ow! rude...
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"Thinblood!" Illiana hisses in elven with a hint of contempt, "wait here. Your steps are clumsy and clamorous to me." Eyeing Rissi, she adds in undercommon, "The rat should go first, she is... less obtrusive."
As they make their way through the tunnels and further from the duergar stronghold, Illiana attempts to gain her bearings. If only she were better at navigating the darklands. These tunnels seem familiar, but are they really the ones she was searching when she was captured? Damn! A frustrated sigh escapes her lips. "Yes, I suppose that will have to do..." she says dismissively.
Illiana eyes the guards with open contempt as they pass through the gates. Once they have made it a reasonable distance and appear to be alone, she brings up what seemed an unusually large presence at the gate. "What do you think that was about?" she asks in undercommon. "A dozen guards hardly seems necessary."
just to be clear, we didn't actually regain spells, did we?
yup! still here! sorry i have a wand of infernal healing already, btw.
Illiana finishes her prayers before acknowledging the newcomer, though the only sign at first that she even does that is a look of disdain at his assessment of their competence. He seems too friendly. Hopefully that won't prove the same as being foolhardy. She remains content to watch the exchange until the thinblood begins to pontificate. "Politeness is merely deception in pretty packaging," she states plainly, though whether she says this to support a particular side of the argument is difficult to tell. "You would both do well to remember that for different reasons." "... My name is Illiana," she adds after a brief pause, looking at Mika. She then contents herself to return to her meditations while they wait for Urf. When the raucous little creature finally does return she gives him a moment to settle down and make introductions before making an announcement to the others. "Now that we're all here together, I would like to make something abundantly clear; someone please translate for the goblin. The thinblood referred to me as a healer a moment ago. While I am quite capable, I warn you all now not to rely on my abilities to keep you alive during a battle. I am not a battlefield medic and I will be using my talents to dispatch our foes before I use them to ameliorate the consequences of your mistakes. In other words, try not to die and I will tend to your wounds after combat unless I deem it prudent to do so sooner."
When approached, Illiana regards the rat with practiced impassivity. It offered to translate their surface babble, but in her experience, in wasn't wise to become too reliant on others, and trust (at least in mortals) was most certainly a foreign concept to the priestess. Rather than decline, though, she simply ignores the offer and instead moves to accept her armband with a hint of contempt. Once shown to their quarters, Illiana finds another corner in which to pray. She sits quietly, considering the circumstances. Escape would be ideal as she has no desire to become a citizen of the duergar city, and even if they did complete their task, she had little faith that citizenship would actually allow her to go as she pleased. Eventually her thoughts are interrupted by the little goblin and his inane ramblings. When he finishes his tantrum and rides off, Illiana asks in undercommon, "What is he on about?" When informed that he left to find a healer, Illiana simply shrugs. She hadn't prepared any curative magic that day since she had no materials at the time, but her wand was back in her possession. He should have asked.
I just PMed Faceless, but I owe you all an apology. I had to move suddenly a couple weeks ago and trying to put my life back together has been... exhausting to say the least. (Also, no access to a desktop means I think to check less.) I'd love to continue with you guys if you'll still have me, but if you want to replace me, I understand. Just thought you should all know. Anyway, sorry to have contributed to holding you up.
Immediately, Illiana digs through the crate for her enchanted blade, Ivy. She pulls the sword from the crate and, with a couple of swings and a thrust that extends at least 15 feet, confirms that it is indeed her weapon. The blade retracts and, satisfied it hasn't been tampered with, Illiana inspects her remaining belongings. The gray dwarves even returned all of her scrolls. They are impressively efficient. Looking up from her belongings, she notices the others arguing in what seems to be the common surface tongue. Having no interest in an argument she can't understand, she approaches the nearest guard and asks where she is expected to rest.
Illiana remains silent during the proceedings. It isn't to show any particular deference to the gray dwarven king, though she indeed respects the power he commands in this place, she simply doesn't care about his problems enough to ask any questions. The task has been laid before them, and she will complete it unless a better opportunity arises. As they stand there, Illiana instead considers the others. The boisterous little goblin is being remarkably quiet. Despite having riled up the tiefling, who stands a considerable chance of crushing the imp, he has enough sense not to do anything so amusing now. That's comforting. The rat is clever and not averse to groveling... useful. While she remains impassive during most of what passes, she can't help but roll her eyes at the thinblood's incessant talk of mercy. At least the gray dwarves are pragmatic in their reasons for not killing, but this poor fool... her lips curl a bit in the hints of the devilishly bemused smile as she imagines the suffering Xarann would have endured as he was cured of such ridiculous sentiments had he grown up in Zirnakaynin.
So they weren't simply to conquer the arena. It was some sort of test... which they apparently passed. When lead back to the antechamber, Illiana inspects the clothes they are offered. It seems they're cleaner than the rags they were given before. She dresses and then watches curiously as the tiefling strikes the little goblin and a commotion begins in an unfamiliar tongue. Hopefully the fools wouldn't ruin her chances to escape, or she'd kill them in their sleep.
yeah, so far the only words we've exchanged had no mechanical impact. still sad to think that Illiana's remark about the smell went unappreciated (and worse shouldn't even have happened).
The drow male casts another spell, but this time Illiana recognizes it. A haste spell. The fool probably should have done that sooner, but it still wasn't great for her... allies. "Be mindful of the magical celerity they were just granted," she warns in undercommon. Seeing the half-elf join the tiefling's melee, she lashes out again with the whip, then moves to flank the half-orc.
i just realized that everyone knows both common and undercommon except for Urf and me... lol. maybe i'll take up linguistics.
off the cuff translation attempt:
one ring to rule them all, one ring to bind them,
one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. and one __ _______ _______ dark ___ rule _____ find ____ wraith ___ in bind ___ ___-dark ring ringwraith _____-___ ____ _______ ____ ____ ___ ______ _____ _____ _ all __ __ (particularly badass) orc __ _____ in the ______, in the darkness. in the ____-___ ____ _____. that's the best i could do without actually looking up the black speech.
out of curiosity, what did you use for Abyssal? google thinks some of it looks like Hindi.
"Perhaps the beast is being guided by a strong odor..." Illiana suggests.
okay, yeah, that's what i figured. he just didn't mention it in his post. seems like a silly question since, the way the ability is worded, you have to use both parts to use the second part (increase the crit multiplier), so he actually did 5 more points of damage. edit: never mind it's just a strangely worded ability. he doesn't get to keep the maxed damage die if he increases the multiplier. weird... At 4th level, when a kensai hits with his chosen weapon, he can spend 1 point from his arcane pool in order to maximize his weapon damage. Don’t roll for damage—the weapon deals maximum damage. This affects only the weapon’s base damage dice, not additional damage from sneak attack, magical weapon properties, spellstrike, or critical hits. If the kensai confirms a critical hit, he can instead spend 2 points from his arcane pool to increase his weapon’s critical multiplier by 1. that last sentence confused me. i was thinking "instead" only applied to the points spent, but it doesn't say "to also increase..." too bad... oh well. still awesome.
i'm curious... how is Xarann's crit damage with an elven curve blade 1d10 + 12 x3? i assume i'm missing something, but i only get 1d10 + 6 x2. edit: i was missing power attack, but it's still only x2 unless he spends more arcane points, right?
in PbP it makes no difference to me. roll away.
that is my understanding also. if he doesn't flurry, he could bite as part of a full attack at -5, but it's probably better to just flurry.
yeah, Creatures with natural attacks and attacks made with weapons can use both as part of a full attack action (although often a creature must forgo one natural attack for each weapon clutched in that limb, be it a claw, tentacle, or slam). Such creatures attack with their weapons normally but treat all of their available natural attacks as secondary attacks during that attack, regardless of the attack’s original type. though i know you can't with a flurry.
hmm... so when i was writing it, i assumed Tlugos spoke out of turn to inform us of the drow's conjuration, but when i re-read his post, it seems like he didn't; so if it's a problem, i'll trip the half-orc instead.
Illiana raises a questioning eyebrow at the thinblood's comment. No one here deserves her mercy... least of all her opponents. Disregarding such foolishness, she glances over to see that the grey skinned girl has aided the tiefling in dispatching that lumbering brute. Excellent.
As her attention returns to their remaining foes, Illiana sees the half-elf cast a mirror image spell but curses under her breath as she fails to decipher the drow male's incantation. She moves closer to the other side of the arena and briefly considers her options. Spellcasters could be dangerous—as she would know—but that half-orc and his wretched bow were also problematic. She is lamenting her ignorance of the other drow's plan when the tiefling speaks up. A summoning spell? Not if Illiana has a say.
readying changes your initiative to before the triggering action. a delay sets it to wherever you act.
also, sorry Tlugos, for some reason I thought he missed you. and I didn't think I'd be successful tripping him, but mostly I thought he missed you or I'd have tried.
yeah, that's why i was unsure. it's not precision damage, but you usually don't double extra dice, right? like you wouldn't double a flaming enchant on a crit. bleed seems like it could go either way. was mostly just curious if there was a rule someone else knew about that i don't. also, shouldn't it be the gnome, rissi, then xarann. readied actions change your order in the initiative, right?
Whip in hand, Illiana whispers a quiet prayer for Nocticula's favor. Then, drawing the rapier and maneuvering herself to a position between Tlugos and Xarann, she swings the whip for the ghoul's legs.
Just before the allotted time has elapsed, Illiana rises. Quietly, she asks Nocticula to render her skin like her heart—hard and cold as iron. She then lays her hand on the little goblin's shoulder and shadows begin to coalesce around him. Finally, she calls the shadows to obfuscate her own form as they are finally let into the arena.
it's 10 rounds, so yeah, i guess that's long enough to throw down just before time is up. and Xarann casts spontaneously, he's a cabalist.
cool. and yeah, most of my buffs are self only, short duration, and can be swift cast. since i have nothing competing for my swift action, i figure the buffs can wait. though if it's apparent that we'll be going straight into a fight, i'll cast ironskin as the gates open.
it occurs to me that i originally designed this character as setting neutral using d20pfsrd, and you might not have noticed that, in Golarion, i technically can't be a mantis zealot while worshiping Nocticula. if that's a problem, i can be a normal warpriest. just let me know.
Illiana sits quietly, watching the reunion of the goblin and his mount with a mixture of interest and disgust, as she waits for the gate to open. She had already stated quite clearly that she is a priestess of Nocticula and has no intention of repeating herself. Besides... she wants a better handle on the situation before offering up too much about herself.
Once her circlet is returned to her, Illiana dons the chain shirt she located previously. She also secures a rapier and a whip. I wonder if we are expected to be enemies or allies.
Illiana looks around the room for something like a chain shirt and a whip, but makes no move to acquire either if she spots them. "I require my circlet," she informs the duergar simply.
As the duergar come and go again with various groups of slaves, Illiana sits in quiet contemplation. As the crowd continues to thin, she can't help but wonder if she's wasted an opportunity. Fewer slaves means less chaos. Ah well... another chance will present itself. She looks up with disgust when the lecherous dwarves leer and comment on what she might do to their... manhoods. He's not wrong, she thinks with a sneer. Then the group of prisoners is led to a new chamber where one of the little ashen creatures takes their names and occupations for their records. Illiana watches as the little rat attempts to lie only to be discovered by means of some spell by the looks of things though, which, she cannot guess.
After, the large drow male who seems to have some fiendish influence—a tiefling if Illiana had to guess. Next, Urf announces himself with such an air of self-importance that under different circumstances, she might decide to keep him as a pet. They want to give the little goblin his mount back? the drow priestess wonders as the next two prisoners state their information. What could they possibly want with us and how can I use this to my advantage? Finally, they come to Illiana. She briefly considers a moment of defiance, but dismisses it as pointless. Though they wouldn't likely kill her as the duergar aren't ones to undervalue slaves, it wouldn't help her escape and that is what's important right now. "I am Illiana Vahadarr, priestess of Nocticula," she declares with indifference.
are my prepared spells set already? or would i have been able to choose new spells since being captured?
Also among the new slaves is a striking drow female with bluish skin and hair like spider's silk. Perfectly comfortable nude, she forgoes the dirty rags offered by her captors. I wonder if any of these lowly pieces of filth will be useful to me in my escape. She surveys those present, obviously passing her judgement. She almost seems to smile at the little goblin's antics, but that turns immediately to a look of disgust when she hears the thinblood male mention Sarenrae. She takes special interest when the duergar return with the large male. That one seems as though he's waiting for a good opportunity.
sorry guys. I'm a bit indisposed at the moment. I'll try to get something up later today when I get home.
well, as long as you're useful, you should have nothing to worry about.
Hello, slaves... err... fellow slaves.
Urf counts over 20 people trying to get in this; Urf would be more precise with numbers, but Urf run out of fingers and toes. Why so many people wanna be slaves? Guess it be sad for them that don't get in, but at least Urf can celebrate being in slavery with other 5 people. ...Wait, something about that sound wrong to Urf... The better question, little goblin, is why wouldn't more people be interested in this glorious opportunity to be superior to every other race and play as a drow?
I did work with one character to flavor him into a half dragon type of thing. Depends on what you're thinking character wise. Keep in mind that if you're not full drow you're not fully a person. :) a blessing for all the actual Drow... now be silent, WORM!
still a WiP, but this will be my offering to the queen of spiders. edit: i don't have a good idea off the top of my head for one, but someone should make a worshipper of Eilistraee and try to save all us poor wayward souls. |