The punch simply seems to send the kobold into a frenzy, and he comes at Little Kiba in a berserk frenzy, hacking and slashing with the axe.
Meanwhile, the man with the knives has circled around so that Little Kiba and the kobold are between him and the giant, an unpleasant smile on his face.
The giant seems to have decided that its best chance of hitting something is to send a boulder at the 'group' (basically a bigger target to hit), and sends a boulder hurtling through the air, whilst readying the next.
The man with the knives readies a couple of knives whose blades gleam silver and whose edges are coated with something sickly green.
Meanwhile the armoured half-fiend with the glaive stands alone and ignored.
Arielle smiles, and the scent of ozone fades a bit.
"Mommy talked to me," she cheerfully announces."See? We're making progress."
JH smiles, for a multitude of reasons. He looks to see if the 'grand prize' is out on display for the contestants to be inspired by.
JH uses his recently reborn earth senses to confirm that this star actually contains LJ's essence. He hums a dwarven tune of the deep stone.
The half-elven woman speaks to one her fey attendants, who nods, and says something back.
The sense Arielle has of horrible wrongness has entered the arena location now, and seems to be making its way through the stands....
"It's here," she whispers. "In the arena stands. Something really evil."
Pete looks around. "Looks like the mess is pretty well cleaned up. Can't say as I'm likely to have too many other folks walking through my doors today. Sure hope those fellers forget the address. Don't you worry none about me. I'll be fine."
"Thanks Pete."
He looks over at Allura as they head out of the shop.
"Guess we need to double-time it, love. Let's go!"
He looks over at Allura as they head out of the shop.
"Guess we need to double-time it, love. Let's go!"
Allura hurries as fast as she can, thinking belatedly that she should have invested in a wand of expeditious retreat.
Allura hurries as fast as she can, thinking belatedly that she should have invested in a wand of expeditious retreat.
The throngs of people have thinned a little bit due to the events at the arena, but still make an effective deterrant to swift progress in the streets of the Bazaar. Devlyn and Allura stop next to an alley to let a large wagon of lumber roll by. He looks up the wall of the building they are next to, and grins. Pulling her into the alley, he says:
"We're doing this all wrong. Time to get around all the crowds - grab onto my shoulders."
The throngs of people have thinned a little bit due to the events at the arena, but still make an effective deterrant to swift progress in the streets of the Bazaar. Devlyn and Allura stop next to an alley to let a large wagon of lumber roll by. He looks up the wall of the building they are next to, and grins. Pulling her into the alley, he says:"We're doing this all wrong. Time to get around all the crowds - grab onto my shoulders."
Noticing the direction he was looking, Allura makes sure her pack is securely on before following directions and grabbing onto his shoulders.
"Okay, not really sure what you're planning, but sure."
Whilst the fight proceeds below, a pair of nymphs in dark helms, black cloaks, and mithril shirts emerge from a nearby entrance/exit from the bowels of the arena to the stands, and begin to make their way towards Azuri'ith's group. They wear shortswords at their belts.
Noticing the direction he was looking, Allura makes sure her pack is securely on before following directions and grabbing onto his shoulders.
"Okay, not really sure what you're planning, but sure."
"The closest we can get to flying given our present circumstances. If you can't get through the crowds, go over!"
He then starts up the walls at speed. They make the top of the building quickly, then get their bearings from up here. The arena is even more visible from this vantage point. "Piece of cake," he says, pointing out all of the rooftops going toward their goal. "Hold on!"
He proceeds to use the 'highway', racing across the rooftops and leaping the intervening gaps between buildings, doing his best to make the trip as smooth as possible. They make much better time than if they tried to slog through the masses below, and come back down to the grounds around the arena in a few minutes.
"You okay?" he asks as he lets Allura down, and looks for the closest entrance. to the arena.
"You okay?" he asks as he lets Allura down, and looks for the closest entrance. to the arena.
"Just fine. That was an interesting experience. It's a good thing I'm not afraid of heights. Over there," she says, pointing to a large set of doors.
Whilst the fight proceeds below, a pair of nymphs in dark helms, black cloaks, and mithril shirts emerge from a nearby entrance. exit from the bowels of the arena, and begin to make their way towards Azuri'ith's group. They wear shortswords at their belts.
Azuri'ith watches their approach carefully. Arielle doesn't seem too concerned by them, so he doesn't think that they are connected with the evil the child is so frightened by.
The lists are now closed for those wishing to sign up for bouts.
The nymphs approach and one of them addresses Arielle.
Our mistress guesses that you will currently be feeling a little perturbed given the presence of an artifact of perverted power in the vicinity, and offers you her protection for now against the one who is bearing it and any associates he or she may have at these games.
Devlyn and Allura manage to get inside and start making their way toward the rest of the group once they spot their 'reserved seating' ;)
JH uses his recently reborn earth senses to confirm that this star actually contains LJ's essence. He hums a dwarven tune of the deep stone.Arielle smiles, and the scent of ozone fades a bit.
"Mommy talked to me," she cheerfully announces."See? We're making progress."
JH smiles, for a multitude of reasons. He looks to see if the 'grand prize' is out on display for the contestants to be inspired by.
The nymphs approach and one of them addresses Arielle.
Our mistress guesses that you will currently be feeling a little perturbed given the presence of an artifact of perverted power in the vicinity, and offers you her protection for now against the one who is bearing it and any associates he or she may have at these games.
Devlyn and Allura come up behind the nymphs, sharing a quizzical glance at each other as they do so.
"Are these friends of yours, Azuri'ith?"
The nymphs approach and one of them addresses Arielle.
Our mistress guesses that you will currently be feeling a little perturbed given the presence of an artifact of perverted power in the vicinity, and offers you her protection for now against the one who is bearing it and any associates he or she may have at these games.
"Yes, that would be good. We need all the help we can get. It's somewhere near," she whimpers, holding tight to JH's arm.
Devlyn and Allura come up behind the nymphs, sharing a quizzical glance at each other as they do so.
"Are these friends of yours, Azuri'ith?"
"Not exactly. But thus far their mistress has shown no hostility towards Arielle, and even offered to help in her own way, so I do not believe that they are enemies."
"Yes, that would be good. We need all the help we can get. It's somewhere near," she whimpers, holding tight to JH's arm.The nymphs approach and one of them addresses Arielle.
Our mistress guesses that you will currently be feeling a little perturbed given the presence of an artifact of perverted power in the vicinity, and offers you her protection for now against the one who is bearing it and any associates he or she may have at these games.
"Shhh, little one. We'll keep you safe."
JH strokes the hammer with his other hand, feeling the connection to the spirits bound within. He opens his senses, turning, and trying to locate the source of Arielle's fears.
"Not exactly. But thus far their mistress has shown no hostility towards Arielle, and even offered to help in her own way, so I do not believe that they are enemies."
"Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but I guess it's better than the alternative at the moment," Devlyn says, noting Arielle's obvious fear of whatever is about.
"So does anybody have an idea of what this nameless palsey looks like so we can try and root it out?"
"Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but I guess it's better than the alternative at the moment," Devlyn says, noting Arielle's obvious fear of whatever is about.
"So does anybody have an idea of what this nameless palsey looks like so we can try and root it out?"
"I do not believe so. A little while ago she started talking about something evil and very bad headed this way. And now she says it's in the arena. It seems to be something that she can sense very strongly, but she hasn't gotten a look at it yet."
"I do not believe so. A little while ago she started talking about something evil and very bad headed this way. And now she says it's in the arena. It seems to be something that she can sense very strongly, but she hasn't gotten a look at it yet."
"Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but I guess it's better than the alternative at the moment," Devlyn says, noting Arielle's obvious fear of whatever is about.
"So does anybody have an idea of what this nameless palsey looks like so we can try and root it out?"
"I didn't think it would be that easy," he says while looking around. He activates his medallion of true sight as he does to see if there are any 'surprises' lurking about.
A servant of the dragon, Daelemos, one of the nymphs murmurs to Arielle, as they move in to protectively flank her.
A gnome with a patch over one eye emerges into the stands, looks around, and then begins to make his way purposefully in the direction of Azuri'ith's group.
Devlyn catches the strong auras coming off of the approaching gnome's gear, and asks the others:
"Does the one-eyed gnome making a beeline for us belong to anybody's coterie, or should I assume he's with the 'big nasty'?" He then hears:
A servant of the dragon, Daelemos, one of the nymphs murmurs to Arielle, as they move in to protectively flank her.
"That'll work - thank you," he says in Sylvan as he positions himself to intercept the gnome if he gets too close.
A servant of the dragon, Daelemos, one of the nymphs murmurs to Arielle, as they move in to protectively flank her.
"Daddy, that's the one you told me that Mommy told you was dangerous and also had some of the shinies," she whispers. Once more little snaps of lightning start appearing in the air around Arielle.
Down in the arena, Little Kiba looks to be in trouble at this point in the fight.
Meanwhile, up in the stands, the gnome doesn't seem bothered by any of the others but as his glance catches the nymphs his expression changes from one of glee to immediately become crestfallen. He halts just short of the Dalesman, but doesn't seem to really notice him. He addresses Arielle.
Hi miss. You're the little girl who has been looking for stars, right?
The sense of wrongness is practically screaming at Arielle here.
Arielle nods, clinging close to JH. The lightning is becoming more intense and a small bolt sizzles into the ground in front of the gnome.
Down in the arena, Little Kiba looks to be in trouble at this point in the fight.
Meanwhile, up in the stands, the gnome doesn't seem bothered by any of the others but as his glance catches the nymphs his expression changes from one of glee to immediately become crestfallen. He halts just short of the Dalesman, but doesn't seem to really notice him.
He addresses Arielle.
Hi miss. You're the little girl who has been looking for stars, right?
The sense of wrongness is practically screaming at Arielle here.
Devlyn keeps his senses peeled, both on the gnome, and for whoever is probably 'ghosting' the gnome
Arielle watches him carefully as he pulls out the portable hole. She very much does not like this gnome. And she is very glad that she has her daddy and grandpa and some other friends here to protect her.
The half-elven woman sitting on the other side of the Arena looks in the direction of Azuri'ith's party, concentration on her features for a moment, then she says something to one of the nymphs accompanying her.
Azuri'ith exchanges a glance with JH and makes sure to keep himself between the gnome and Arielle.
Allura tries to use Read Thoughts on the gnome.
Steel yourself. This is probably going to shock and maybe hurt a little, one of the nymphs accompanying Arielle murmurs to her. Someone did something very bad with one of the stars.
"Yes, WE are looking for the stars. And I'm the little miss' father. And the one you'd have to put down before you could even hope to 'forcibly remove' anyone."
JH remains seated, and his voice is calmer than it should be.
Steel yourself. This is probably going to shock and maybe hurt a little, one of the nymphs accompanying Arielle murmurs to her. Someone did something very bad with one of the stars.
:Uh oh: Devlyn thinks to himself.
The gnome sets the portable hole down on the floor, twists a ring on one finger to activate some sort of telekinetic effect, and slowly remotely raises an item out of the portable hole.
"Explain your intent before proceeding further."