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As the snake illusory coils fade from around her, Karina shakes her head. "Blasted thing mind-controlled me." she sneers as she takes four swipes with her sword, deciding that death is the appropriate measure at this point. "I agree with Anuum!" she yells to the group.
After she swings, she will bless herself and heals her wounds slightly.
Karina, after being grabbed by the creature, realizes that there is little chance of success in slotting the discs at this point as the creature can easily grapple all four of them and one disc remains in the room. With a snarl, she looks at the weak guardian of stone. "Pathetic... I will crush you into powder once I deal with this creature." she says as she calls down the power of Irori. "Irori, guide my fists. I will exact vengeance on the creature before me." she states with vitriol as she launches into four rapid-fire strikes; the last granted by Anuum's powerful spell.
With Kel's buffs and the addition of the Haste, Karina is able to reach the discs in a mere two seconds, snatching one of the discs from the corner.
As she grabs the flickering disc, she realizes the group's errors. "Shove the Light disc into the moon slot, Kel! We have Stars and Sun in here!" she yells as she grabs the second disc, hearing the man's scream as the tail wraps around him. "F~$%..." she snarls as she retreats back to the wall with both discs in hand.
As she moves back, she hopes that the grabbing tail that has latched onto Kel will keep the creature from lashing out at her as she moves deftly through the gargantuan snake's coils. "Prepare for the worst!" As she moves, she activates the second chakra gate, hoping to become light as a feather soon and fly to put these discs in immediately.
Karina sees the towering behemoth that is being grappled by the merely large golem and forms a plan. "Kel, you are on duty to slot the discs. We already slotted the light and the dark. I will fetch the other two from inside the room." she says resolutely as she steels herself.
Opening her first chakra gate, Karina run through the looping coils of the snake as it is grappled by the golem.
As her feet are encompassed by the flames, she tumbles over the tail of the beast and slides through the legs of the golem, quick-standing in one fluid motion on the other side of the creature.
She quickly looks around the room, trying to locate the last two discs.
"From the illustrations around, we can see that this Starwatcher Tor was a cyclopean creation and they appear to be mortal enemies of the snakes." Karina posits. "Perhaps we should do as the Tor commands and add the tokens? It is not always the evil ones that use mind-control..." she says, confident that she can resist any attempts to control her regardless of the intentions of the controller. "It could be that the medusa is not the only serpent that has infiltrated and the monolith that demanded the warding disks is looking to clear it out from the room that it is banging on." she concludes. "What are your thoughts with this plan of attack since attacking seems to be our last resort."
After seeing the various treasures left in the armory, Karina nods approvingly. "It looks like we should aid the monolith in the destruction of the door. Perhaps it is seeking to destroy whatever is controlling the archaeologists." she ponders aloud. "Though it could be seeking to free whatever is in there." she counters. "What are your thoughts?" she asks the group. If no one responds: Karina will shrug, take Karu's Blessing and move to attack the monolith. "Better to destroy a possible enemy then let it join its master." she reasons.
Karina looks at the monolith banging against the southern door as the rest of the party investigates the new room, however she is reticent to leave doors behind. "Sergeant Thorgrim would berate me endlessly if he learned that we bypassed a set of doors before progressing onward. We should investigate this room." she says as she accentuates her last word with a boot to the northern double doors, kicking them open as she draws her blade.
Seeing that the medusa has been slain, Karina flicks her blade, sending the dark green blood flying from the metallic implement of death. She sheathes the blade wordlessly as she takes a few steps back to Anuum, pulling off the Veil of Fleeting Glances and placing it over the man's frozen head.
Once the man is unfrozen, Karina will give a wry grin. "Did you drain all of its power?" she asks as she takes the mask back and places it back over her face. "It would be a shame..." As Kel speaks to the weird, unintelligible voice, Karina listens but decides to wait and see if Kel can make heads or tails of it. "I will scout ahead." she adds as she heads around the U-shaped hallway and finds a broken down set of doors, which she peeks around the corner into.
Karina scoffs as the Medusa continues down her fruitless path. "Your bow would have been a better use of your time. " she remarks as she takes three rapid swings with her blade. ---
-Posted with Wayfinder
Karina stares directly at the medusa and shakes her head. "You had your chance, medusa." she says as she takes three steps before leaping over the fallen amphisbaena. As she flies over, a silver arc slices through the air as Karu's Blessing comes down hard onto the medusa.
As she brings down the blade, she keeps her navel chakra flowing, providing her with a solid defense against any attack made by the medusa.
Karina stares down the medusa, seemingly immune to her petrifying charms, as the medusa and her pet snake damage her with three attacks, though the last arrow potentially strikes the weak spot in her chest, but Karina twists at the last moment, letting her dragonfire aura protect her from each strike.
The amphisbaena bites and sinks its teeth into Karina, injecting her with poison, but the stout Bold Strider body rejects the venom.
Karina emboldens her body with more of the dragonfire as it erupts from her spine, granting her a pair of fiery, scaled wings.
"You have stopped the mindtaker, but your little tricks are ineffective against me, snake woman. Surrender now and I will leave you your head." she says as she brings down her blade three times in under five seconds on the amphisbaena.
The snake bites into the hardened flesh of Karina as the woman ignores the poison and the gaze of the Medusa. "A Bold Strider cannot be subject to weak magicks like yours!" she yells as her second chakra gate opens. She takes two furious swipes with her sword at the dual-headed snake. -Posted with Wayfinder
"Hah!" Karina exalts. "We have found trouble." she says proudly as she puts both hands on her blade and leaps into action, opening her first chakra gate as she tries to avoid the bite of the unique double-snake. "We shall save you madam!" she warns as she tumbles in, her feet coated with vibrant gold flames, and takes a slash at the reptile.
Karina snags the mask out of the air with her free hand, leaving the one-eyed mask in her hair, as a headband. "Probably the wisest thing you have said, mind-stealer." she says as Kel starts to go off on a rant. The man starts to hiss and ask several questions, rapid fire, as Karina cocks her head, hair held back by the cyclopean mask. "Ummm... Strategy is the purview of those without confidence or power. I think Braugher might try to use strategy, but usually only to blast as many people as possible with his lightning fist..." she says, reflecting on the tactics of the first squad leader. "Either way, I kind of figured that the name 'Bold Strider' would at least be a hint of our nature. My father's tactics allowed him to ascend to Venture-Captain after saving the life of a Decimvirate member, so who am I to question." she says as she moves to the next door and kicks it in without warning or regard for the rest of the team. "Bring it!" she yells sword resting on her shoulder, as she puts her boot into the door, slamming it open.
Karina strides to the first doorway. "Prepare yourselves. We face trouble!" she yells in an attempt to get the group's adrenaline rushing as she unsheathes her sword in a magnificent display. Sssssshing! With her left foot, she quickly pushes the door open, spinning to knob (if there is one) with her free hand, confident in her kicking abilities in case something tries to get the drop on her.
Karina shoves the disc into her knapsack as she draws her blade, holding it in a single hand as she progresses into the underground system. "Let's move." she says to the silent priest of Apsu and the amnesiac. "You were sent with us to help, not sightsee." she chides as they hang out near the entrance without moving. As she reaches the pond, she finds herself a bit parched and cups her hand, dipping it into the fountain and sipping from the pool that formed in the slender depression formed by her palm and fingers.
Karina takes in her surrounding as she enters into the room and sees Anuum quickly approach the woman hiding behind the tent. Instead of joining immediately, Karina moves to thoroughly investigate the surroundings before arriving at the place of conversation and notices the wariness of the archaeologist. "Do not be afraid. We have not been charmed like those outside. We are here to investigate what has happened." she says with authority. "In addition to my... friend's questions, whose hand touched the orb? Was it Juliet?"
Karina sheathes her blade and releases the dragonfire into the ether as she finds that the hydra was disappointing. "Hmm... I thought the legendary hydras would be stronger." she says as the snake scurries off into the wild. ---
Karina moves into the tower's ground floor and greets the women working on the journal. "We are Pathfinders, but we are not here to do work." she says firmly. "We are here to check in on your health and to inform you that your last report was a week late when we departed. It appears that you are healthy, so you should continue to work, but we need an update about your work."
Having closed with the hydra, Karina moves to further expand her chakra gates as fiery dragonspines erupt from her back, causing the flow of the dragonfire to swirl stronger around her, strengthening her defenses.
In the face of the five remaining heads of the hydra, Karina takes three vicious swipes at the creature, attempting to focus on the body of the beast.
As Jane is quickly overwhelmed by the multitude of strikes from the hydra's head, Karina leaps to her aid as the flames around her grow stronger.
The protective flames grow stronger as she moves through the hydra's biting fangs, hoping her natural strength and Anuum's spell will keep her safe as she leaps up and strikes down on one of the heads, hoping to sever it from the body with her blade.
As she strikes, Karina yells back to Jane. "Withdraw from the fight! You will be killed!" she cautions for the second time. "You should never step in front of me!" she adds, exasperated by the lack of tactics.
Seeing the snake-like enemies, Karina hesitates slightly before moving in to warn her compatriots. "Don't directly engage the enemy. Used ranged attacks if possible." she advises. "At least until it engages with us." As she sprints forward, she draws her blade as her footsteps leave behind smoldering, burnt grass. As smoke rises from the grass with each step, you see that Karina is opening her first chakra gate.
The gate opens effortlessly as the flames that swirl around her feet slowly begin to cover her body with a light sheen of flame, protecting her slightly.
The woman readies a strike for the first enemy to approach and get within her reach.
Karina looks to Jane and tries to explain how the dragonfire works. "The dragonfire isn't metaphorical or granted by a god, but is similar to ki which is power that emanates from the Plane of Positive Energy." she says, considering her words carefully. "The kundalini, or dragonfire, is a manipulation of the seven ki sources within the body using earthly power to shock the chakra gates into opening farther than possible with just ki. Ki is needed initially to manipulate the gates, however the power granted is not from ki itself." she says, hoping this explanation is sufficient. ---
As Kel offers the power of luck, Karina will oblige once more, granting herself an astrological aid.
But the cleric of Apsu then questions her interpretation of Irori's teachings and Karina gets a bit flustered. "Relying on stealing the hard work and commitments of his 'vessels' is reprehensible in the eyes of the Practitioner. He hasn't shed blood or sweat to gain his power, but only taken over the minds of people who have. I cannot imagine that the Old Man would ever be sent to train someone like him." she says with disdain as she tries to vocalize her innate distrust of the mind-stealer.
Seeing that Anuum is well-versed in traversing various topographical areas, she merely tries to offer aid to the mind-stealer as they venture forth into the wilderness. "Stealing knowledge from others..." she says in response to Anuum's words. "This violates the very core of Irori's teachings." she says, allowing it due to his status as a Pathfinder. As they move, Karina makes sure to avoid the dangerous parts of the jungle as she helps to guide the rest of the Pathfinders according to his instructions.
Karina will bless her body with the regenerative power of the Bold Striders, encouraging Irori's power to surge through her.
She feels that most of her wounds have healed enough to where a good night's sleep will help her recover entirely. She moves back into the encampment once night sets on the group and looks for the mess tent. Upon finding it, she calls to the chef. "Oh Master Chef, please prepare enough food for at least three of these archaeologists. I find myself to be quite voracious at this juncture." she says with a courteous bow.
Karina flicks the blood from her blade as she surveys the carnage, noting the profuse amounts of feces and vomit, as well as dead carcasses. "Yes, you should hurry. We will depart in the morning, bright and early." she says, emphasizing the last part for her compatriots. As the day wanes on, Karina will stand guard, periodically walking around the encampment to keep an eye out for danger. The bloodied blade seems to remain in her hand as she patrols.
As Karina's sword sweeps through the monkeys, leaving behind a trail of corpses, the primates in this group realize their futility and flee back into the wild as the other group harasses Kel, leaving Karina no other option. "Follow your comrades retreat and choose to run instead of flailing about!" she yells to the man as she looks at the writhing chains on the ground as another impetus between her and the enemy monkeys. She takes a running start before veering slightly to the right, running up the hemp rope anchoring the tent to the ground before reaching the crest of the tent and leaping from the wooden pole's apex as she brings her sword to bear against the last swarm.
Anuum vomits onto himself as the swarm burns, his eyes pleading for help before he can finally verbalize it as Kel summons up a pair of chains that do relatively little in the current situation. "The leader monkeys are down! Flee if you can't fight!" Karina commands as she rushes to take down the more injured swarm of primates. Her footsteps barely leaving an imprint in the grass as she runs up the side of the building with her seven-branched sword glinting in the sun. With a flying leap off the makeshift housing, she brings down the blade into the swarm, hoping to disperse the attackers. "Flee, apes!"
As Kel and Anuum avoid the swarm and Karina puts down the leader monkeys, the woman turns to the last member of the expedition. "Jane! Disperse the monkeys quickly!" she yells, hoping to encourage the woman into performing admirably. "Use your... umm... best spells!" she says, realizing that she has no idea what the woman is capable of doing.
Two of the clubs land while Karina is recoiling from the serpentfire's backlash. The attacks barely scratch the Bold Strider as she recovers. Choosing to forgo her powers at this time, Karina looks at the monkey surrounding her. "Mistakes have been made, but they will be rectified, primates." she says as she takes three massive slashes with her blade on the nearby charau-ka.
Karina watches as the swarm of monkeys careen over the edge of the digsite and swarm the other Pathfinders, but is drawn back to her immediate circumstances as a pile of poop plops down on the grass near her feet. With two quick slashes, she cuts down the other two projectile defecations in a whirl of flames and steel.
As she attempts to open another chakra gate, Karina is overwhelmed by the serpentfire and the flames disappear immediately. Her eyes roll into the back of her head as her hand grips her blade, but she seems unable to act.
Karina, feeling the flames of the Serpentfire singing her skin, grows a bit impatient at the choices of her compatriots. "Why have you moved down into the digsite?!" she bellows. "More importantly, why have you moved away from the only person capable of fighting in close quarters?! " she adds. "This is why you discuss tactics before a fight..." she mutters with gritted teeth. -Posted with Wayfinder
"And this is why I check..." Karina says, feeling a bit prescient. Drawing her blade, Karina holds it firmly in both hands as her flowing pants billow in the windless encampment. "Haaaa!" she yells as fiery ki erupts from her feet, bathing her body in fire.
She dashes forward twenty feet in under a second, easily completing the move with only a few quick steps. Keeping the blade turned towards the entrance, she prepares for the assault from the primates. "Turn back now or we will be forced to cut you down!" she warns. Readied Strike-First Non-Swarm Enemy to Get Adjacent to Her:
Karina looks around at her compatriots and finds their noticeable lack of manners disturbing. "I apologize for my compatriots' terseness. Words and manners are not their strong suit." she says as she bows her head in apology. "As to your safety, are we able to depart immediately or should we rest here to ensure you are protected until you can head back to the Lodge in the morning?" she asks. "I would rather ensure the safety of you and your men, then chase after a probably-dead Pathfinder, especially if I would later find out you all perished." As the man offers the satchel, Karina takes it and slings it over her shoulder. "These will reach her safely if we are able to find her." she says, reassuringly. "Is there a way to take the sphere with us to detect any fiendish activity?" she asks, hopeful that the artifact can be moved.
Karina extends her hand to the guard that is watching what is left of the gate. "I am Karina of the Bold Striders Dragonslaying Company. These are my compatriots. Thank you for your assistance." she says firmly as she shakes his hand. Once the man points out Happ, Karina boldly strides over to the man. "Agent Voltz?" she asks as she extends her hand once more. "I am who was dispatched by the Decimvirate to assist Juliet Dias. What do you know of her location and situation?" she asks straightforwardly.
Karina nods as the mind-invader tells of his psychic powers. "Interesting, it will be quite the sight to see in the midst of battle, but doing so should give me time to ready myself if combat is sprung upon us without warning." she says, contemplating the most problematic situation. "Given enough time, we should be able to take on anything, even a Balor."
Karina listens to Kel-Aurthraxis's explanation of his luck-bending magicks and nods along, grasping the gist of the spell, but not understanding the technical aspects of such an incantation. "If it will help us fight, then I will gladly take the aid, Ser Maleocorr." she says as he blesses her with Apsu's gift.
"While I understand most of you lot have invested heavily in learning or perfecting your magical abilities, do you not want to confer on optimal tactics if we somehow do end up in a fight?" she asks, clearly looking to start a discussion despite the rampant silence from the group. "For example, I tend to fight with a mixture of strikes from my blade..." she says as she unsheathes her seven-branched sword, brandishing it for the group to see. "And sweeping kicks." "Given a few seconds, I can adopt my preferred fighting stance and open at least one of my chakra gates, which will greatly increase our chance of survival."
"You don't know your own name?" Karina says, a serious note of skepticism in her voice. What has Irori and the Ten given me to work with on my first mission back...? she laments in her mind. At the offer of the book, Karina takes the tome, eager to know more about the lore behind the region, but finds it to be too stuffy and academic. She tosses the leather-bound tome back to Jane. "Not really my type of text." she says succinctly. Approaching the Azlant Ridge, Karina hears Jane's offer of magical assistance and her ears perk up. "Aye, I've heard of a spell that should be a bit beneath our level that makes your reflexes like that of a cat. That would be beneficial to me, I believe." "So, please cast that on me if you can." she says with a knowing nod as she surveys the damage. "That being said, we might be fighting giants..." Karina moves closer to observe the damage more closely and to see if there are still any living creatures at the ridge.
As Venture-Captain Flaxseed explains that they will be heading to the Song-Wind-City in the Mwangi, Karina deftly rises from her couch. "I assume that we will meet our fourth in the lodge, then." she guesses aloud. --- Karina arrives at the meeting dressed in flowing pants white pants bound by a Belt of Strength, a white halter top with the hint of an amulet depicting Irori's fist hidden under a Headband of Mental Prowess worn around her neck (instead of her forehead), tightly-bound sandals and a wide-brimmed Tian hat. She bows deeply as a sign of respect when the proprietor of Sharrowsmith's Exports enters with the druidic woman. "Thank you for the refreshment." After the explanation of the mission and the knowledge of the region by Kel and the mysterious woman, Karina only feels the need to add her dedication to the goal at-hand. "We shall bring back the archaeologists to the best of our ability. I will pray to Irori for their safety while we make our way to their encampment." Turning to her group, Karina speaks boldly. "I am ready to depart immediately. If you have not prepared for the warm weather of the jungle, then I suggest we find appropriate gear for you, otherwise we should leave with haste. It appears that we are fighting against time." As Karina is meeting her for the first time, the Champion of Irori extends her hand to the new Pathfinder. "Greetings. I am Karina, Lieutenant of the Bold Striders, a dragon-fighting company out of Belhaim. We also have Kel-Aurthraxis, a follower of The Exiled Wyrm, and Anuum, a body-snatcher from another plane." Producing a willow-branch wand from her pack, Karina holds out the Wand of Mage Armor to the dented half-elf. "The reports mentioned that you might be able to cast spells such as this. Please keep me warded while we travel. It will greatly increase my defensive capabilities, which appears to be necessary given our team's composition."
As the unearthly man strides in, Karina does not seem to pay him the same deference as the previous entrant. "Take a seat. We have yet to find out the mission." she says tersely. "Venture Captain Flaxseed should arrive soon." she adds. "Though why we brought a mind-capturer such as your self is beyond me."
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