Kspress's page

"Were you not questioned about the princess? I suppose that is an interrogation technique, feeding different information to different prisoners..." says Kspress to Velkuriss, feeling better and cleaner than he has in a very, very long time.

He had been upset that they had been incarcerated, though not really surprised. And the cell hadn't been too bad, aside from the cold. Without his medallion, the cold came right into his muscles and bones, chilling him. He had been forced to use his training to keep warm, which, in reality, involved moving around a lot in his small cell.

Without torture, the experience was soon forgotten. As he was brought with Markus and Velkuriss to another building, he gained confidence that they would be released, or perhaps be given some work to do. He thought it was likely the princess, as they had revealed, truthfully or not, had recovered under the care of the best healers of the city.

Now here he was, with three strangers that Velkuriss is talking to. Shortly, he realizes these are the three "Iksar" who freed them from Cabilis.

He steps up to them, all three, and bows a deep bow. In common he says, "I thank you for your courage in releasing us before yourselves. It is courage I might expect of an Iksar." This is meant as a compliment, of course, and comes out with a sideways turn of the head and, to Iksars at least, a wry expression. They had been Iksars for a time...

With formality he says, "Introductions in a proper surrounding... This is Velkuriss, and this is Markus. I am Kspress. Indeed, we delivered your Elf to this city, alive but gravely injured. How did you manage to escape?"

Kspress spends much time carrying one end of Firiona's stretcher. Luckily she has no armor and is not too heavy. It's a good workout for getting back that muscle mass lost in the jail.

He is very relieved when the group makes it out of Froglok territory. He wonders if a treaty with those amphibious creatures could ever happen. Perhaps.

When finally they reach the city they recognize, and see the statue, Kspress' suspicions are confirmed. This Elf looks remarkably like the statue he had all but ignored in the past. She must be a sister, or, considering her name, the princess herself. Firiona Vie. Perhaps, for her own safety, she lied about how common her name is. Kspress supposes royalty must be trained to do such things when facing those they cannot fully trust.

Markus' words make sense to him, to a point. "Yes, you lead. But perhaps we should remain here, lest we be taken to prison in there. Velkuriss, what do you think? If Markus can convince them, or if Firiona awakes, we may yet be let in, if not trusted completely. But until then, we are seen as the enemy of these people."

Kspress follows Cheiron, along with Velkuriss, wondering what is going to happen. When the Grandmaster begins the ritual, Kspress hides his surprise and suppresses his pride. Those feelings have no place here.

Grandmaster Cheiron's cryptic words speak to their pride nonetheless. Whatever they do, they do with honor, and they do it for the people of their home, and their race. No matter what the leadership thought. No matter that they were exiles, maybe never welcome in their homeland. No matter that they would be called traitors. History would speak, and the truth, hopefully, emerge. But even that is pride, thinks Kspress. History's voice could be lost to time, but the only important thing would be that their race survived, learned, thrived.

It is with these thoughts in his head that he returns to the human and elf. The pain of the ritual is now receding, though its memory will remain forever. He looks down at the scarring, vaguely resembling a tree and its roots. This would be the Iksar people; the roots strong and healthy, solidly entrenched in history and with tradition; and the branches and leaves reaching in the air, to the sky, taking in the sun and the air and the rain to grow even more.

Kspress feels beaten, because they were beaten. By frogloks.

He looks at the feet of the great Iksar and decides he, a member (or former member) of the same caste, should reply. He sticks to simplicity and, of course, honesty; and avoids titles and ceremony.

"We four were in the Cabilis jail. Another group of unusual Iksars, possibly humans in disguise, set us free, putting us here via magic. We are heading to the Elven city to bring this Elven woman home."

If he wants details, Kspress can provide more, he thinks.

So 63 /110 (not 100).

He takes 3 from the Krup (10 - 7DR).
He takes 8 and 1 from poison.

Leaving him at 51. Just to clarify.

Kspress hates the feeling of the poison running through him. It is not just the pain, it is the thought that it continues to eat away at his insides.

Last Round poison damage: 1d8 ⇒ 8

This Round poison damage: 1d8 ⇒ 1

(3 rounds of poison remaining)

The cleric's spell protects him as the krup gets slices at him as he leaves his vicinity, but this time it gets through (3 damage taken). Kspress is glad he chose to use lethal force; it was the right decision, in hindsight.

Now the frogloks are all around. He designates one of them as Dodge target (+3 AC vs. it), as he lets loose on them, focusing on one at a time until it drops (but not the Dodge target unless all others on him drop), then moving onto the next.

Attack 1 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (18) + 16 = 34
Damage 1 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

Attack 2 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31
Damage 2 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Attack 3 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
Damage 3 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Attack 4 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
Damage 4 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

Attack 5 (off hand, dual wield) 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26
Damage 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Attack 6 (Roundhouse kick, all attacks at -2) 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19
Damage 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

As he fights, he tries to count the frogloks.

(HP 51/110, AC 30 to one designated opponent)
Spirit Armor for 100 min.

30 hp back off of Kspress, so he would be at 63/100, less the poison damage which I forgot last round, and less the damage taken last round.

I'll update all that on my next post.

It's because my character sheet clearly says 10 hp/ hour, and Kspress cannot read English.

Will adjust them back to where they should be...

Kspress is unsure if he'll be able to fend off the frogs by himself. If only he had some magic to help.... But, that is not his way. They will have a tough time with him, even alone, he hopes.

"Stable and out of danger," he calls back to Velkuriss.

As much as Kspress would like to finish the business with the Krup first, he realizes Firiona's life is in danger. He moves quickly to protect her (AOO)(move action).

Fighting to minimize his chance of getting hit (using Parry, +2AC, -2 attack), he strikes out at one of the frogloks attempting to kill Firiona. (Dodge targets: Krup and two of the other frogloks closest to Kspress after his move, +1AC vs each of them)

(AC 29; AC 30 to Krup and other two dodge targets)

Attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (14) + 16 = 30
Damage: 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Kspress healing: (10 hp healed)

(HP: 93/110)
Spirit Armor for 100 min.

Kspress feels the poison coursing through his veins. Initially, his magical protections were able to reduce the effect, but now the poison keeps working, full force.

Poison damage (halved): 1d8 ⇒ 5

The Krup is injured, and though his faithful clerics open themselves up in order to heal him, Kspress is confident the Krup's lifespan is now measured in seconds. Then again, he thinks, perhaps he is worth something, strategically, alive. Looking at how the Krup is fighting, he decides the non-lethal attacks can wait for the time being. He will continue to make his attacks lethal.

He glances at the warrior Firiona to see how she is doing.

Then he does another full attack on the Krup with both hands, this time adding the roundhouse kick, and taking advantage of the fact that the Krup is surrounded (+2 for flanking). (+3 Dodge and Improved Dodge target is Krup again, so AC 30)

Attack 1 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (10) + 18 = 28
Damage 1 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

Attack 2 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19
Damage 2 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Attack 3 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27
Damage 3 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Attack 4 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
Damage 4 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

Attack 5 (off hand, dual wield) 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 26
Damage 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Attack 6 (Roundhouse kick, all attacks at -2) 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (9) + 18 = 27
Damage 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

He says to the others, in Iksar, "If he drops, kill him not."

Again, Kspress' body naturally heals some of his injury (10 hp healed)

(HP: 83/110, AC vs. Krup: 30)
Spirit Armor for 100 min.

Kspress watches with amazement as the Krup's blade flashes almost faster than the eye can watch it.

Before he reaches, though, some kind of poison gas comes from somewhere and blasts Kspress and his allies.

Fort save vs. Envenomed Breath DC 19 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27 (success)
Damage this round: 4d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 5, 1) = 12 less Poison Resistance 4 = 8 damage
6 rounds remaining.

Too soon the Krup's expert blade reaches him, and sucks the life right out of him, even though the blade itself does not penetrate Markus' magical protections on him.

10 damage from Shroud of Death
7 damage from sword (less DR 7 from Spirit Armor) = 0

As if that's not enough, the fast frog sticks out his hand and Ksrpess can not move fast enough. The deadly negative energy of Harm Touch makes Kspress cringe in pain.

30 Damage.
Fort save for harm touch, DC 23: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15 (failed)

Sucking it all up, Kspress realizes he must do whatever he can to drop this Froglok as soon as possible. Firiona is holding up her end of the fight courageously.

He moves slightly, to try to flank the Krup.

Then he does an all out attack on the Krup with both hands, and decides to forgo the kick (+3 Dodge and Improved Dodge target is Krup again)

Attack 1 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (6) + 18 = 24
Damage 1 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

Attack 2 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (9) + 15 = 24
Damage 2 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Attack 3 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20
Damage 3 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

Attack 4 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
Damage 4 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

Attack 5 (off hand, dual wield) 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28
Damage 5 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Kspress' body naturally heals some of his injury (10 hp healed)

(HP: 72/110, AC vs. Krup: 30)
Spirit Armor for 100 min.

Kspress also keeps an eye on the one Froglok closest to him, designating it his opponent for Dodge and Improved Dodge (AC 30 vs. that Froglok).

Kspress looks scary, but potentially a little silly in his executioner's hood. No matter, it augments his abilities, and so he wears it.

He chooses the leader as his target, and hurls a javelin at him, putting a stabilizing spin on it which happens to make the hole bigger.

Attack: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (16) + 18 = 34
Damage: 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

(HP: 110/110, AC 27)

That question was from Kspress....

Kspress thanks Markus for the healing aid. He mentions that it makes him feel better.

He sees Firiona reject the bow, and offers, "I have six javelins. You may carry a few if you like."

Earlier, during a break, he stood on his own, practicing his exercises. His joints and muscles have been getting a limited workout in the last - how long were they in that prison, he tries to remember? Now they needed some good stretches and strengthening exercises to get them back into shape.

Yes, exactly. I meant those with her now... Should have clarified... Or at very least, posted the message from Kspress.

Yes, sorry, common, since he doesn't know if Firiona speaks Iksar...

Kspress does what he can to help keep them all alive. His mind jumps back to the jail, and the fate of those others (her friends?), but only briefly. The swamp is full of dangers, and they need to concentrate on the here and now.

Wilderness Lore: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Reluctant to ask more unanswered questions of the Elf, he remains quiet, mostly. Instead, he keeps his eyes and ears open, watching for dangers.

Kspress nods at Velkuriss, saying, "Yes, in fact I should have extra clothing in here." He goes through his pack, handing out his extra monk's robes to Firiona. "If that is too large for you, or too hot, we can adjust it." Meanwhile, he equips himself, putting on his very light magical armor, and all his other gear. It makes him feel stronger, faster.

He looks around for a dry place, as it may be difficult for the softskins to walk in this. He looks at their feet, trying to recall if they have even sandals. He suspects not. He pulls out some rations, and offers them to the others, taking a mouthful of dried fruit and meat for himself. Looking around at the swamp brings back memories - Frogloks, a ghost Iksar, a near-death experience.

"We should eat and prepare for travel. Where is it you needed to go, Fi-ri-o-na? Those others, the Iksars who spoke common so quickly; they are your comrades? And what is that?" At his last question, he is pointing to the moving doll.

Kspress' body reforms intact, and he naturally does a sort of monkish check to ensure all systems are running normally; all the while standing in the Froglok's swamp.

This place looks familiar, he thinks. When he sees the elf woman, Firiona, like the city, he remembers, searching the swamp, he first assumes she feels creatures under the water. Soon he realizes she is looking for something - that little doll.

He looks around and sees Velkuriss, and the human, Markus. None of the others, the ones that freed them from the prison. He says to Firiona, "We are at home in the water," and with that, he first looks for a dry place to deposit his gear. After that he will willingly dive into the water and look for the doll.

Kspress isn't sure what's going on. The others were here to rescue the elf, yet they are now trusting complete strangers, probable criminals, to take her out and take care of her.

Perhaps it is time to go with the flow of fate, just accept. Certainly, staying here is not to be considered, and with the guards converging, things looked much worse than a moment ago.

He takes up his equipment, follows the instructions, and hopes he and Velkuriss, and yes, he hopes the others, too, are all transported safely to wherever.

Kspress looks at the others to ensure they are ready, then slips quietly into the hall and over to the door of the female elf. He is not entirely surprised to see the doll there, but then sees another strange Iksar looking out of the equipment room. It is not a guard, so perhaps another prisoner? The other does not seem surprised to see him, so perhaps he is with the doll, the elf, or the other newcomers...

He moves to the other side of the elf's door (past the doll), to shield the Kwen from distractions and allow him to open her lock readily; he stands straight, facing down the hall, away from the door. When the Kwen or the other new one comes, he'll simply point at the door, to confirm what the doll is suggesting. That is a very useful skill, he thinks about the lockpicking, though criminal. But 'criminal' is relative, I now know. Some of the leaders of my people are criminals, to me.

Sneak: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (16) + 17 = 33

Kspress is about to ask Velkuriss to calm down, but he does so of his own accord. Better that way, really, he thinks.

He nods, and whispers "Thank You, Kuwenn," in Iksar after the lockpick opens his manacle lock, seemingly easily, using what appear to be tools specialized to just such a purpose.

He suggests, still whispering, "First the door, then to the elf. Then we stop and get our equipment - there is something of the elf's in the same room." He points to the storage room where the doll is located.

"I can lead, as I need no weapons. I am Kspress."

Kspress looks at Markus and Velkuriss.

Then to the newcomer who spoke, he whispers, "Please tell us what you want with the elf."

He notes their drunken speech, and something strange about it. When that one spoke common, it was with a speed and fluency he had not heard in an Iksar before. Perhaps he had spent an extensive time with the softskins, and thus learned to speak more like them.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

The Iksar lying flat on the floor appears dead, but shortly after the door is closed and locked, its body heat quickly increases, and it rouses to see what is happening. If there were more light, others would note it is a tan skinned Iksar, with black eyes, and male. He is somewhat emaciated, likely due to his time in this prison.

Kspress stands and regards the newcomers. This is not really what he wanted - two more Iksars to foil their plans. Still, they might be of some use. Perhaps, information?

At the words of one of the newcomers, Kspress cocks his head. It seemed an entirely unnecessary thing to say.

He holds a single finger to his mouth and shakes his head. Nobody wanted another beating. These two look like they had just been the beneficiaries of a few, but for different reasons. Alcohol. That dangerous substance introduced to Velkuriss and him by a Gnome some time ago. Velkuriss had taken to it, a little too much, and sworn never to imbibe again; only to have taken more of it the next time it was offered.

The alcohol, Kspress expects, is the reason for the newcomer's obvious statement, no doubt.

Kspress observes that these two have no equipment of note, and looks out to the storage room, wondering what the little Gnome doll is doing, and whether the newcomers' stuff is in there.

Kspress remains quiet, except for his stomach. Despite his self-control, his stomach protests its treatment and excommunicates its sinful membership.

Kspress tries to focus and keep his strength, but it has its limits. No food means no energy, and so he tries to remove the need for energy in his body. Before going further, he tells Markus with a whisper, "If I am cold, it is not because I am dead. You may tell the guards I am, though. Attack after they remove my shackles." Velkuriss already knows about this ability.

Kspress feigns death, lowering his body temperature and breathing to imperceptible levels.

Kspress sits cross-legged and meditates, moving his consciousness into a state where he is peaceful, relaxed, and aware of his surroundings.

He listens for the little feet of the automaton, and for the big feet of the guards. He tries to note which guard is clumsiest, which is least observant, and which appears weakest. All the guards are thus categorized.

Kspress keeps an eye on the equipment/doll room, just in case the doll starts shedding light again, or moving. If it is magical it might contains something that could help them escape. Thinking about the human, he wonders how much he can be trusted. He seemed strong, mentally, and so they would be stronger with him than without, in all likelihood.

He decides to go out on a limb, and whispers to him, "Human, I am Kspress. You have offered help, and I do appreciate that. Let me tell you this. If we escape the prison, we will still be in the prison of Cabilis. In either prison, if you help us escape we will help you too. I will not turn you in to benefit myself. I give you my word if you will do the same. My word, and Velkuriss' word, are worth more than those of the Iksar traitors who put us in here."

Kspress feels badly for the elf woman, and suspects the doll is not just a doll. So he is sorry when it is seen and taken, he having done a bad job of hiding it. The wounds heal soon, and again he feels sorry - this time for the human, whose injuries last much longer. But this one said he could heal himself, so perhaps he would be useful if they were to escape.

"I am not trained in such tactics as stealing," he responds in a whisper to Velkuriss' first remark. With the next ones, he is more comfortable. "We need two means of egress at least - one for our chains and one for our door, and ideally, one for the door over there." He points to the room where their equipment is stored. "Once our door is opened, that number drops by one. Did you happen to see or know which keys the guard holds?"

Soon, he notices the automaton moving and then go dark. He wonders if it is magical, possibly enhanced with a semblance of thought or emotion. He looks at the human, and says, very quietly, "Do you think that ... doll ... is something more? Magical?"

Xenh, would I be correct in asssuming MCMXCIX does not have any meaning (i.e. 1999) to any of our characters? Nobody on Norrath uses Roman Numerals, do they?

Kspress looks with surprise twice. Once, when the elf named Firiona, like the city, refuses his offer of a cockroach. And again, when she shows them her clockwork figure.

He briefly looks at it to see if it's an elf or a human, or something else, and then takes it from her and tries to hide it in his arms.

Palming automaton: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Doing this dangerous action makes him think about escape, and he tries to imaging breaking the chains, as he has imagined so many times before. Do they look like they can be broken?

Kspress commences cleaning, helping out the blind human when he needs it.

Hearing Velkuriss speaking in the human tongue, he wonders if the elf knows it. The softskins they had met in and around Firiona Vie all spoke it, so it was a good assumption that this elf would. Besides, the only other option would be Iksar, and she probably doesn't understand that.

Kspress wonders again how similar the human and the elf are. His mind begins to wander, speculating on how the female could hatch young elves, or half-human-half-elves, if she doesn't have eggs. But of course, she has them, only they are inside her. He wonders if the human would attempt to fertilize the eggs, were conditions favourable to such a coupling. But how would he know if her eggs were ready? Likely, she would have to tell him. He had seen where the fertilizing cells on the human were stored; indeed, he knows well that the very glands that produce such cells are two of the weakest spots on the already-weak and pain intolerant human male.

It marvels Kspress just how entirely alien these softskins are, and even more that the Iksar have much to learn from them. He speculates that their brains are good, and that they are more flexible in their thinking. As a monk, he knows well that although strength is important, fluidity and flexibility are also paramount. The bones are rigid, but they are connected by flexible sinews that give them mobility and flexing muscles that drive them. The whole is thus more than all the parts. This, perhaps, is something Human, Elf and Iksar all share.

A roach escapes Kspress' dirty rag, and he deftly picks it up between two claws. He washes it with fetid water, and is about to eat it when he gets a whim, a thought. He offers the roach to the elf woman, attempting a smile. He hopes perhaps she and the human will find an opportunity to couple, and when they do he would like to observe. And so, he hopes she remembers this offer of protein.

Kspress makes a small map in his head of the prison, in the remote hopes that in the event of an escape, he can make the best possible educated guess about which way to go. He also keeps count of all the different guards he sees, and any other individuals.

Kspress looks over the elf, and the human one more time. Since spending time with softskins he has noted some differences between the two races. The ears are the most obvious differentiator, but there are others, he is learning. Their females' bodies are quite different from their males' in several ways, most notably their facial hair and the organs for feeding their young (which all mammals share). But the elf males do not have so much facial hair, so even that trait must be used carefully.

Now he notes that the elf's facial features are finer, as is her hair. And from what he's seen, elves tend to be thinner.

Let me know what needs to be fixed on the cleric. I still need to double check the cost of all the spells that I bought. I think the last count I had was at 20k in spells before I started to buy equipment.... and looking at the other two PC's stats, I feel so under powered it isn't even funny, at least I can draw comfort in the fact I have 102 mana

You saw my list, right?

Markus
- should have 104 hp
- Should have 103 mana
- 10 HD
- I can't tell which feats are from where, or what is a feat and what's a class skill
- Normally we put language ranks next to languages, like Iksar(4).
- You have Language ranks in Skills with no language specified.
- Your Character sheet is entitled Kal Vardin, not Markus. Confusing.
- Near the top, move speed and armor type are blank.
- No missile weapons?
- Please put your skills in alphabetical order.
- Hide is listed twice.
- Which school is he specialized in?
- Which 10 spells have you got memorized?
- Item weights and locations?
- No shield?
- Weapon damage is +1
- Is Quicken Mastery supposed to be Quicken Spell?
- What Trade Skill do you have?

Kspress is disappointed in himself. He had let his anger get the best of him, and now he is in chains.

It had been a long haul, an impossible task that turned into an adventure of sorts.

He and Velkuriss, and many others, broodlings from different castes, were forced to work together to perform other seemingly impossible tasks. Kspress had been born into the Red Order of the Swifftails, and raised as one every day of his life. It had been nothing but training, all day, every day, until the call came to attend to his first task.

Kspress and Velkuriss, previously unknown to each other, soon formed a mutual respect based upon each other's determination, strength, loyalty and resourcefulness. They had performed admirably, despite the presence of a traitorous Tier'Dal in their group. In fact, they had done the impossible, that which had never been done, by broodling or other. In the Field of Bone they had first performed several difficult tasks, and had been the only team successful at it. Then they had found the buried treasures: the bones of the ancient dragon Jaled'Dar, and near them the long lost bones of the last emperor, Ganak Sathir.

Overlord Velkin had given the two of them, Velkuriss and Kspress, special treatment and a unique assignment. This one seemed truly impossible - retrieve the heart of a dead emperor. Emperor Rile Sathir was long dead, but supposedly his heart still beat in his submerged body, buried by salt water and who knows what just outside the enemy city of Fironia Vie.

They had first had to traverse the Swamp of No Hope, in habited by the hated Frogloks. They had traveled safely for a while, but at one point they were nearly killed by suffocation, trying to hide from a large group of them. A strange Iksar ghost saved them, and they never discovered how or why.

Next they had entered the forested lands. In that strange place, and shortly after, they had had the opportunity to meet several individuals of the softskin races, including Gnomes, Halflings, Tier'Dal, and even one of mixed Human and Elf blood. The forest had presented its own deadly challenges, especially giants, but they had had help from some of these others, these softskins.

On the other side of that forest stood Fironia Vie. The great Elven city sat as if floating upon the water, but Kspress and Velkuriss had business below. Though they were 'assisted' by another Tier'Dal, another one they did not trust fully, they were able to recover their quest's goal: Rile Sathir's beating heart.

After that, Kspress was preoccupied with getting that so important living relic back to Cabilis, and now he remembers little of those trials. The most important part was at the end, when he and Velkuriss presented their gift to Overlord Velkin.

He is sure now, as he was then, that his own political naivete and general inexperience failed to warn him of the dangers. But now, he assume even that would not have mattered. They would have had to do the same thing, even knowing their fate. For what else could they have done? Run away? Negotiated, like some halfing child trying to get more sweets? No, there was little or nothing else. Their fate was sealed.

And now, here they are, in prison, in shackles, no less. Kspress still holds loyalty to his people, but not to his leaders. These latter are entrenched in politics and their power games, and do not do what is best for the Iksar empire. And that makes them, at the very least in Kspress' view, incompetent to maintain their posts, and, quite probably, traitors. In any case they need to be removed from power and replaced with better leaders. If such beings could be found.

Kspress is frustrated because he is unsure if that is possible.

And I reviewed Kspress - he's ready too.

You Rock!

Okay, Kspress is updated with that change.

Jump check: 1d20 + 43 ⇒ (14) + 43 = 57

Was his and Velkuriss' mission actually a failure (they lost the heart) or was it a success but due to politics publicly declared a failure? If the latter, that would make Kspress more resentful about his leaders (and he'd want to know which leaders did that to them). If they lost the heart on the way back, Kspress would probably think their imprisonment was somewhat warranted.

Question about multiple ranged attacks: Are the EQ rules for throwing javelins, for instance, the same as PF, I.e., you can throw two in one round as a full round attack if you have multiple attacks per round, but only if you have the quick draw feat? I looked through the PH but couldn't find anything. What about if you have the javelins in hand already?

Kspress is ready!

(He knows Velkuriss, though, right?)

Xenh, could you remind me of the house rules on training points? Inquiring iksars want to know...

Working on Kspress too, mainly equipment, and potential feats. I haven't forgotten about you all... :-)

Okay, having a kicking martial artist will be a nice change from a wimpy enchanter.

I still have Kspress here.

What adjustments in equipment, abilities, training points, levels should be made? I guess if we're prisoners, then I know what equipment we'll have....