 + 2 [dice=electrical]1d6
** spoiler omitted **
Blitzenjaeger rends open the Emir's right shoulder, eliciting a tiger-like growl of pain!
GRRRRR!!!
Seeing the northman go for the Emir Ihrin makes her move. She moves in and stabs with a dagger seeking to end him while he is distracted with the jibberish spewing barbarian.
[Dice=Attack]1d20+9+2
[Dice=Damage]1d4+3+2
[Dice=Sneak Damage?]4d6[Dice=Acrobatics to avoid AoO1]1d20+18
[Dice=Acro to avoid AoO2]1d20+18
With cat-like agility of her own, Ihrin tumbles to the opposite side of the Emir from Wulfgar and wallops the villain!
ARGH!!
She drops her veil revealing the face of the woman she had posed as in his harem with a look of pity she smiles and says in arabic."I took your pathetic excuse for a knife in my sheath, stole your heart only to let you taste my blade so I can take your LIFE!"
She drops her veil revealing the face of the woman she had posed as in his harem with a look of pity she smiles and says in arabic."I took your pathetic excuse for a knife in my sheath, stole your heart only to let you taste my blade so I can take your LIFE!"
Ihrin!? A spy!? An ASSASSIN IN MY BED!? Well, it seems that I'm not the only one hiding behind masks, my dear...
Saying this, the tiger-headed rakshasa posing as Emir Al'Haaq of Marrakech drops his own disguise! His furry orange-and-blacked striped tiger head grinning carnivorously and his backward hands gripping his scimitar...
Having no idea who he’s supposed to kill, Zagathoth follows the giant northman to his next target, making some effort to bob and weave around would be attackers as he goes.
When he reaches the tiger-headed bad guy, he shifts his stance slightly and brings Doomcresent whistling down at it.
Having no idea who he’s supposed to kill, Zagathoth follows the giant northman to his next target, making some effort to bob and weave around would be attackers as he goes.
[dice=acrobatics vs AoO]1d20+12
[dice=acrobatics vs AoO]1d20+12
When he reaches the tiger-headed bad guy, he shifts his stance slightly and brings Doomcresent whistling down at it.
[dice=all the buffs (plus flank)]1d20+14+2+2+1+2
[dice=for]2d4+19+2+2
[dice=confirm?]1d20+14+2+2+1+2
[dice=for another]2d4+19+2+2
The rakshasa screams in mortal agony as the unrelenting Doomcrescent splits the monster in twain!
Gesturing to the blood-spattered orc standing over the riven rakshasa...
Hast thou seen enough, master? Did I not foretell the Emir's downfall here, at this very hour and in this very place? Is this the fate you would doom us to as well?
Gesturing to the blood-spattered orc standing over the riven rakshasa...
Hast thou seen enough, master? Did I not foretell the Emir's downfall here, at this very hour and in this very place? Is this the fate you would doom us to as well?
A look of dumb astonishment...
It is precisely as the efreeti predicted!
Badly singed, Alexei hurries away from the wall of flames.
if he can evoke a fireball of that magnitude this isn't likely to succeed, but I have to try something...
Doing his best to hide himself from the crowd of foes, the Rabbi puts his esoteric knowledge to use to bind the Vizier in place...
Badly singed, Alexei hurries away from the wall of flames.
if he can evoke a fireball of that magnitude this isn't likely to succeed, but I have to try something...
Doing his best to hide himself from the crowd of foes, the Rabbi puts his esoteric knowledge to use to bind the Vizier in place...
The vizier wards off the rabbi's spell...
The remaining palace guardsmen, apparently uniformly astonished and horrified to learn that their emir was in fact an evil rakshasa in disguise, lower their scimitars and gape or curse in shock, staring wide-eyed at the sundered and bloody corpse of the tiger-headed monster lying in an expanding pool of dark blood!
Lady Giovanna sprints across the throne room toward the vizier and efreeti...
Take THAT, VILLAIN!
Lady Giovanna sprints across the throne room toward the vizier and efreeti...
Take THAT, VILLAIN!
Pierced by Vanna's acidic blade, the vizier screams in pain! AAAAAHH!!
Boga, now standing adjacent to Cobra Johann with an uncorked bottle of the healing wine, says to the sorely wounded shifter, Open wide, Johann..., and pours the healing wine into his mouth...
Looking back, The Hand of Jan Hus notices his new ally, Alexei, grimacing in pain and badly singed by the vizier's fireball...
Hang on, Rabbi! I'm coming to you next!
Seeing the Emir drop, Wulfgar releases the rage in time to hear the priest speaking in pidgin, he nods his approval. Breathing a quick prayer he reiterates and expounds in Arabic. "The Priest is right." He gestures towards those fighting with him. "These warriors have been sent by Raphael, a servant of the God of Abraham to deliver you from this evil servant of Satan." Looking directly at the Vizier, "Lay down your arms and surrender, we would change things in Marrakesh for the better."
Mwikali lingers in the air hovering near the Vizer ready to use her Clothes to bind him and then slay him as he is ensnared. Still she hangs head raised superiorly over those watching caring little of angels or Abraham or this Satan. All she wanted was to free Africa and she new killing the Vizer was gonna be a part of it no matter what
Lord P sits on a wall fixing smoking his pipe.
This had been a fate moment. Those times when angels and devils fight over the souls of mortals. Where the course of events into the future would be set. And there where rules to such things. One being no interference form outside forces in any final battle. Yes he had helped one side get here. Placing an angel who shall not be named in diet to the Fey Queen. Which was no bad thing. But with all such things there had to be balance. So now this had been won for the good, in some other place in the world an equivalent evil would be set afoot. Such was the way of mortal things.
As the fight came to and end. He did no want any more bloodshed.
"afeal kama yatlub almasihiuwn alhurs. 'anahum la yuridun siwaa darar likhadim alshari la 'atbae alnabii , almubarakat yakun asmah."
He called out to the palace guard.
"Do as the christians ask Guards. They wish only harm to the servant of evil not the followers of the prophet, blessed be his name."
He then went and healed any of the palace Guard or staff hurt in the battle.
Lord P is sitting on a wall ornament, cross legged and smoking his pipe.
This here was morals business. This has been a mortal fate battle. Where the path of future events would be set. There where rules when Angels and Devils fought over mortal souls. And it was best the fey keep out of it. He had only been asked to see what was happening for his king and queen. Well he may have helped one side get here but that was within the rules so long as you kept away from the final battle. It looked very much like the angels had won this one. He took anther puff on his pipe. Which means to keep the balance in some other place evil deeds where now being set afoot.
Rapidly sizing up the situation Lucius turns and cried out to the guards in the pidgin mix pf italian, spanish amd arabic wprds spokem across the Mediterranean.
"The emir is dead, a foul beast bereft of God's touch! Surrender and you will be shown mercy!"
[Dice=Diplomacy]d20+14
As one, the guards throw down their scimitar and fall on their knees, bending to press their faces to the floor, arms outstretched in prayer or supplication...
Some cry out in Arabic: Allah be praised! or Have mercy upon us! or We never knew the Emir was an evil rakshasa in disguise!
Seeing the Emir drop, Wulfgar releases the rage in time to hear the priest speaking in pidgin, he nods his approval. Breathing a quick prayer he reiterates and expounds in Arabic. "The Priest is right." He gestures towards those fighting with him. "These warriors have been sent by Raphael, a servant of the God of Abraham to deliver you from this evil servant of Satan." Looking directly at the Vizier, "Lay down your arms and surrender, we would change things in Marrakesh for the better."
[dice=aid another: diplomacy]1d20+4
A guard next to Wulfgar throws aside his scimitar, falls on his knees, and clasps his hands together as if praying, and says to the tall Northman, Have mercy, mighty warrior of Raphael!
Ihrin pulls back her hood and lets her face drop back to the image of her real face. Her almost stoic face oozed hate, but she knew this wasn't the part of the Ottoman empire that sought to topple her adoptive home. Still, victory here brought destabilization at the nation's core, for it was losing territory which meant that fewer troops would be coming her brothers way.
"حتى يستسلم فيزر الآن ، الافراج عن الجني المفضل لديك ، وسوف يسمح لك بالمغادرة هنا معك الحياة. إن لم يكن ثم نقتلك ، وتحرر الرقيق المستخرج وأخذ كل شيء لديك. اختيارك" She says threatening the Vizer as she had slipped through his cracks.
"أعني أنك سمحت لي قاتل معتمد من خلال الشقوق ، ليعتقد أن الأمير توفي على ساعتك ، هل يعتقد السلاطين والإمبراطور أنك قادر على المحاكم؟ ما الذي يجب عليك فعله الآن؟"Ihrin continues limping instinctually on her cane as she looks in the Vizers direction locking eyes. She notes the presence of the Efreet but does not look right at him. No her prey was the Vizer.
Seeing his own doom swiftly descending in the bloodthirsty red glow of the enraged orc next to him, and in the cold, merciless, fiercely gorgeous eyes of the changeling witch hovering over him, her raiments writhing like living serpents...
The vizier casts a conjuration, carefully avoiding attacks, and vanishes in a flash of green light!
Seeing his master abandon him, the efreeti backs away from all nearby combatants by flying up.to the 30-foot high ceiling of the throne room... where he plane shifts to the City of Brass on the Elemental Plane of Fire!
The heroes are victorious!
She looks to the gathered might of the Crusaders and the Jackals. "Sorry for delaying my introduction, but I am Princess Ihrin Ardlean Dracul, sister to Lord Prince Vald Dracul of Wallachia. I was loaned out to aid you in defeating the Arabs here in North Africa."
She took off the outfits hood and let her hair flow back its ringlets showing her enchanting beauty as she looks around and notes the Cardinal. She cuts, and then curtsys deeper at the sight of the fairy folk.
" Interesting group here. Father d'Borja interesting to see you here. Thought youd be by the popes side." she brushed her hair over her right ear tucking it back as she smiles looking off into the distance. For a fleeting second she was happy in thought.
"The Vizer and his pet have made a choice. They chose death.which is fine with me. Death comes for.us all and for one like him it will be at the hands if those he least suspects. Come let us raid the Emirs coffers,put them to better use" she said nonchalantly ever the cool and concise professional.
Zagathoth chops at the efreet as it flies away from him...
,
As the soldiers surrender and more introductions resume, he grits his large tusk-like teeth and begins the slow deliberate breathing that calms his rage and helps him recover from its rigors. When he notices the appearance of the woman now introducing herself he suddenly becomes much more interested. "Are you married?" he asks her with a wide toothy grin.
She looks at the orc walks over and runs her finger across his chin before she lets her hand touch his chest. she smiles looking up into his eyes."I am not married, as for what you wanted earlier, 'To make sex' Don't get me wrong it would be fun, but to sleep with me is to invite death into your bed. I have yet to have a single partner live after I have slept with them. Except for one. He is still at large back in Constantinople hiding behind his fathers' men...." She paused gripping the front of Zags clothing as her teeth were bared and eyes glistened over in anger and thought. She composed herself, relaxed her grip and stepped back.
"Apologies Master Orc, but no I am not married and you'd have to prove to me that you are no weak man, succumbing to my curse or my blade after a very pleasurable night together." she giggles and then follows it up with a look.
"But if you wish to bed me, I request a few sonnets written or at least picked to woo my heart. Better yet a song composed for me, or even something crafted in my name might suffice" She says as pulls further away letting her hair fall forward partially obscuring her face.
’Why is she requiring more to accept surrender?’ Looking from the Vizer to the Princess Dracul, Wulfgar stays his hand as the Efreeti chooses to retreat. Turning to the Guard, ”You, and any who served the Emir will be forgiven.” He then smiles and turns to Mwikali, then adds, ”As long as you will not interfere with us freeing Marrakesh. We intend to end the slavery and religious persecution.”
As the princess speaks to the others, Wulfgar moves toward Mwikali, leaning in close. ”We have accomplished out commitment to the prince. I intend to return to the port of Safi, to guarantee she remains a free port. With this new help you will be able to open Africa.”
"I understand Wulfgar, Go and be our Sentinel, our rock on which Safi and all of Africa will remain free."She says leaning in to kiss the Northman on the lips."I will miss you, but keep Safi free, and lead our friends fighting for freedom" She pulls away and smiles her blessing given even with a bit of tear in her eyes.
Away in the harbor of Anfa, the Marid Harbor Master senses the bond binding her to the wicked Emir Al'Haaq of Marrakech has been broken by his death!
In Aquan: ALLAH IS GREAT!! AT LONG LAST, the bonds of slavery are broken, and I AM FREE!!
I wonder if it was those brave explorers in the Portuguese caravel who killed the Emir and freed me? Brave little Lord Perpireen of the Seelie Court, and the handsome Northman aasimar, Wulfgar, and the changeling witch, Mwikali... May they be ever blessed by their gods...
No longer bound by ancient magic to the harbor of Anfa, the Marid swims as swiftly as the fastest fish of the sea, down the Atlantic Coast of Morocco to the port of Safi, where she finds the Alanqilis docked, and recalling that those heroes from the Portuguese caravel captured this Arab dhow, she pays the astonished crew a visit, and inquires about their masters, the Desert Jackals...
|
With a small blip, Johann pops back into his humanoid form.
"WELL NOW, FRIENDS. THAT WAS FUN. HURT A BIT, I HAVE TO SAY. I AM REALLY GETTING SORE MUSCLES FROM ALL THE ELECTRICITY BEING THROWN AROUND TODAY."
Johann starts to wander around while the others decide what to do next. He looks like way and that for valuables.
With a small blip, Johann pops back into his humanoid form.
"WELL NOW, FRIENDS. THAT WAS FUN. HURT A BIT, I HAVE TO SAY. I AM REALLY GETTING SORE MUSCLES FROM ALL THE ELECTRICITY BEING THROWN AROUND TODAY."
Johann starts to wander around while the others decide what to do next. He looks like way and that for valuables.
The coldborn shifter needn't look far to find valuables! The throne room itself is opulently furnished, with ten silken tapestries depicting courtly scenes, lion hunts, griffons fighting, and scenes from the tales of Sinbad the Sailor, Aladdin and the Lamp, and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves...
The silk turban on the Emir's/rakshasa's head was set with a large aquamarine of the clearest water and of flawless, tear-shaped cut!
Besides the silken tapestries and the aquamarine in the Emir's/rakshasa's turban, there is also the Emir's scimitar, which seems to glow with a reddish glow...
He also wore a golden ring inset with a star sapphire...
In a pouch at his side are 20 onyxs...
The guards, grateful to be spared and to be freed from unwittingly serving an evil rakshasa disguised as Emir Al'Haaq of Marrakech, offer to lead the Champions to the treasure vault, and using an iron key taken from.a secret compartment in the Emir's throne, they unlock the great iron door sealing the treasure vault, and open it to reveal the fabulous treasure heaped therein...
After applying his own modest healing, and receiving some healing from his new acquaintance, Boga, Alexei enters the main chamber and surveys the scene.
look at the bite and claw marks on the behir... and the two halves of that rakshasa... surely these are not men to be trifled with...
Noticing Johann's inspection of the tapestries he offers, "those aren't bad, probably 300 gold a piece... that gem on his turban, on the other hand, is the famed Tear of Poseidon- worth 10,000 gold I'd wager. His ring and the gems in that pouch are worth another 7 or so... and his sword bears the same magic as the one your orcish friend carries."
"Tear of Poseidon.." She steps up and looks at it.
"Lord P isn't this what the Marid needs to be free?" She says looking to her diminutive partner.
Mwikali comes over to the Rabbi pricks her finger and touches the man's forehead saying words in her native tongue. She smiles as the healing energy goes into him.
"I hope that helps, It's the least The Great Goddess can do for helping free another part of her from bondage"She says to the Rabbi with a sincere smile. After that, she walks over to the bearded one and uses a claw to scratch under his chin.
"Johann was it, Your powers intrigue me to become such a beautiful snake is unheard of. However, that voice of yours needs to be a little less lion-like and more mouse-like. Unless in passion or in celebration." She says continuing to scratch him under the chin like a pet.