A halfling walks to church (3)

[Coan]

Waving the chair aside Nostalia takes a moment to compose herself -leaning heavily on Heinrich for a moment.

"Did you know?" she whispered to him "About the Doctor?... No dont answer that. I dont want to believe you did."

As the music draws to a close for the moment Feldspur and two of the guards withdraw to behind the stage and towards the door there.

[alhoon]

Ixevim can feel Nostalia's shock and a bit of fear in her. She doesn't try to mask these emotions from him (If she did, he wouldn't have sensed her emotions with his telepathic powers, he would have to read her thoughts, but that would probably be dangerous).
"There is no need for you to be afraid. I'm a loyal to your cause, and I would certainly like to see Lord Pieter fall. I do this for Lady Boritsi's interests not for some Mind Flayer plot."
Ixevim contacted the other members of the group.
"I informed Lady Romaine that I'm a mind flayer. She projected emotions of shock but she didn't seem very afraid. Of course she may have projected false thoughts to me. Heinrich, make her feel comfortable please."

Then Ixevim contacted his guards. He instracted them, in their light conversation with the other guards to add a rumor or two about ghost sights, like "I can't believe what nonsense I heard! I heard a maid whispering something about strange supernatural activities in the palace. She seemed to believe that a few things that were found misplaced were taken by spirits. Huh! Ghosts in the manor, who would believe that? Would you? Of course not. In my opinion, somebody played a practical joke to this maid. How he could stick a knife to the ceiling is beyond my reasoning however."

Also Ixevim asked his thralls to think of the mental images of any secret guard they have recognized, and Ixevim sent these responsed to his allies. Tentavely he contacted Nostalia first.
"I have thralls within the guards. I'll project to the whole group the images of the secret guards they recognized. If you want you can receive this information. If not, just don't receive the projection. It is easy, like turning your attention from somebody that's talking to you. Most humans need practice to accomplish that, but I believe you will make it."

OOC> Ixevim cannot see Nostalia's show of fear.

[Wiccy of the Fraternity]

Heinrch thought his reply to Izezim, hoping he was listening.

"You cur, there was no need to inform her, do you want only to terrify a woman?"

He the naddressed Nostalia.

"My lady, you are shaking, please have a seat."

He placed his other hand on hers and lookd deeply into her eyes.

"Please, I must insist."

"What is it you mean about the doctor?"

[alhoon]

Ixevim sent his reply to all the group, Even Lady Romaine.

"Heinrich, What should I do? When I'll start projecting fearsome images, you should all be ready. While the telepathic power I use now is like whispering in a human's ear that projections would be like screaming to the top of your lungs. When we make our move everyone within the range of my telepathic powers will start receiving images of rolling severed heads, vengeful ghosts, screams, bloodied weapons etc.
Fear is a powerful weapon my allies. It will help create disorientation and panic within the ranks of the guards and the nobles alike. That way we could scream and ran wherever we want without drawing too much attention and strike the usurper while the guards try to figure out what happens where and panicked masked men and women bump onto them.
I place myself in the most dangerous position Heinrich. If someone finds who is behind all these, and what he is, I'll be in deep trouble."

[Coan]

Nostalia seemed to fumble as she sat down -drawing the attention of one or two onlookers.

"I know what it is.... it told me." she says in a hushed voice

Artemis meanwhile is moving closer to the stage, nodding from a distance to Kimuriel as several of the guard's images begin to reach his mind. All in all there must have been at least 6 guards in the room as Ixevim's planted rumors slowly began to take hold. He could sense discomfort among some of the guests.

[alhoon]

Kimuriel is studying a man that probably was another secret guard. From his slight limp he seemed to wear a light armor under the coats of the Wolfman he pretends to be. The way he stays near people that look powerful and dangerous the way he inspects the room, magnify the impression.

Then Kimuriel's sharp eyes discern the bone hilt of a short sword or a long dagger, hidden beneath the belt and tatters that hold the wolf hides he uses.

Sensing the psionic manifestations coming from the mind flayer, and noticing the discomfort rising from Dr. Xevim's smart tricks, Kimuriel smiles. He easily figures out what Dr. Xevim plans to do. The mind flayer is good!

Projecting his thoughts, Kimuriel sends to Ixevim a mental notice and starts playing with the shadows using his inherent talents. Ixevim sends his approval. A fat lady jumps as her shadow waves a hand to her. She anxiously seeks her husband but he ignores her, telling her that the lights from the chandlier must be responsible for the tricks.

On the other side of the ball room, a slightly drunken man that under the masks looks like one of the decadent nobles that greeted them when they first visited the palace watches curiously the shadow of his head, detaching from the rest of his shadow and move to merge with his hands. When he blinks curiously, his shadow looks normal. He tests it by waving his hands and moving his head from side to side and then lets the half full brandy cup to the nearest tray.

Then Kimuriel notices Artemis' nod. Figuring that Ixevim is busy planting discomfort, manging his thralls, conversing with Heinrich and Nostalia about his plans Kimuriel sends a telepathic missive himself to Artemis.

"What is it Artemis?"

[Wiccy of the Fraternity]

Heinrich looks to the one-lookers who were eying Nostalia's actions and smiles to them.

"She is just a little dizzy from the excitement, she has been unwell of late. Please, do not worry yourselves, she shall be fine in but a moment."

Among the on-lookers he discerns a man who appeared far to interested in the happenings between the pair, Heinrich keeps a small note of him as he lowers himself to the front of Nostalia, keeping her hand in his. He speaks to her in a hushed tone, allowing those who were still looking to believe he was consoling her.

"My lady, when it begins I want you to close your eyes. I have seen much horror but you have seen enough of late. Keep them shut and I will protect you. As for the doctor, I fear this is not the time for such discussion. Later when all here is done we will address it in full."

When he looks across, he spots Kimuriel and nods to him, only the slightest of motion but enough for him to detect if he was watching. The small action to say that they were ready.

[Coan]

Artemis responds to Kimuriel's question in kind.
"They're moving into the meeting room, we have to hurry. I'll need help to prevent them locking it when Ixevim starts."

[VAN]

Kimuriel sends a missive to Heinrich:

"The meeting is up to begin, we have to enter in the room behind the stage."

Then, Kimuriel responds to Artemis:

"Do you have a plan? What you want me to do? The first thing that crosses my mind is that I can with my telekinetic power push the door from the opposite side, so it will be difficult to close. When the guard will loose some seconds to force the door close, you can go in smoke form, or invisible. Of course, if you want, I can try to keep the door open for more time and rush in all together."


OOC>Kimuriel has seen Artemis become smoke at the encounter with his father.

[Wiccy of the Fraternity]

Heinrich climbs to his feet and looks down at Nostalia, helping her to his feet, he tugs her a moment to make her stumble against his, as if she were dizzy to those who may still be watching. He whispers to her almost silently, certain no one else would overhear.

"It is time my lady, we are to make our way to the door behind the stage."

Taking his hand in hers, while using his other arm to support her, the pair make there way to the stage and stop beside it, taking one last look about the room, pleased that they are no longer being observed, they slowly sidle their way toward the door. Heinrich covering himself with a small stagger to give the illusion of being mildly intoxicated from to much fine wine.

[Coan]

Artemis thinks a moment and nods the four of them now stood only several meters from the door.

"I'll scout ahead for a minute and send you the information about the lay out. Then get Ixevim with you and use that information to your best advantage." he whispers to Kimuriel and the now close Heinrich and Nostalia.

[alhoon]

Ixevim passes up the information that Coan gave them to Heinrich and Nostalia, giving the diplomat the time and space for the reconaissance. He sends his thralls a message to find an excuse and approach if they can to the meeting hall. He instructs them to be ready to block any guards attempting to interfere with the group's asssination attempt with Lord Pieter or with their escape, if teleportation proves to be unusuable.

[Wiccy of the Fraternity]

Heinrich nods to the others toi show his readiness. Under his cloak he undoes the strap that has been holding his sword securely in its scabbard. It would now only take him a short moment to draw the weapon and put it to use.

[alhoon]

OOC> Ixevim doesn't use emotion spells. The feelings described aren't passed to the bystanders. They just feel as if they are in the presence of someone with this feelings and emotions. The images don't block sight, they are like memories etc, as if the bystanders imagine them, but instead they know that these images are planted into them.

Ixevim sent a last warning to his group. Including his Thralls and Nostalia.
"Get ready all, it won't be nice. Brace yourselves. Kimuriel, could you help me by rising shadows to the air? Lady Romaine, I'm sorry to distress you."

And with that a feeling of something awakening was felt by everyone within Ixevim's telepathic reach. It's like the feeling a man gives when he wakes from deep slumber, waking concience of something in the room. Every conversation stops. The music also falters and stops momentarily.
A moment later the feeling is replaced by sadistic joy and hostility like the feeling a cruel child feels when it finds ants or trapped mice it can torment without fear. . . or pity. The feeling covers the room as black blanket. At the same moment that shock stills keeps men and women frozen in their positions, eyes gaping and fears buried deep with them awaken, fears born from the corners of their minds when they faced Kimuriel's and Ixevim's plots earlier, a woman's scream splits the silence.
A dark shadow, shaped like a clawed dark fiend with nails the size of daggers and a sinister smile, rips itself off the ground and to the air. It is the shadow of one of the secret guards (the one dressed as a werewolf), whose mouth hangs open as he sees his own shadow, still attached to his feet transform and raise in dark glory. The woman that screamed started the avalance.
Screams erupted from every corner of the room, as men and women alike were gripped by panic. Weapons cleared their scabbards and pistols were drawn. Nobles and Ladies started running amok, towards the exit or the other room. At this instant a malicious voice was heard in every mind.
"I'll feed on your shadows and depraved souls! I'll feast on your blood and pain! I'll grory on the sight of your empty shells as I'll take control of your pathetic mind!" The Voice was accompanied by images coming and going in rapid success. The mangled body of a fat woman, with all its entrails spilled on the ground. Heads falling from a dark staircase coated in mist. Drops of blood dropping to the dusty floor from a table. Dark spiders dancing on a corpse field that resembled the Ball Room lit only by the stars. The distorted, shadowed face of the secret guard with an unnaturaly wide evil smile spliting his face in half and showing a multitude of thin, needle like teeth.
Gunshots were instantly fired at the unlucky man that draw Kimuriel's ire and his shadow ripping his body appart and felling him. Some shots missed and were buried in other targets nearby, wounding them, felling them and adding to the confusion as men fell over other men and the wounded made running in this chaos even harder.
Ixevim shouted and started running towards the meeting room, always projecting fearsome images and thoughts, pretending to be a panicked man trying to leave the room as soon as possible.
"I know your names" He bumps to an obesse man with a bad breath that was hopping around clearly panicked out of logic. Images of names written in blood all over a communal grave flooded the ballroom. "I know your fears". He pushes the fat man aside. Images of a swarm of poisonous spiders and hungry, gray rats completely covering a human body wherefrom agonized screams errupted penetrated every mind. Zooming on a rat, the creature had no eyes and a green worm came out of the ghoul-rat's eye socket. The creature seemed enjoying the feast and pain it created on the victim.

OOC> This was the surprise action and the first round! Ixevim makes the images a bit vague, letting the panicked human mind do the rest. Most people would identify their own name in the large tombstone when they didn't have the time to read the names (which was difficult as the font was small like this) or their own body under the spiders.

[Wiccy of the Fraternity]

Heinrich had thought he had been prepared for the worst but he hadn't expected this level of horror. Each head tumbling down the stairs was that of someone he knew, a revolutionary in Falkovnia. Reason fought over his panic as he realised that such a horror couldn't not be true and pulled Nostalia to him. He shouted over the din to her.

"Do not look my lady, they are false images but terrible non-the-less! Hide your eyes!"