I've got no knowledges, but would Lore:Fangwood apply here at all? I don't know if it's a local beasty.
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Somonti enters the room behind Moon and readies her spear to either attack or defend herself
Somonti is much less tactical than the others, she'll sort of meander around keeping her distance from Moon as she recognizes Moon is doing their thing but not worrying too much about specific footage or order of march. As far as her attention goes, she's more interested in the little things: bugs, marks on the walls, the ceilings etc, than listening for foes. How are we doing for time? Somonti has plenty of PP for now. In character: Somonti is a stroppy teenager, she's going to get pretty grumpy if she doesn't eat/rest. Meta: I need a one hour meditation before I can transform again. I'm more than happy to press on. just something to bear in mind. Are we leaving our scared friend behind? We could use that room as a bit of a base of operations, somewhere to rest and retreat to if needed.
With the sound of dry bones cracking under foot, Somonti's arms and hands return to their humanoid form. She scoops up the crossbow from where it fell and removes any bolts to make it safe.
With a crackling like fire in old wood, Somonti's face returns to its humanoid form. "OUCH! It's just some man with a crossbow, get in here and give me a hand"
Somonti rushes the man and attempts to take the crossbow from him as he tries to reload.
My understanding from this link is that fear from any source stacks and increases intensity. The exception being use of intimidate to demoralize, which explicitly can instil shaken but then further uses just lengthen the duration. So I was planning a general character tactic of kicking of with intimidate to start the shaken condition, then ramp it up with powers etc. If you're ruling otherwise I may need to rethink... :) I can spend extra power points yet, I can only use up to my manifester level (1).
Somonti feels drawn to the doorway, there is so much fear behind that door. She can almost smell it. "Eugh, some people just can't bhe hhhhelped" Her last words are slurred as her mouth transforms into some monsterous combination of canine and arachnid. Horizontal fangs clacking. Her hands twist and lengthen to match.
With a wet hiss she pushes her small form through the door ready to overpower whatever she might find.
As the door gives, Somonti tries a (slightly) more subtle approach "Listen here. If you're responsible for all these... Walking skeletons then you are right to hide with your crossbow. Me and my friends here have destroyed them all, and we'll do the same to you. Aeric can do terrible things when he is angry, Moon is quiet as a snake, you'll never hear her coming, Kazar doesn't need to fight you, he commands animals that fight for him, and Sumak will burn you to cinders with his mind." She paused to catch her breath "But if your just a scared villager, holed up away from the skeletons because your terrified, then lose the crossbow, talk to us. Otherwise I might accidently rip you limb from limb myself"
Having fulfilled her switch switching duties, Somonti slips through the door and moves left behind Moon and Kazzar.
Somonti keeps her post at the first switch, activating it when the time comes.
Somonti will move over to the first switch, 'just in case.' She is, after all, an inquisitive one. When Moon pulls the second switch...
If something useful happens:
Somonti leaves the first switch well alone. If nothing happens:
Somonti waits for 10 seconds to make sure there is no delayed effect, then pulls the first switch. If something bad happens: Somonti immediately pulls the first switch.
Somonti, still hanging around at the rear of the group, moves carefully around the opposite end of the room to Moon, listening an watching for anything that the lever may be doing.
Somonti follows behind the others feeling useless again, she'd never explored like this before. She keeps her eyes open, hoping she might be able to spot something the others missed, hoping to prove herself.
As the others move towards the dark passage; Somonti draws on her power, pushing her emotional reactions down and dulling them, She then takes a moment to regain her composure, and makes to follow the others.
Somonti is content to let others listen at doorways, she waits to hear. "Can you still hear that wailing? I say we find out what or who that is first."
"Wait, this is Kessen's tomb. We might be smashing Kessen's bones?" I only came on this quest to remind the town of me and my family, I don't want to go back and tell them we trashed their holy relics. "What if we just..." She picks up some of the longer bones from each pile of remains "I can't see them doing much harm without arms or legs. Just until we know more."
With moon checking the packs, Somonti bends to check the bones "These are old right? Really old. Does anyone know how these things... work?" Is there some **** wizard somewhere making this happen? Is that the moaning? Or have these skeletons always walked? Is this what the quest is? She briefly considers taking some of the bones, imagining the fear on peoples faces if she were wearing a necklace of human bones. But decides that she doesn't much fancy risking a curse. "How do we stop them coming back?"
Somonti continues to attack wildly getwith her makeshift spear, swinging and jabbing
Whether she manages to hit anything animated or not is anyone's guess.
The scraping sound of the bones around Somonti's feet drawing together seems to bite through the sound of the fight around her. She begins to lash out with her makeshift spear, swinging her weapon left and right over and over, trying to break whatever spell is binding them together.
Unfortunately, in her haste she has little impact.
Somonti is less subtle, kicking the piles of bones to scatter them across the floor. "We should check these bodies" She bends over the bodies...
"Let's get on with it then" Somonti's knuckles whiten as she adjusts her grip on her makeshift spear and slips into the crypt, trying to make sure she is not last in line.
Somonti is definitely getting a closer look
Holding her breath, trying to shake the remembered sound of screaming horses and the smell of burning, Somonti tries to help shift the carcasses.
"Somethings gone horribly wrong here though, right?! I mean, I've seen how people value their horses back in town, Trelvar slept in the stables when one of the mares got sick last Autumn. Stealing horse is one thig but just to kill? Wolves again... Why aren't they eaten then? I'm not scared of flies, and I don't like all these Mysteries" Doing her best to waft away the flies, Somonti approaches the carnage for a closer look.
Hope you feel better soon GM, look after yourself.
Somonti watches as Moon displays her dexterity and moves cautiously down the slope. Not to be outdone, Somonti makes her own way down, ignoring the rope entirely.
"This is Serpent Gorge, it as on the map we were given we must be close now. We only have a few days rations, I'd rather press on. It could be days before these slopes dry off at this time of year." Every competitive, Somonti moves dangerously close to the edge of the slope. "Did anyone bring a rope?"
You wanna join in Somonti? Should be good for your nerves Somonti delivers what she I intends to be her best "Grandad, this is so beneath me!" Look.
"I don't have nerves. I just don't want to touch that thing." Covering her reaction Somonti steps over to the body and pokes it with the blunt end of her 'spear.' It's the first dead body she can remember seeing and it doesn't horrify her nearly as much as she expected. Maybe I'm a monster after all...
@GM Would Lore(Fangwood) cover me for any of these Knowledge(local) checks?
Somonti takes a step back as Greywind makes his presence known. If you are extra vigilant or particularly interested, from a certain angle it looks as if Somonti steps behind Aeric. ***king Wolf!
"been in Crossfen" is it? Had some fun with us on your way back is my guess. Illusionary Orcs and kamikaze wolves... "Have you been in the woods long? Met any Orcs? Wolves maybe?" The look on Somonti's young face stops short of accusation, but only just. The dagger is beautiful, but she would never ask favours from these newcomers.
Its a long time before Somonti can get back to sleep, her sudden mutations fade just as fast but her skin remains sore and itches intensely. She spends some time staring into the fire. Wolves seem to dance in the flame, or maybe they writhe in pain. Imaginary orcs and indomitable wolves. Today just keeps getting worse. Eventually sleep takes her. Somonti rises early thee next morning, all trace of her transformation the night before have reformed. She is every bit the troubled teen once more. Her hands shake, almost uncontrollably. If Aeric hadn't been with us... none of us are strong enough... She moves to the edge of the woods and looks for something to boost their morning rations.
Her finds are meagre, a few local berries, she returns to the others. Eventually she plucks up the courage and steps over to Aeric, offering him her finds. "Is that how you fought the demons? Could you... Look I know how to fight. I can take care of myself! But it would be cool to learn different things... would... would you show me?" she gestures over to where her makeshift spear leans against a fallen log "Or not, you know, whatever. I can take care of myself."
Somonti will continue being theatrically inept Looking forward to you joining us in game
Welcome, welcomes
I'd rather eat wood Somonti casts aside the carcass she has been inspecting in disgust. "I won't eat them."
Seeing Mizuchi minister to Jobu's wounds, Somonti turns her attention to the fresh corpses. With one wolf-like paw she reaches out and lifts one of the dead wolves' lolling head, inspecting it with arachnoid eyes. "why did thhhhhey come back-k-k?" Her words re still tisted by her warped jaws
Somonti moves in a circuitous route, eyes never leaving the the lone remaining wolf, before launching herself at its hind flank, her new claws rake out...
Her assault is accompanied by an horrific scream
Only one strike finds purchase, a hooked arachnid claw tearing a ribbon of skin from the animal. The wolf is clearly spooked.
If we clear up the wolves before Somonti gets to go feral she is going to be rather embarrassed to say the least!
If things were less serious it would almost be comical. Somonti surges to her feet just moments after Sumak and Seffie lose theirs. There is a brief smell of burning wood, as if caught on the wind, and Somonti's shape shifts. Her hands and lower arms become claws that defy description, wolf like and yet also arachnid. If anyone was willing to look closer they would see patches of what looks like scorched wood between fur and chitin. More horrific still is the bestial maw that has replaced the bottom half of her face. Spider like mandibles clack and click against long canines. Growling and hissing Somonti moves up behind the wolf that is attacking Seffie, crouching in preparation to attack. "Miz-z-zuki c-c-can you sheee to Shumak-k-k-k"
That's a shame, hopefully they're back soon. Your plan sounds good to me. If it's ok with you, Mizuchi, Somonti will take last watch with Sumak. She's an early riser anyway.
Aeric's words wake Somonti with a start she sits up suddenly, eyes wide. "Wha? Who? What's happening?"
It seems forever ago that she had slunk out of her window, but it had only been a day. Somonti is not used to trekking, between that and feeling like she nearly died it had been a long day. Her legs ache, her back aches, her whole body aches. She barely hears Aeric's words as she sets out her own bedroll to one side, her meal still warm in her mouth. "Watches sound good. Wake me." She slips off to sleep to the sound of wolves howling. It gave her dark dreams indeed. Dark but not unfamiliar.
I'm here, sorry!
Still here, just waiting to hear from others. Somonti wants to try and get to the bottom of the illusionary orcs. But I, as a player, feel that moving on with the quest may be more prudent.
Somonti is clearly a little exasperated "You're welcome." maybe next time you'll listen. "Someone is out there messing with us, we need to find them." She clambers on to the log and looks around for any sign of the illusionist or on which side of the path they may be/have been.
"Look at me?! I'm fine. Someones just toying with your minds, snap out of it. Look." Somonti steps forward and swings her spear at the nearest Orc, not violently, but as if to waft it away. "There's nothing there"
The blow is like nothing Somonti has felt in a long time, it brings flashes of memory; lightening, Burning timber. The pain almost brings her to her knees and she staggers back desperately holding herself together.
But, though she feels weak to the point of collapse, the pain fades quickly and she realises her armour and over-jacket are unmarred. Now she looks at the Orcs she sees that they are not Orcs at all. "They're not real!" she gasps through teeth gritted with fury "it's just some kind of horrible trick!" Looking into the forest she screams GM:
Ouch! I think that will probably make Somonti more reserved than Aeric's words ever could!
I was going to ask if you wanted to go into initiative. I kinda like the way things turned out. As soon as initiative is rolled you know fists are going to fly, but letting us react first (with combat actions or otherwise) allows for misunderstandings and the possibility of eviscerating helpful NPC's, love that! (Ps. Initiative or not, Somonti's action would have been the same. Sorry Aeric :p )
It all happens so fast. First they are ambushed and in a blink Aeric is bellowing and braced to fight. Maybe he's scared, scared that something will happen to us. Maybe he was sent with us because the town didn't think we we good enough. She steps forward, her makeshift spear in hand but lowered, she steps between Aeric and the unknown newcomers. "Who are you and what do you want? If you are here to rob us you'll find poor pickings. If you're looking for a fight then you best look elsewhere. We are just passing through."
Where do you want us to record the block GM? GM's Block:
Somonti AC:14(FF:13/T:11) CMD:14 HP:12/12 Saves-FO:+0 RE:+3 WI:+2 M Elan Dread(Fear in Flesh) PP: 5/5 Ren Faire always sounds so good not much anything like that around here (UK) I'd be all over it if there were!
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