The new guy gives Pip his sword back.
"Thanks,....uh, Mr.; don't take this the wrong way, but you're kinda on the small side. You're not a human, are you?"
then,
"Do your people, do they worship some black stones by any chance?....
Naw, that's just crazy talk there."
With a lurch, the whole ship stops moving.
It tips to and fro, like the bridge of the Enterprise when a Romulan War Bird says "pew! pew!" and hits it with a big ball of plasma, and then it settles.
A couple of recently freed dudes almost tip outta the bay door.
And it stops moving, floating in the air, 150 feet up in the sky.
From the coffin, with the wires and cords reaching to the massive throne, you hear a bloodcurdling scream.
And then maniacal, shrill, gibbering laughter........
huzzah!
Pip runs over to the coffin to asses what's going on. He whistles for Ziopy to come with
Perception:
There's something inside there; you can't see anything though. It's perfectly sealed in.
So, I reckon everybody has 556,386 exp. 16th level is 600,000.....heh heh. 1/2 way in one fight.......
In our defense, that WAS one grand battle royale.
Not exactly stompin out goblins anymore, are we folks!?!? :)
Elgan shimmers back down to an elf. Although with extraneous bits of twig and leaves in his hair. He turns and tilts his head at the sound of the scream. He looks at the neriad.
"Wah'll, dat ain't us'lly guud." He offers gamely.
So, I reckon everybody has 556,386 exp. 16th level is 600,000.....heh heh. 1/2 way in one fight.......
In our defense, that WAS one grand battle royale.
Not exactly stompin out goblins anymore, are we folks!?!? :)
Way past that juncture.
"What,....what is it? Dare we open that box?"
"Oh,.....Emrael, is she?...."
Nitey nite!!!!!!
As the party gathers around the odd coffin, the bebiliths busy themselves with dragging the moonbeast corpses up on deck and encasing them in webbing. Altai casts a cursory glance at the gruesome pile of bodies, making sure that the moonbeasts have no valuable or otherwise interesting items on them before giving the demon spiders the thumbs-up. Then, with a loud POP!, they disappear with their nauseating spoils, leaving nothing but smears of foul ichor and the smell of old blood behind.
"Rather nasty creatures, those bebiliths", Altai says off-handedly. "But they will work for meat; that kind of puissant savagery doesn`t come much cheaper than that."
"Now, I`d assume that the entombed creature here is the ship`s pilot - or, rather, the helmsman. We`ll need to establish some sort of contact and bend it to our will. I`m sure the throne is involved. So, who wants to be captain?"
Zippy watches for a few moments, then says
"Times up boss, I gotta fly."
Pip responds with a smile
"Thanks for the assist Zippy. I'll see you next time"
The Bralani disappears with a small *pop*
Pip looks concerned at the coffin
"I'm worried that whoever is in that coffin is more fuel than pilot."
"I'm Two Gun Bob," says the new guy.
"They'd take prisoners. Sometimes people that acted up, sometimes just whoever they felt like;.....and put them in there with whatever's in that coffin. There'd be some screaming, and struggling, and then nothing."
Satari turns to Evindra, "I'm afraid so. I hope it will prove temporary; she had too bright a spirit to pass to the Celestial Court just yet..."
His voice cracks, and the weary monk steps gingerly back from the remains of the moonbeast and gathers Emrael's corpse gently into his arms. He emerges above deck, holding his burden out to the gathered companions like some grave offering.
Elgan swiftly dashes to Satari's side and begins examining the fallen elf. He slows down once he realizes that it is too late. HE looks up, a single tear tracking down his usually cheerful, dirt-smudged face.
"Dere's,... Dere's nuttin' ah kin dew,... Iz tew late,..." He stammers.
"Ah'm,... ah'm sorree."
"B~#*$*+*. There are all kinds of things we can do. We`re magicians, for crying out loud. And if our collective imaginations fail, I`ll summon up something that can resurrect her tomorrow."
"Also - if, ah, Bob is right that the coffin consumes live creatures, why did the moonbeasts bring her here? Maybe she`s not quite as dead as she seems?"
"I don't know. Those insect looking things were Mi Go. Fungi from Yuggoth. Slaves of the moonbeasts, but...a little more important than the common human chattel, such as myself. The Mi Go,.....have supersciences that civilized man has yet to comprehend.......
I do have a friend though,.......one friend, in the whole wide world.
Or, this dream world anyhow.
H.P. It stands for "High Priest."
He's the High Priest of Celephais, further south of here, in lands of men more prone to saner thought and comportments than these vulger subhuman Lengites.
H.P. can bring her back. Hell, he brought me back......"
He kinda looks down at the ground solemnly when he says that.
"If we can get back to Celephais, it can be done."
Huzzzah!!!
Satari look heartened, both at Elgan's obvious empathy and Altai's matter of fact tone. He brightens further at the mention of a concrete plan to undo Emrael's demise.
"Summoning an angel or traveling to the high priest both sound like good proposals to me. I am relieved to be with such capable companions."
Dok stands by, watching impassively at the goings on (and the discussion) around the fallen elf. He has yet to sheathe his blade, but is not holding it at the ready.
"Let`s go to this Celephais place first, then. We need Emrael back at her best if we are to rescue Beldan. First, though, we need to search and secure the ship; if we find any more moonbeasts or Lengian freaks, keep them alive in case the ship requires more... fuel. It is a price I`m willing to pay for now. And you" - Altai glares at Bob - "if this Celephais story turns out to be phony, you`ll be begging for the mi-go coffin before I`m done with you."
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Pip brightens at Bob's words
"Yes! I'd love to meet this high priest and witness his craft."
Pip strums Lucille
"Oh we're off to see the high priest
The high priest of Celephais
We hear he is a priestifull priest
If ever a priest there was
If ever O ever a priest there was
The High priest of Celephais is one because
Because because because because BE-CAUUUUSE
Because of the wonderful things he does."
Satari almost smiles at Pip's irreverent song, "Ah. Music to sooth the hearts of the living and the spirits of the dead. A blessing."
He lays Emrael carefully on the deck, a folded cloak under her head.
"I concurr that we must make the ship secure. I am not in the mood to lose further friends."
Satari almost smiles at Pip's irreverent song, "Ah. Music to sooth the hearts of the living and the spirits of the dead. A blessing."
He lays Emrael carefully on the deck, a folded cloak under her head.
"I concurr that we must make the ship secure. I am not in the mood to lose further friends."
"Ah'll hep." Elgan mutters. His body still practically hums with the energies he pored into himself at the start of battle. He looks like he would enjoy nothing more than to find another Moonbeast and take it apart. With his teeth.
You've never seen Elgan so angry. Heck, the newcomers didn't even know Elgan could GET angry.
Pip runs over to the coffin to asses what's going on. He whistles for Ziopy to come with
Perception: 1d20+25
It's metal and stone, and it's totally sealed.
There's all sorts of wires and cords and pipes running into it, and to the throne.......a massive Steampunky contraption with a helm attached to it, which also seems to have some wires and cords to the coffin.
It looks like.....a power source.
You hear something within, scratching feebly at the lid.
There's all sorts of knobs, and dials, and doohickeys all over both contraptions.
The angel says, "This......looks like a Spelljamming throne. You use it, to pilot a ship through the void between worlds and stars.
And, I've heard some are powered, by demons, or elementals, or undead."
Dok stands by, watching impassively at the goings on (and the discussion) around the fallen elf. He has yet to sheathe his blade, but is not holding it at the ready.
Bob addresses Dok;
"Hello. That's a beautiful falchion there. It looks like it's a Rajput's weapon...."
"Let`s go to this Celephais place first, then. We need Emrael back at her best if we are to rescue Beldan. First, though, we need to search and secure the ship; if we find any more moonbeasts or Lengian freaks, keep them alive in case the ship requires more... fuel. It is a price I`m willing to pay for now. And you" - Altai glares at Bob - "if this Celephais story turns out to be phony, you`ll be begging for the mi-go coffin before I`m done with you."
Bob smiles nonchalantly.
"I'm a legendary yarn crafter where I come from, wizard. But I don't lie.
Now, I'll just tell you right here and now: any time you feel froggy, go on ahead and jump."
He smiles, but there's something predatory in his glare.
Pip brightens at Bob's words
"Yes! I'd love to meet this high priest and witness his craft."
Pip strums Lucille
"Oh we're off to see the high priest
The high priest of Celephais
We hear he is a priestifull priest
If ever a priest there was
If ever O ever a priest there was
The High priest of Celephais is one because
Because because because because BE-CAUUUUSE
Because of the wonderful things he does."
"That's some tune, Mr. Pip! He is quite a character, my friend H.P."
Satari almost smiles at Pip's irreverent song, "Ah. Music to sooth the hearts of the living and the spirits of the dead. A blessing."
He lays Emrael carefully on the deck, a folded cloak under her head.
"I concurr that we must make the ship secure. I am not in the mood to lose further friends."
The lady that healed you during the fight comes up alongside.
She whispers something, makes a sign with her hands, and touches Em's face.
The burns go away anyway.
"This'll help preserver her while we seek the Bishop of Celephais."
Bob looks around;
"Which one of you mighty wizards wants to fly this damn thing?"
a few slaves come up;
"we can try tacking in the wind if you like. We've been sailors quite a few of us. When you get over ocean to Celephais, it might be easier to set her down in the waves. But we can try to tack her sails for ye good sirs.
Also, we should take on some of those zhoats from yon Leng folk down below.
They're square enough fare, if a little bizarre."
The priestess says, "I can make enough water for everybody I think..."
Huzzzzah!!!
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Pip finishes his tune
"What about the poor damn soul in that stone sarcophagi?"
The new guy gives Pip his sword back.
"Thanks,....uh, Mr.; don't take this the wrong way, but you're kinda on the small side. You're not a human, are you?"
then,
"Do your people, do they worship some black stones by any chance?....
Naw, that's just crazy talk there."
Pip smiles
"No sir, I am not human. I am what is known as a halfling. A lot of folks think we are like tiny humans, but we have our own set of cultural whatnots "
He pauses
"We usually don't worship rocks, but we do often worship our bellies, and sacrifice to them often"
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The new guy gives Pip his sword back.
"Thanks,....uh, Mr.; don't take this the wrong way, but you're kinda on the small side. You're not a human, are you?"
then,
"Do your people, do they worship some black stones by any chance?....
Naw, that's just crazy talk there."
Pip smiles
"No sir, I am not human. I am what is known as a halfling. A lot of folks think we are like tiny humans, but we have our own set of cultural whatnots "
He pauses
"We usually don't worship rocks, but we do often worship our bellies, and sacrifice to them often"
He laughs, and seems real excited.
"Well, dayum. You might just be more human than you give yourself credit for.Wizards that ain't entirely evil,......small folk that don't worship Tsaggothua,....you guys are rewriting all my damn yarns!
Next thing, Conan'll be a scrawny albino that needs chemicals to walk around normally!"
Pip finishes his tune
"What about the poor damn soul in that stone sarcophagi?"
"I don't know,..."
Bob walks over, and pounds on the lid.
"Who's in there?!?!?"
no response.......
Oh, and.....just a note,......
when I get some time, probably later today or tomorrow I'm going to "montage" you guys to Celephais......ergo Emrael doesn't have to be "dead" for that much longer.......no epic battles unless you go looking for trouble,.......
I just gotta read in my "H.P. Lovecraft's Dreamlands" book by Chaosium a little bit so's I can do it right.
huzzzah!!!!!
Huzzzah!
Elgan glances at the box with a scowl. He flexes his still magically-enhanced muscles.
"Owuh, Ah kin git it opin fer yeh,..." He growls,...
Then he shakes himself, like a wolf, and with difficulty gets his emotions under control.
"Buut yeh maight not wanna me tew." He says to ALtai thoughtfully.
"Yew traighed teh 'splain teh me deh energy flows, buut ah still says dat all makes since cuz deys lahk deh circle uv laife. Dis heyeah runs on deh same 'ting, but it ain;t a circle. Fur as ah kin tell, dis heah chayuh iz whar yeh sits teh fly deh ship, raight? But it tahkes powuh. Deh guys we kilt didn' hev deh raight kinda powuh, so deys hooked up dis box teh take the lahf outta sum poor soul an feed it tew deh ship. Sew, if'n yew wanna fly dis heah box, (which IZ kinda kewl) den yeh eeder need teh sit in deh chair, ur feed a fellah tew duh ting inna box." ELgan finishes, as if it the most obvious thing in the world.
WHichever this one is anyway,...
"Yeah; there's some damnable thing in there," says Two Gun Bob.
"A car needs gasoline;....it's a damnable fact."
Bob addresses Dok;
"Hello. That's a beautiful falchion there. It looks like it's a Rajput's weapon...."
Dok nods matter of factly at Bob's greeting, then says loud enough for everyone to hear "Colu and my bow are on the ground." Turning his attention back to Bob, he asks "What's a Rajput?"