The Mummy's Bride's page

I'm sorry, I need a break for a couple days. I realize that my character's been given a major role to play in the events right now, but I will trust you all to carry this on without me and bot me as needed.

The pacing of this is really confusing, I originally thought the combat had stopped earlier when I said Helen sought out Mat--that action was meant to take place once she was sure the ants could be ushered out of the town safely. So if it's okay, I'd like to post this as her addressing Hathaway before we get to the scene with Mat

Helen is used to Hyde raging out and not even being capable of listening to reason, but is surprised at Hathaway's continued effort to attack the ants. She can't force her teammates to do as she asks of course, but all are well aware that her own sacred duties involve making sure people don't disrupt the natural cycle of life and death. She'd have to stop her own teammates if they do the same (allowances being made for the likes of Jonathan understanding he's serving his own purpose).

To be clear, I REALLY don't want to engage in PVP--really not into that at all--but I'm not quite sure what to do if the other PCs keep attacking the ants

"Lord Hathaway, I beg you, please stop! Or you defile your new relationship with Thunderbird ... these ants are shepherding souls of the Diné people, we just need to make sure the ants don't stomp on people as they travel to the point of transition!"

Along the way, Helen more fully explains to the team the situation with the ants. Not going to repeat everything in ST's posts but want to ensure all IC understand what's happening.

She then explains she's going to look for someone she thinks may be able to perform the songs so the souls of the dead can be ushered into the afterlife and looks for Mat (returning to her human form).

Round 3 action; this might be premature but wanted to post while I had a chance

Once the ants get moving, Helen first asks her team, "There's a park up ahead on the way. Please grab some dry cedar branches off the ground. From the skinny feathery evergreens."

She then confers with Amunet. "We need to find a Diné" (i.e., Navajo) "singer... a spiritual leader. Yes, you may be a priestess, but I am of the same ethnic group who conquered the native peoples here. I feel it would offend the gods and the mortals here to presume I could provide the right funerary songs. Pray with me to Isis that we might identify someone in this town who can do the work..."

Using my Variable power to create an Awareness effect to identify someone with a local spiritual connection.

The eyes behind the mummy's mask widen in horror. "Oh. Oh no, oh Gods what have we done?" She utters in a whisper, and then more intentionally louder into her commlink I think we have a commlink?: "Stop! Stop killing them! They're carrying souls! Souls of the dead! Trying to bring them to rest! We must... We must try to shepherd them... Away from the people, toward the desert there."

She gestures in the direction of the desert, then flies in that same direction. Landing before an ant, she tries to commandeer it, send a signal to the other ants to follow. DC 20 Will

Helen figures Hyde can handle the one unfortunate ant trying to take her on. The birds disperse as she raises her hands, a pair of wings appearing on her back as she flies upwards to survey the scene from on high. While she will go and help with any additional combatants as needed, she also wants to see if she can see a pattern in where the ants are headed, why they are attacking here and now. Having chased a few ants out of her kitchen over the decades, she knows generally they leave a trail for others to follow once they find their target. So is there signs of a trail they are following? Or otherwise what is drawing the there or what are they drawn to?

Investigation, Well-Informed: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (18) + 15 = 33

Speaking of starting "in media res," the latest Order of the Stick comic has a joke about it.

Hope all went well WhtKnt

Over to you guys on how you want to be picked up.

At this point we're already here, if I understand GMST's post correctly. So I was just handwaving that you sent air transport and we've already arrived.

Are there people here? Usually even these semi-abandoned towns have some locals who refuse to leave (or can't); recent immigrants may have also tried to settle based on what you said. Is there a particular area where they may be sheltering? Also where are we? New Mexico? Arizona?

"Lord Hathaway, have you any idea what's caused this?" The Bride asks, voice echoing through her mask, distracted at the thought of what magic might be leading to this formicidal enlargement.

Meanwhile, she raises her arm, the other hand on her ankh necklace, and calls upon more normal sized aid but in large quantity--a swarm of shrikes to harry the ants, to keep them distracted and moving away from where people may be hiding.

Pick an appropriate ant, either one close to civvies or one that a colleague could take advantage of their incapacitation; Dodge DC 20, Vulnerable, Stunned, Incapacitated

Cool post, Phantom, but btw this is the discussion thread.

Btw identifying people by tribe rather than as "native" is generally considered more respectful when possible.

Helen is updated. I assume we'll start the next "Film" with a shiny new hero point?

Haven't updated character sheet yet, but I've figured out my Xp expenditures. Will add Expertise History, Boost her mummy's strength, add the animal control spell, and boost her Dodge a little. It's still hilariously low but improved at least.

What should any of us know as common knowledge, for starters?

If it's not meant to be any great mystery, cool. I think part of what I was thinking is it would be cool to interact a little with our "superiors."

Cheers ST! Will work on the update

Not quite sure what to do with my points. 1 might just go into Expertise: History, could make sense for her. Or Archeology, since she's the daughter of an archeologist.

I think I had been thinking prior about a "control animals" ability that I could add to her array, but I'm not sure how to build it.

Henrietta watches the jungle fade away beneath them as the Osprey lifts off. Her eyes are wistful, thoughtful. "It's remarkable how much we have learned, but how little we know..." she says absently.

Helen nods sadly, musing on Wells and wondering what to do with her. "And that thirst for knowledge drives so much darkness..."

On board the Eleanor Roosevelt, she relaxes with a cup of tea until Hathaway signals that it is time to go. She offers him a hug, rather than a handshake. To the others, she says, "Isn't this the part where someone says, 'We make a pretty good team'?"

She nods, with Henrietta and with Sekhmet who obliges. "We do. We always do."

Post credits

Helen has returned to her office at Cambridge, sitting in the archetypal ancient professors' office, stacked high with books and strange Egyptian and other artifacts on walls and piled in corners.

She is writing a letter by hand, the old fashioned way:

"... I fear you may take what I have to say as empty platitudes. I have no doubt my words back in Brazil irritated you, and understand why. But I want to assure you we are all connected. It is something you must come to know even if you cannot feel it. All our souls journey toward the same river. From many to one. The entity which possessed us, I am certain, wanted to freeze that river, not allow us to continue our journey. That is why we did what we did. And why I tried to save you. If we believed otherwise, trust one of us likely would have eaten you, or splattered your brains on the floor."

She frowns. "Perhaps that's not the best wording."

Helen sets the letter aside, and pulls out a blank sheet of paper. She begins to write, but it is not a new letter to Wells. Rather, from her pen hieroglyphs form on the page. Is it a letter? Or a spell? Perhaps we'll find out. But not today.

I liked the god themes and digging into some mythology, which of course suits my character well.

I'd also just be down for a simple scrap with some monsters, and/or deal with some other classic horrors like the Blob or weird alien invaders, etc. I'd also like to learn more about the regiment--who are we working for?

I enjoyed the world travel aspect of this and it would be cool to do more, including stopping off at the university where Helen teaches, etc.

I wouldn't consider recruitment until we hear back for sure from the other two players.

I absolutely agree with setting and reinforcing posting expectations. Folks should always feel free to announce if they need a break but otherwise they should be planning to post however the frequency is set (1/day, 1/every 3 days, 1/week, whatever it is).

"We are in a temple in the rainforest, where you were slowly being transformed into a demented goddess's compost heap."

She looks at her own dried hands. "I... Actually, I sometimes DO forget what it is like to be small and mortal. And when I forget, that is when I am truly a monster." She fixes her gaze on Dr Wells. "You are a brilliant woman. Capable of changing the world for the better. And all that was about to be lost. I hope in time you can forgive us for trying to prevent that."

I would, just once, in a climactic scene, like to roll over a 10. Just once.

As for continuation. It's a cool concept of a game. At the same time the pacing's been choppy and participation waxes and wanes... but it's PBP, it's what happens. If everyone is on board for continuing I will certainly be here. If you want to wrap things up with a nice denouement and call it done, I'm also good with that.

Helen merely continues rubbing the woman's back. "There is nothing worth understanding that the lowly human heart cannot grasp." She smiles at her kindly.

"You know, I don't think I knew that until I was forced to tear my own heart out of my body. Do you really want to torture yourself so?"

Persuasion: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

Just trying to lower her hostility. Not sure that's high enough but I guess it's an opposed roll?

Hi all, back and should be able to post more regularly.

As Wells bends over and retches, Helen transforms back to her human guise, although with the light of Isis still filling her, she looks more... hydrated than usual, with kohl painted around her eyes, which gleam a bright green. She gently places her arm behind her, rubbing her back to encourage the lungs to clear themselves. "That's it. Keep coughing. I know it hurts."

Despite her kindness, Helen watches her carefully. For all she knows, Wells may resent their intervention. But it is her duty to drive out the darkness regardless.

I'm not able to post properly at the moment, but Helen will attend to Cassandra.

"We need to separate her from Cassandra," Helen observes. "I suggest we deal with that first, before dealing with the spirit of the Mother. Lady Sekhmet, if we join your healing power with that of Isis's, perhaps we can drive her apart from the Mother, much as I was able to do before... but on a more divine scale."

Suggesting a team/aid another. I can make a healing check and you add to it.

Healing: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23

I may be delayed over the next couple days and may also be traveling next week. Please bot me if needed. Sorry, I know we're in the midst of a lot happening, but there's a lot happening IRL!

The Mummy's Bride, now Priestess resplendent, collapses into sand. The cloud of sand pulls away from the viny restraints, and flows toward the Mother of Monsters.

The problem with her swarm ability is it depends on having available animals in the area and all the available animals in the area, I assume, are infected. But I've got some other ideas with some stunts, perhaps. Next turn.

Dodge: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

Could I just turn into sand to get out of it? It would still take my action for the round

ST you have to roll poorly for the NPCs for it to count. ;)

The Mummy Priestess speaks in two voices at once. "You ask for obeisance. To leave the cycle. To become your own cycle. You insist upon destroying loneliness. But in the fever you mistake for unity, all you do is create the ultimate loneliness. We are part of the community of the world. You have nothing of value to offer. Join the cycle... Or be returned to it."

She incants a spell, adding her healing energies to Harker's attack. It is a spell to drive away disease, in other words to bolster the weakening effect on the virus.

Aid Another: 1d10 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19

Hathaway that was awesome. Can't post right now but will jump in when I can.

The mural within is fascinating enough that Helen finds the strength to offer a commentary:

"Interesting. It is like the Greek myth of Typhon, but with a pestilent river rather than a lava monster. The Gods of Olympus fought the monster, failed, and fled to Egypt, turning themselves into animals to hide from Typhon. Hence, to the Greeks, why the Egyptian gods have animal heads." Amunet adds a derisive snort to the commentary, but Helen continues, "But there they rallied, and chased the monster into the Mediterranean, where they sealed him beneath Mount Etna. The mountain erupting was Typhon's barely contained rage."

Her eyes cross the images. "Here we have a 'false mountain,' the ziggurat. And it happened here, not in Africa. But I wonder, is it the same story? A parallel? Typhon was mate to Echidna. Another Mother of Monsters. Or perhaps this same one? Did they do the same to her as they did to Typhon?"

She rubs her chin. "Who started it, I wonder? Typhon went on a rampage and tried to overtake the heavens. The story goes that it was defensive. But with the Mother of Monsters... look, pestilence is, in moderation, a balancing force of life... Isis herself can bring on a pestilence. But if pestilence were to overtake the world, it would destroy itself. Pestilence depends on live thriving to continue. Otherwise it consumes everything and then starves to death. Did she attack or were they trying to subdue her? Can a balance be attained?"

Is everyone in the ziggurat now?

Later, Helen/Amunet gaze at the Yacaruna blocking their way.

"I suppose we must enter some tiresome fracas? Perhaps you respect a high priestess enough to explain: what is this battle?" She waves at the mural. "What did this mother do to earn the ire of even other mother and father gods?"

Hey, SuperT, this may be of interest ... ;)

I am still sorting through some ... stuff. One disaster happened and then several more smaller but still concerning ones. I will be okay but I just do not have the wherewithal to post yet. Keep moving without me and I'll post IC as soon as I can.

Some personal shit has hit the fan and I need to take a break for a couple days. Please bot me if needed. Just delving into the temple and killin' snakes.

As they move through the temple, the Mummy's Bride will continue to draw the snakes away from Hathaway's force field.

The Mummy's Bride nods at Hathaway. "Let us go then. I'll draw the snakes to me, they cannot harm me."

So action for both of us I think is to move forward in the bubble, and any one that gets past, she'll try to keep away from Hathaway. She'll just let them bite her and then throw them off. If they don't have penetrating 10, she should just shrug off the bites, and she's immune to poison

I was waiting for a reply from Hathaway but if we doesn't respond soon I'll go ahead and take an action.

The Mummy's Bride looks at the Phantom. "Bearer of Thoth's gifts, how shall we approach?" They've known each other long enough Lord Hathaway has likely chatted with Amunet and knows her quirks. Likely if they either get where they're going or dispatch enough enemies, she'll relinquish control back to Helen.

Hathaway, did you ask Sekhmet's player if they're okay with their character being picked up? They may have other plans.

Toughness save vs water DC 25: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20

Strength Check: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

The water tears at the mummy's wraps, and with it chunks of her dessicated flesh. To her, nothing: the flesh already begins to grow back. But defiant, the high priestess stands her ground. "Pah! You think a holy servant of the Nile can be brought down by flood waters? But you are not just a liar, but a distraction." She points in the direction of the pyramid. "Sally forth, oh great goddess and ye servants of the underworld." (She means everyone else in the group.) "Our true goal lies beyond."

The Mummy's Bride spreads her arms and chants in an ancient Egyptian dialect, and from her back grows glimmering phantom wings. She lifts off and flies over the lagoon toward the pyramid. She moves her full flight speed, up to a half mile in 1 round, toward the pyramid. I don't think it's a full half mile away but that's as far as she can move. Again, figuring it's a complication that's been activated, Amunet is not necessarily going to be as good as being a team player. GM let me know how long you think the possession should last.

Since I activated this as a complication, it seems appropriate to complicate things.

The Mummy's Bride inhales, ranting in the accented voice that is not Helen's. "I AM a servant of the Mother--the True Mother Isis! Kneel before her high priestess or suffer the rejection of the Sacred River's waters for the rest of your short life!" She marches toward the Gillman, somehow staring with indignance in spite of the expressionless mask covering her face.

"Let me see if we can rely on the good mother goddess of this realm to lead us to the bad..."

Helen produces from somewhere within her bandages the little goddess doll she'd received at the night market. She rearranges some of the ornaments on the fetish and plucks some of the vegetation from the jungle, placing it in the little goddess's hands as she intones an incantation. She finishes by tracing hieroglyphs onto the dress it wears.

Magical Expertise: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31

Spending a hero point to jury rig a quick artifact. I should have declared intended effect first, but I'm basically trying to make a plot compass. Something that will lead us toward Dr. Wells and the mother of monsters. Kind of a low-rank remote sensing effect, limited to detecting the source of the virus? Or rather, a linked Remote Sensing 1, Senses: Awareness effect where I'm looking for the descriptor "mother of monsters" or something along those lines.

And oh shit, I don't have a hero point to spend. I'm trying to do this to give us a foot forward. If I have Helen possessed by Amunet at this point--which is a complication--can I earn the hero point to spend on the jury rigging?

Hathaway, I think there may be something wrong in your attack, unless I am mising something. +20 to attack with a DC25 effect seems rather too good to be true

[Fortitude Save]
Sigh.

BTW GM asked for a Toughness save, not a Fortitude save, which are two different things. Make sure you added the right modifier. Your sheet's not on your profile, so I'm not sure if you used the wrong word or rolled the wrong stat.

Helen sighs, raises her arms, and sand from nowhere swirls around her as she assumes the Form of the Mummy. She moves toward the jaguars, kicking dirt into their faces, trying to goad them into attacking her. "Come on, little pussies, you want a bite?"

Aid Another to another party member's attack by distracting them and making them focus on her: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

That's an unarmed attack roll but if there's a different roll I should use go ahead and substitute

Waiting for Hathaway (whose telekinesis might be useful) and Hyde to post before I take any other actions.

"Let's see if the uninfected will heed the call of the True Mother to restrain them."

Helen lifts her arms and calls upon Isis to bring a flock of birds to surround and limit the movements of the lead jaguar.

DC 20 Affliction check or be vulnerable/stunned/incapacitated

This spell is limited to working if appropriate creatures would be in the area. In a normal jungle it should be easy to summon a huge swarm of birds but if none answer, that gives information about the power of our enemy...

Helen eyes the creatures carefully. "The jaguars are afflicted with the virus, no doubt. Sekhmet, how do you feel if we have to put them out of their misery? Or shall we try another way?"

The Mummy's Bride wrote:

Is Harker still controlling Quan?

I don't know. It depends if all the healing cured her of his vampire mind control. Up to ST

What I was wondering was, since he was controlling her as a monster, did he willingly release her now that we've cured her? Or are your subjects permanently controlled?

"You also would have attacked us were it not for our own group's hypnosis abilities. Now that you are freed, that is no longer necessary." She gives Harker a look, which the two have worked together long enough he probably knows is a silent question. Is Harker still controlling Quan?

As they arrive, Helen approaches the Captain. "Whatever happens, as long as nothing attacks you on the ship, please stay here. If we do not return in a few days, do as you must."

She gathers her journal and a few sundries into a cross body satchel, and is ready when everyone else is.

Here's the rebuild. There may be some old things on here like old name for her expertise, but the power build is the difference. Let me know what you think. Not a whole lot changed, but toned down the mummy form and added more rituals. I didn't add the water control because I just couldn't come up with something simple I could add to an array easily.