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Letting everyone know my boss is in town this week (surprise, surprise!) and it looks like I'll be working some pretty long days all week. I'll try to get posts in when I can, but will be tough. I apologize for the short notice I also suffered from. Please bot me in combat.
"Specifically grabbing us? Okay, now I'm creeped out even more." Oktavia makes herself into a small ball in the chair she's in, hugging her legs tight. "So where do we go to find out more about it? Do we even know who those people were? I'm afraid we start asking around now about some guy with golden skin will quickly lead the Dottari to us. I guess we could try looking in a library, but I don't know the first thing about this."
Oktavia keeps her head down as they approach Belinda's father's friend's townhouse. She's pretty sure she recognizes the one next door, and not in a favorable way. She gives Belinda a rushed thank you, finding a seat inside. When Geoffrey begins to speak, she considers his words. "As long as whatever it is we turned into doesn't consume us, you mean. I kept feeling like I was slipping away, especially as I began to hug the shadows. It felt strange, powerful yes, but still strange. Besides, why should we do that? What do we get out of it?"
"Well, if we want to stick together, I know of a couple warehouses we could probably hide out in for a while. It's always a risk, never know when an abandoned warehouse isn't so abandoned. But it's another option."
Yea, sorry about that lack of posting. This holiday season has been just one crisis after another. Thank god it's a new year. First resolution, no crisis's!! Hopefully I'll go at least a week.
Oktavia awakens from the light slumber, hardly feeling rested. She only nods as Geoffrey offers thanks. After he moves, in response, "We should get out of here. No sense getting him involved with us more than he already has. I was thinking about it last night. It'll be harder to find us if we split up. We can use today to learn more about who that guy was, what's happened to us. Then we can meet up this afternoon somewhere. Thoughts?"
Oktavia thanks Ebbert while curling up in in a corner. "Thank you."
As York and Belinda return to normal, Oktavia follows suit. Willing the shadows away at first doesn't seem to work, not until she begins to feel herself come more together, more solid. As the shadows disperse and her own feet rest upon the ground, she suddenly feels much heavier, much more...there. Leaning against the wall, she nods to York. "I have to agree with that. How you feeling Geoffrey?"
"York, did you have an idea on how to get inside? Otherwise I could try picking the lock, but I'd expect we'd be heard. Or bribing whoever hears us to let us in."
"They think we're monsters." Who can blame them, she thinks to herself. "If we stay here, they could get more guards and spread out looking for us. Best to put some distance between us if we're to avoid them. Running across the bridge defeats the purpose of that if they should see us, so swimming is a good plan. They may not expect that for several hours. Hopefully by then they'll be less likely to seek us out. We should have hidden the bodies of those creatures from earlier, that could give them the direction we were running." Oktavia speaks like someone who has had several opportunities to practice escaping the guards pursuit before.
"I should mention I'm not a strong swimmer. Though I do feel stronger in this form. They way I tore into that creature earlier..." She lets her words dangle for a moment, afraid of what she had done in her defense. "No, let's try swimming. I think I can make it."
"Agreed, let's keep moving." Oktavia continues to follow, natural instincts to keep close to the shadows.
Just a point on the Power Attack: While fused with his eidolon, the synthesist uses the eidolon’s physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution), but retains his own mental ability scores (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma). The synthesist gains the eidolon’s hit points as temporary hit points. When these hit points reach 0, the eidolon is killed and sent back to its home plane. The synthesist uses the eidolon’s base attack bonus, and gains the eidolon’s armor and natural armor bonuses and modifiers to ability scores. The synthesist also gains access to the eidolon’s special abilities and the eidolon’s evolutions. The synthesist is still limited to the eidolon’s maximum number of natural attacks. The eidolon has no skills or feats of its own. The eidolon must be at least the same size as the synthesist. The eidolon must have limbs for the synthesist to cast spells with somatic components. The eidolon’s temporary hit points can be restored with the rejuvenate eidolon spell. The BAB at level 1 for a fused Eidolon is +1. So this is one I'm not sure about either, but it seems a Synthesist could pick up Power Attack at level 1 and benefit from it, but only while fused. Just something I thought was interesting.
Stats:
THP 5/5 HP 8/8 AC AC 17 T11 FF16 CMD17) F/R/W 0/1/4 (1/1/4) Spells 1st - 1/2 Effects Mage Armor Oktavia's form shifts to the side, bearing a flank with Geoffrey against the creature. She lashes out with the shadows again, not quite sure she knows how she's doing it, letting some other feeling take control. One claw scores a hit on the shadow, but she recoils from the strike, a panic taking her for a moment.
Stats:
THP 5/5 HP 8/8 AC AC 17 T11 FF16 CMD17) F/R/W 0/1/4 (1/1/4) Spells 1st - 1/2 Effects Mage Armor Oktavia sharpens the edges of the shadow, unconsciously knowing how to do so, and goes on the offensive, striking out towards the garm. The first claw misses due to the shadowy nature of the night, while the second fails to connect.
Round 2
Stats:
THP 5/5 HP 8/8 AC AC 19 T13 FF18 CMD19) F/R/W 0/1/4 (1/1/4) Spells 1st - 1/2 Effects Mage Armor Fighting Defensively Oktavia moves up near the first creature, lashing out with a claw. The attack is more a feint than a strike, seeming to make herself a target even as she watches the other from the corner of her eye.
Stats:
THP 5/5 HP 8/8 AC AC 17 T11 FF16 CMD17) F/R/W 0/1/4 (1/1/4) Spells 1st - 1/2 Effects Mage Armor Seemingly the same thought springs upon Oktavia as she herself hardens her shadowy exterior to help ward off blows from this creature.
Oktavia looks down both streets, heading down whichever direction seems to have the least light. The silvery mark on her foreahead giving the semblance of narrowed eyes as she moves down, listening to the sounds of movement. She tries to blend into the shadows as she moves forward.
"I know of it too. We'll meet there if separated. Come this way....whoever you are." Oktavia grabs Belinda's fur covered arm and tries to pull her towards the doorway.
Everything is happening too fast. The Dottari are battling against three look a likes? She wants to sit down and talk about what's going on, with Geoffrey and the others. But survival keeps her moving. "I know the city well, lived here all my life. Stick together sounds good right now. You got a place in mind?" Even as she speaks, she quickly darts towards the door, more gliding than moving as a shadowy form, attempting to look outside.
Hearing her name, she turns and see's where Geoffrey once stood, now stood a...a something of metal. "Geoffrey, what did he do to us?" The same not quite present voice came out again as she pulled herself up by the bench she had laid on, a wispy clawed hand of shadow doing the grasping. Her confusion at what's happened is replaced by survival instinct as she hears the words and sounds from upstairs. "Oh gods, the Dottari! If they find us like....this, then we're dead. The Rack will see us in their care and kill us. We need to get out of here." Oktavia begins looking for any exits from this room, not so much walking as gliding.
/facedesk. Don't look at my stats quite yet. I need to redo them. Somehow I missed Gestalt and instead leveled to level 2 as an Expert 1 / Synthesist Summoner 1. I'll fix it when I get home tonight. I'll move everything to one alias when I do as well.
Oktavia struggles as best she's able against the bonds of the machine, watching as the glowing blood flows into her. She tries to scream around the tubing, but gags as the pain takes her. Suddenly, the room begins to come into contrast. No, not the room, but the shadows within the room! Every corner, every nook and cranny seems to come into focus to her. They call, the places that the light refuses to touch. She goes to them, to each corner of the room, to every spot of darkness within, a comfort from the pain as she feels herself begin to slip away... No "What's happening?!" She thinks to herself. She looks down at her hands, her body, her legs. "My body! I can't find it? Where is it!?" Panic beginning to take her she looks, and from the shadows she sees the machine. The other three are there too, experiencing their own changes. But she can't see where she is, the back to her. She tries to go where she lays, focusing her mind. She imagines her body on the wooden slab, hands and feet bound, tube in her throat. She doesn't move but her perception does. She sees where she should lay, but a shadow hangs over it, lacking form, tendrils of shadow seeping away. I won't die, not like this Oktavia looks into the shadow, the shapeless form where her body once was bound. A silver mark, almost like two eyes, burns from the top of it glowing. She focuses on that mark, the eyes of the image. From there she gives it form, a head, a neck, a body, two arms coming to the sides and two legs down below. She uses the rack not as a means of keeping her imprisoned but a template for her own form. And then she moves her mind back into it. The restraints As Oktavia desperately struggles to keep her body together, she looks to where her left arm is bound. She slips the shadowy limb out from the binding and brings it in front of her. She can almost see an arm within the mass. But the fingers, no claws. She makes short work of the binding on her right arm then her feet. As she falls to the floor, she feels the tube slip out, a welcome relief. The impact she makes as she comes to rest on the ground tells her she's still there, still alive, something more yet something less at the same time. Her shape still writhes at the edges, but now she at least seems to be human in shape. Coughing up some of the remnants in her system, she looks to the others, "What's happened to us?" Wait, that voice was not her own. It seemed to carry differently, as though a whispered sound yet loud enough to be heard. She takes a moment to concentrate, trying to figure out what she's become. Not so secret stuff: Link to Fused Character To help me along, I made a separate alias for the fused form. I didn't post with it in case you'd rather I use the same alias regardless, I just thought this would help. Let me know! Mechanically I went with Biped Eidolon. I chose Skilled (Stealth) and Shadow Blend as my evolutions for now. I plan to pick up Shadow From as soon as I can. As far as the spells, I tried to be thematic about it. I'm leery of taking Unseen Servant as a spontaneous caster, but the thought of an unseen servant where there is a shadow of it but nothing to be seen sounded awesome to me.
Turning to focus on the others imprisoned with her, her eyes widen hearing her muffled name. "Wait, is that...?" She mumbles around the tube again. "Sgduvjrid? Dpsk ckb do spod." Perception DC15:
"Geoffrey? I've got no idea."
Oktavia suddenly awakens to a darkened room. Her first thought was that she had been caught by the Dottari, then realizing her bonds possibly a slaver. The tube going down her throat makes her even question that response. She attempts to stay quiet in the darkness, hoping to maybe gain some advantage, until lights shine causing her to try to look away so they can adjust, but to little effect with the straps. She looks around the room now, taking in the surroundings as best able. A new fear grips her. What was going on, some kind of experiment? What was being done to her? A magic ritual of some form? She visibly tries to escape out of the bonds at this point, her small form not quiet nimble enough to escape. Unable to escape she instead settles on staring at the man, their apparent captor. Her red hair comes down around her head, shoulder length and in need of a wash. Green eyes stare ahead, set in a face that could be described as lovely if not caked with dirt. A mask sits around her neck and a hide shirt can be seen underneath her simple shirt. Pants and soft shoes complete her outfit. After a moment, she attempts to speak around the tubing, "Mgmd dgsd dsgji sigid dfisog?*" * Perception DC 15:
"What's going on? Who are you?" Dice:
Oktavia runs through the streets trying to get back to the abandoned warehouse she was staying in. It had been almost a week since she ran away from home. It wasn't the first time she had ran away, though it was the longest. She didn't want to face her father's anger at her actions. Instead she reflected upon earlier. Her target this time wasn't so much a merchant as a dealer in properties. He had his eye on an orphanage that was behind on taxes, and he was working to pay them off to seize the property. She happened to overhear him talking to a government official nearby the property one day. His actions weren't malicious, purely professional, somehow making it worse to Oktavia. She had been planning this one for almost a month. When he wasn't home, he had a servant that would care for the manor. Oktavia was going to give up hitting his house until she learned he was going to be out of town for a week. Tonight was the day after his leaving. Sneaking in was relatively easy, the servant wasn't the most astute, and Oktavia snuck the key out of her pocket when she left earlier in the day. Heading back in, she took her time searching for anything of value, anything he would be upset about missing. Finally, she found something. In a locked drawer in his desk was a stack of papers, contracts, agreements, notes. This was it! She wasn't sure what to make of the documents, but she thought she might find someone who would. Stuffing them into a satchel, she thought about what to do next when she heard a door open downstairs. A panicked thought crossed her mind, her eyes taking in the room. Running to the window, she attempted to open it quickly only to find it was sealed shut. Her panick rising, she heard footsteps coming up the stairs. She quickly darted under the desk as the door started opening. The heavy footfalls gave her the impression of a man, probably much larger than her in size. This was proven right as his legs came into view from her hiding spot. He began to tap about the walls, objects shuffled. Another thief? The thought was unsuprising to her. Another voice called up the stairs. An accomplice of his? The two spent a great deal of time searching the house. Time that was running out for Oktavia. Not sure what the hour was, and the two seeming to plan sleeping here tonight, she began to sneak out from her spot. Creeping into the hallway and down the stairs, she quietly went down listening to them move about. Slowly, quietly, creeping one at a time until she's almost at the bottom. CREAAAAK! The betrayal of the bottom step alerted the two to her presence. Instincts taking control she darted for the front door. The two charged into the room, one tripping up as the other tried to grab at her as she ran outside. All he managed was to grab the satchel, tearing it from her as she darted into the street. He gave up pursuit, more interested in the contents of her stolen bag than chasing down a fellow thief. A few blocks away she paused to get her bearings. Looking up at the sky, she quickly realized the trouble she was in. The hour was much later than she thought, and she still had a good ways to go back to the warehouse. Which brings her back to the now, running before night falls on the city and the shadowbeasts come out.
@Oktavia: Sure, I would be happy for us to be friends; perhaps they first met when Geoffrey was looking for details about his mother? Sounds good to me! @Oktavia: sounds just fine. York is always on the lookout for those in need if protection from The Man. And, having a favor owed is exactly the kind of hint he'd go for. Also sounds good!
Sure thing! Linked post for initial gold roll Roll 60gp
Rogue's kit - Free
EXPENSES: 221gp STARTING - EXPENSES: 360-221 TOTAL: 139gp If you'd prefer Child of Infamy didn't provide the gold bonus, I can easily drop stuff down to account for that. Just let me know! Revised equipment if preferred: Roll 60gp STARTING: 60gp Rogue's kit - Free
EXPENSES: 23gp STARTING - EXPENSES: 60-23 TOTAL: 37gp
Looking through character backgrounds, trying to work on ties as requested. Here's a few propositions for people to consider, and always open to suggestions! Geoffrey Whittaker - I see several possible connections here, you being the son of an Opera singer and me an Actress. As Oktavia's events with her mother were fairly public, I see no reason Geoffrey might not have heard of her. I could see a potential meeting at the theatre, either simply meeting each other once, or possibly being friends. York - Not seeing anything too major. Possibly just having met on the street. One idea I did have that I kinda liked, and not sure how well this would fit in your character. Possibly Oktavia nearly getting caught, being chased by a guard, and you just happen to trip him up letting her get away. Just a thought. Actually York, just had a thought. Perhaps you're the one who taught Oktavia how to steal? Belinda - Not sure. One thought I had was possibly a passing meeting with one of Oktavia's older half-siblings. Any ideas on your end? David Grayson - I see a couple different possibilities here. Oktavia's father being a hired guard could have had past dealings with you and Reynolds, turning criminals over and whatnot. Just a thought. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Also I gotta say, I feel left out, being the only one who didn't take conspiracy hunter. We have a regular secret society here almost.
Thank you for this opportunity, DM Jelani! Tonight I'll go through everyone else's characters to see what links I can find. If anyone has any good suggestions, please let me know! |