HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

Online roleplaying at the Café
User avatar
NeoTiamat
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 4119
Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:00 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Re: HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

Post by NeoTiamat »

Image Image

"Now is not the time to be falling down, Søren." Lena muttered, though she kept it under her breath. She considered her mind for a bit of suitable verse, and hit upon it, a wicked smile playing on her lips. This would do nicely.

"Fixed is the doom; and to the last of years
Teacher and taught, friend, lover, parent, child,
Each walks, though near, yet separate; each beholds
His dear ones shine beyond him like the stars.
"

The aggrieving part, Lena mused as the chaos whirled around her yet left her untouched, was that no one would believe she was contributing to this fight. Well, let Richard take the glory. Poor man was earning it.
Ravenloft GM: Eye of Anubis, Shattered City, and Prof. Lupescu's Traveling Ghost Show
Lead Writer & Editor: VRS Files: Doppelgangers; Contributor: QtR #20, #21, #22, #23, #24
Freelance Writer for Paizo Publishing
User avatar
The Whistler
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 1454
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:38 pm
Location: Southshore

Re: HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

Post by The Whistler »

Image

From one prayer to another, holy symbol clutched firmly in one hand, voice uninterrupted by the clashing of swords. Avram wasn't pausing anymore, just chaining quotations at this point, moving seamlessly from liturgical excerpts to sacred poetry to scriptural commentary without losing the thread of the discourse. Devotees of the Lawgiver would have recognized a passage from the Book of Stone proclaiming the continuity between the Iron Tyrant's will and the human form. Logicians might have grasped that Avram was trying to segue away from the Lawgiver's eternal vigilance and towards His maintenance of His creations' utility.

Most other people might have noticed everyone's wounds healing.

Channel Divinity, excluding Feray, Yarek, and the Berserker:

[dice]0[/dice]

User avatar
Kaitou Kage
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 2115
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:53 am
Location: Here and there
Contact:

Re: HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

Post by Kaitou Kage »

This would not do. Someone angry and unpleasant stumbled through Altan's wall. The sorcerer inwardly glared. Then he outwardly sighed and muttered "अलक्ष्‍य" under his breath.

He promptly vanished from sight.

Casting invisibility and moving to K-9
User avatar
Nathan of the FoS
Fiendish Enforcer
Fiendish Enforcer
Posts: 5246
Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 3:39 pm
Location: San Francisco CA

Re: HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

Post by Nathan of the FoS »

Image ImageImageImageImage

Feray slumps to the ground, her face spasming once, as Richard lands his blow. The hellhounds are about to savage her until a sharp command from Yarek; looking at him, then at Søren, sitting up and shaking his head as something restores his life force, they seem paralyzed by indecision. The Mulani who had been hanging back watching the fight—a rather ordinary-looking woman with the poppy totem, dressed in a Western style-- screams “SØREN!” as he falls and rushes forward. As she reaches his side she kneels and begins muttering and gesturing with her hands, lifting the acid from Yarek’s missile away from the sorcerer’s body.
Søren and Yarek lock eyes, and Søren gestures, sending a bolt of dark energies at his cousin; cursing as it strikes him, Yarek looks at him, at Feray, and then at all of you. Backing away, he mutters something and disappears.
Marcel neatly sidesteps a blow from his antagonist and fixes him with his gaze. “The will of the Lady binds you,” the anchorite informs him in a conversational tone; the Rashemani’s expression goes from contempt to alarm as he tries and fails to launch another blow.

Just then, the latecomer up the passage decides on his course of action. Growling a foul incantation, he gestures sharply and the passage is filled with vile, clinging fumes.
VIEW CONTENT:
Image

Richard puts the righteous smackdown on Feray for 34 hit points and stands up.
Lena heals Søren for 9 HP, putting him at 4 HP.
Avram heals all the good guys (plus the hell hounds) for 4 HP.
Altan casts invisibility.
Pyrrha hesitates.
Erebus hesitates.
Marcel makes his check for casting defensively like a boss (nat 20) and casts hold person on Berserker 1, who abjectly fails his save.
Søren casts ray of exhaustion on Yarek, who fails his save. Thanks to the ministrations of Blue 3, he takes only 2 damage from the acid arrow and will take none on following rounds.

Yarek backs up and casts invisibility.
Berserker (Black 1) stands around looking paralyzed.
Mage (Black 2) casts stinking cloud. DC 17 Fort save for all in range (see dark cloud of stinking vapors on map—everyone but Yarek, Black 2, Blue 4 and Altan) or be nauseated.


STATUSES:
Feray Arslan HP 58/100 and 72 nonlethal damage AC 16 (flat-footed 15, touch 13) Fort +15 Ref +8 Will +14, Smite Good declared on Richard
Yarek Thott HP 56/56 AC 16 (flat-footed 14, touch 12) Fort +8 Ref +5 Will +4
Rashemani Berserker (Black 1) HP 46/46 AC 11 (flat-footed 10, touch 11) Fort +8 Ref +5 Will +4 HOLD PERSON NAUSEATED
Mulani Mage (Black 2) HP 25/25 AC 12 (flat-footed 10, touch 12) Fort +3 Ref +4 Will +5

Marcel Boudreau HP 41/53 AC 13 (flat-footed 12, touch 11) Fort +7 Ref +3 Will +12

Søren Thott 6/52 AC 14 (flat-footed 12, touch 12) Fort +5 Ref +5 Will +9
Pyrrha HP 30/30 AC 16 (flat-footed 15, touch 12) Fort +6 Ref +5 Will +1 NAUSEATED
Erebus HP 30/30 AC 16 (flat-footed 15, touch 12) Fort +6 Ref +5 Will +1 NAUSEATED
[b]FEAR JUSTICE.[/b] :elena:
User avatar
NeoTiamat
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 4119
Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:00 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Re: HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

Post by NeoTiamat »

Lena has a Fort of +3, rolls a 16 and an 18 in the chat, total of 19 for the lowest and discharges the curse and makes her save. I am not sure this fickle luck thing is even noticeable in face of fickle dice.
Ravenloft GM: Eye of Anubis, Shattered City, and Prof. Lupescu's Traveling Ghost Show
Lead Writer & Editor: VRS Files: Doppelgangers; Contributor: QtR #20, #21, #22, #23, #24
Freelance Writer for Paizo Publishing
User avatar
NeoTiamat
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 4119
Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:00 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Re: HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

Post by NeoTiamat »

Image Image

"Freiherr Søren! Landsherr Yarek!" Lena said sharply, before suddenly everything was replaced by an acrid choking cloud cast by yet another wizard. Lena sneezed, but was otherwise unaffected. It really wasn't any worse than the cooking in Gundarak. Somewhere, a mystical curse discharged to the chagrin of whatever foul genii the Von Zaroviches. However, Lena's patience, never healthy to begin with, had begun to decidedly fray.

Behind her, Ushka was being sick. The little fox was beginning to seriously regret those pastries. On unsteady paws, the fox crawled out of the fog cloud. She was really regretting those pastries.

Ushka fails her Save, is Nauseated. She takes a move action to crawl out of the cloud, ending up in W11.

"Oh by the Morninglord's Blue ****." She muttered under her breath. She couldn't see a damn thing in the cloud. So, Lena hiked up her skirts and forged through, squinting so as not to let the fog into her eyes. She stepped lightly past the two hellhounds, and said "One moment Søren..." as she passed the mage and stepped over Feray's comatose body. "Do excuse me, Sir Blackwood," she said as she stepped around Richard (it helped that he was sort of skinny). She seemed thoroughly impervious to the bloodshed all around. Finally, she reached the edge of the cloud and looked at the foul sorcerer.

"Now if we could please collect Yarek and the evil Rashemani cult leader, and beat a hasty retreat? Before we have the whole cult down on our heads?" Lena said mildly. She grasped for a relevant quotation, then settled on a classic.

"There was a young lady of Borca
Whose lovers completely forsook her;
She ran up a tree
And said "Fiddle-de-dee!"
Which embarrassed the people of Borca.
"

And now we demonstrate the Comedy sub-section of Perform: Oratory.
Moving to N10 by passing through Feray's and Richard's squares (one is comatose and one is an ally, so that should be okay).
Casting Hideous Laughter (DC 19) at Mage (Black 2)
Perform: Oratory to hide her spellcasting.
[dice]0[/dice]
Total: 42 (Nathan I demand a bonus for getting a Natural 20 for telling a limerick in mid-battle).


Lena: AC 13, touch 11, flat-footed 12, CMD 12
Inspire Courage: All Allies in hearing range gain +2 Competence to Attack and Damage rolls and +2 Morale to Saves vs. Fear.

Ushka: AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 15, CMD 12; NAUSEATED
Ravenloft GM: Eye of Anubis, Shattered City, and Prof. Lupescu's Traveling Ghost Show
Lead Writer & Editor: VRS Files: Doppelgangers; Contributor: QtR #20, #21, #22, #23, #24
Freelance Writer for Paizo Publishing
User avatar
Isabella
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 1859
Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 12:54 am

Re: HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

Post by Isabella »

Image

Richard plowed out of the cloud on Lena's heels. If the stench had affected him at all, he wasn't showing it - if he was angry at all from this new development, the smoke had hidden that as well. Suffice it to say Lena's limerick did not appear to tickle his sense of humor, as he marched right up to the offending Mulani with cold precision. Richard leveled his sword at the spellcaster, not attacking yet, but clearly indicating any response other than unabated mirth or immediate surrender was going to be rewarded with a sword-blow to the head.

Richard double-moves up to L10. If the Mulani tries to 5-foot step back Richard is following with Step Up.

Richard: AC 21 , Touch 11, CMD 20 (22 vs Sunder)
37/37
Bardsong
Aura of Courage: Allies within 10 ft get +4 morale bonus vs. Fear
Holy Bond: Merciful Sword
Smite Evil
"No, but evil is still being — Is having reason — Being reasonable! Mousie understands? Is always being reason. Is punishing world for not being... Like in head. Is always reason. World should be different, is reason."
User avatar
The Whistler
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 1454
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:38 pm
Location: Southshore

Re: HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

Post by The Whistler »

Image

Okay: somehow, you were pretty sure that the cloud had decided to leave an inch or so of fresh air between Avram and itself. It was likely no coincidence that the hetman had just made an allusion to “He Who governs the shape of the winds,” in the middle of a paragraph-long excerpt from the Black Trials concerning the creation of the universe.

By the time he had strode over to Soren’s side, hovering his hands over the worst of the nobleman’s wounds, he had gotten to the part of the text that detailed the formation of the first Man, and enumerated the impeccably designed utility of his various parts. No coincidence there, either.

The sing-off continues! Making my save with a 17, moving to S9, and burning Prayer to cast Cure Serious Wounds on Soren: add +5 to the total below.

[dice]0[/dice]

User avatar
Nathan of the FoS
Fiendish Enforcer
Fiendish Enforcer
Posts: 5246
Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 3:39 pm
Location: San Francisco CA

Re: HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

Post by Nathan of the FoS »

Image ImageImageImageImage

The Mulani mage who assaulted you with the stinking cloud is apparently not a connoisseur of limericks--or perhaps is insufficiently acquainted with Borca. Either way, he takes no apparent notice of Lena's verse.

The appearance of a grim-faced Ezran warrior wielding a greatsword he does notice. By the time he gathers himself to flee, however, said warrior is standing next to him, with an expression that bodes ill for any sudden move. Bowing to necessity, he spreads his hands wide and hunches himself slightly. "No harm intended," he mutters. "Just incapacitating, that's all."

Søren gives Avram's ministrations a brief thanks, and then he is giving instructions to the hellhounds--instructions cut short by the sudden reappearance of Yarek, kneeling next to Feray and staring down at her with an expression of mingled longing and loathing. Lifting her into his lap, he begins to sob, alternately clutching at her with both hands and then striking her side full-force with his clenched fist, his forehead pressed against hers.

"I...I...I hate you. I hate you! Oh, Feray. Oh, Feray. What will I do without you?"
[b]FEAR JUSTICE.[/b] :elena:
User avatar
Isabella
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 1859
Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 12:54 am

Re: HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

Post by Isabella »

Image

Richard nodded nicely at the Mulani mage, then gestured towards the group with his sword, indicating in no uncertain terms that the mage ought to stand with the others and cause no more trouble. He looked carefully around to make sure no one else was going to get back up, before sheathing his sword.

With a whistle and a click he called Maya over to his side, rubbing the panther's neck fur and murmuring in soothing tones. Once the poor creature had calmed down, Richard went to stand by Yarek and Feray. He'd misjudged Søren, he admitted it, but something good had come of it - he'd taken a lot of his things out of his room on the assumption House Thott might tamper with it. Which meant he had a strong length of rope.

"That took a-a lot of courage," he said quietly, as he knelt down next to Yarek.
"No, but evil is still being — Is having reason — Being reasonable! Mousie understands? Is always being reason. Is punishing world for not being... Like in head. Is always reason. World should be different, is reason."
User avatar
NeoTiamat
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 4119
Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:00 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Re: HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

Post by NeoTiamat »

Image Image

Lena watched her spell completely fail to afflict the wizard, who then stood down as Richard confronted him. The Barovian's shoulders slumped. Three attack spells cast, and not a one had landed. Maybe she could pass off this whole incident as a case of hysterics at the sudden violence. It wouldn't be any more humiliating than her utter failure to be helpful.

She glanced back at Yarek and Richard and bit back the first remark that came to mind. Courage, yes. Intellect, on the other hand... But that wasn't what was needed right now. Lena straightened and ran a hand through her hair. Well, this was once more a social problem, and she was ostensibly good at those. She cast another look at Yarek. He was almost painfully young. And Lena felt, for that brief instant, very old.

"He's right, you know." Lena said softly, stepping closer. "That was a brave thing to do. And now... it's done. There will be plenty more work and plenty more heartache, but the worst is behind us, Yarek. Come away. Let's leave this place."
Ravenloft GM: Eye of Anubis, Shattered City, and Prof. Lupescu's Traveling Ghost Show
Lead Writer & Editor: VRS Files: Doppelgangers; Contributor: QtR #20, #21, #22, #23, #24
Freelance Writer for Paizo Publishing
User avatar
Kaitou Kage
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 2115
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:53 am
Location: Here and there
Contact:

Re: HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

Post by Kaitou Kage »

Image

As the commotion died down, Altan sniffed and dusted himself off. He padded up by Yarek and the others and suddenly materialized.

"Come, Yarek," he said. "You have been through much today. Let us retire so you can rest."
User avatar
Nathan of the FoS
Fiendish Enforcer
Fiendish Enforcer
Posts: 5246
Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 3:39 pm
Location: San Francisco CA

Re: HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

Post by Nathan of the FoS »

Image ImageImageImageImage

Trapped in his private misery, Yarek hardly responds to the kind words of the others at first, but eventually he releases Feray and looks around at you. Finding no words, apparently, he merely nods his appreciation.

Shaking himself and fingering a cut in his coat, Søren says, "The Inquisition is upstairs, cousin. Get yourself together. There are more of you down here, I take it."

"Yes. In the old cut, one of the last left-hand turns," Yarek says quietly, his voice raw from sobbing.

"The hellhounds will be down here soon," Søren notes. "Anyone I should particularly warn them off, or that I should be wary of? Or can they bite whom they please?"

Yarek looks as if this is a rather loaded question; glancing at Altan, he says in a low voice, "Horst Veddrekssen came down with...me. You've already got the most dangerous of...us down."

"He's already gone up," Søren notes crisply. "Anyone else?"

"Not really, no."

"Me, the hounds, Zoltan. It's probably enough, but you should send down Ocalan and his squad too."

Yarek's expression shows both his resentment at Søren's assertion of authority and the recognition that he hardly has a leg to stand on in making any complaint. "Right," he says finally. "I don't know what we're going to do with...her."

"If you want my advice," says Søren, "I'd say do whatever it takes to make sure she'll stay dead and throw her down a shaft. But perhaps the Inquisition will be satisfied with one heresiarch and not ask too many questions."

Looking at the group, Søren bows deeply. "I am indebted to you for your assistance this night," he says formally. "It shall not be forgotten." Yarek hesitates, looking at Søren, and then bows even more deeply. "The House Thott is indebted to you," he says. "It shall not be forgotten."

The cousins straighten and look at each other, and then Søren moves off down the tunnel with Pyrrha and Erebus trailing him, the pieces of the hellbeacon in his hand. Yarek looks down at Feray then at you, obviously seeking your advice about what to do with the demonic priestess.
[b]FEAR JUSTICE.[/b] :elena:
User avatar
Nathan of the FoS
Fiendish Enforcer
Fiendish Enforcer
Posts: 5246
Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 3:39 pm
Location: San Francisco CA

Re: HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

Post by Nathan of the FoS »

ImageImage

"Excellent. Let us indeed make haste," Rastem says, and immediately begins to walk back into the Helholt, followed by Marcellus and the other inquisitors.

"And go where, exactly?" Helja asks coolly. "I am sorry I cannot make greater speed, Jernspogmaler Abtor, but I am somewhat indisposed. May I have your arm?"

"Frankly, Dommer," Renhalt says in a man-to-man tone, "I am somewhat surprised at your degree of confidence about your diagnosis of the situation. The Slaves of Iblis are notoriously drawn to haunts such as Ramulai and Sly-Var--it strains reason to think they'd find much to draw them out here."

Dice rolls to come--my computer battery is on its last leg!
[b]FEAR JUSTICE.[/b] :elena:
User avatar
NeoTiamat
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 4119
Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:00 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Re: HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

Post by NeoTiamat »

Image Image

Lena returned the bows with all the formal courtesy of a Barovian baroness, before turning to the question of Feray. She glanced at Yarek. "I think we had best turn this over to the ecclesiastics present. Were she some Gundarkite brigand, I would recommend interrogating her to see if she could lead us to other cells or give us a list of her cult's membership, but I doubt this will be practical." Lena moved carefully up to Feray, murmuring a spell as she did so.

Turning on Detect Magic -- What magic items does Feray have, if any?

Knowledge (Arcana) +10
[dice]0[/dice]
Total: 22

Knowledge (Religion) +9
[dice]1[/dice]
Total: 18

The question is basically, how do we dispose of Feray if she's semi-demonic, and is it possible to interrogate her in some fashion?
Ravenloft GM: Eye of Anubis, Shattered City, and Prof. Lupescu's Traveling Ghost Show
Lead Writer & Editor: VRS Files: Doppelgangers; Contributor: QtR #20, #21, #22, #23, #24
Freelance Writer for Paizo Publishing
Post Reply