DM themed play-by-post D&D game : STORY THREAD

[Ameena]

OOC - Ahh, okay, it's just in 4th edition when being grappled, you can choose to either roll Athletics vs. Fortitude or Acrobatics vs. Reflexes when trying to escape, based on whether you're trying to brute force your way out or just wriggle free. Anyway, I won't update myself IC just yet till something happens in the conversation that might warrant some kind of reaction from Ameena, even if it's just a mental one as she thinks about what's being said.

[ian_scho]

Haynuus once more casts a glance to the dwarf. It must be hard for him being a cleric of light being surrounded by so much death. The gnome was almost glorifying in it. "I'm glad to make you smile at least. Although it's been a tough journey." Images of Deephold whacking Ameena with his surgical hammer arose briefly. "While we follow you..." He gave a pause for Deephold to interject with a complaint if he wanted to. "...Perhaps you could tell us of your plans or of these events Mister Brighteyes?" He walked slowly towards the gnome with his arms open, hoping that once more the maniac would let him carry his precious weapons with him.

Next was the most important stuff. "Oh, and I see Ameena is resting. Can I carry her for you?" he asked Soorec, and not the grak-grak. "You okay Mister Helm? You seem a little browbeaten. We'll get a beer and half a swine in you as soon as we leave this place." To Haynuus, this is fantastic medicine.

[raixel]

Its Petal's take on an evil sorcerer, strictly flavor. Sorry I didnt make it clear enough. Shes not actually seeing or sensing anything, just ruminating on the fact that if he can feel energy the way she can but uses it for his own purposes he MUST be callous and evil. Rereading it i realize she seems to actually sense something and I didnt make it clear that its just her imagination. Sorry, I had just come back from the bar when I wrote hat, Ill fix it. And yeah, she thinks hes worse then Chaos cuz in her belief structure Chaos is a force of nature and balance. Someone who (she assumes) can feel mana the way she can but twists it to their own purposes and does anti-life things like create undead (and therefore senses what they are doing, since they are a sorcerer) MUST be bad. Also, in a way, so is Deephold. But at least Deephold, as misguided as he is in her eyes, IS a good being. I really wanted to make Petal alien, not just a tiny elf with wings. So some of her world views and how she percieves things are weird.

[beowuuf]

That's cool, and more than fine. Just better to make sure it's cool flavour stuff so you don't rely on it for mechanical/narrative tactics later eg Make sure if you want to kill the mage, it's not because mechanically/narratively it looks like I've passively given your character the impression that he is hugely powerful and obviously a threat!

[raixel]

K. I nearly completely redid the last post to make it more clear. I think it took out some of the punch at just HOW disgusting she finds an evil sorcerer, but it added a lot more about her past and her only other experience with gnomes (I made them wandering tinkers that are also kind of like adepts that cast illusions and small helpful magics). So I think overall it gained more than it lost and its a lot more clear now!

Petal stops when she feels the tingle on her skin and backs away, towards her companions.
Why am I sitting here wishing for a talent I dont have! she thinks angrily to herself. Just go tell them! Its not like your plan is going to work with all those protections around him anyway! She backs slowly over to Deephold, and hovers with her mouth right next to his ear. Hoping she doesnt startle him, she whispers directly in his ear, barely making a sound and trying to keep her message as short as possible.

"Deephold. Follow I will, not seen. If seen I am, pretend know me you do not! Anti magic gnome has! Haynuus you tell." she whispers, while keeping an eye on the gnome and his cronies. She tries to time her words with the speech of the Soorec and Haynuus, hoping that it will cover any sound she makes.
If at any time the gnome/grak-graks appears to get suspicious, she will stop whispering and immediatly fly as fast as she can away from the group to the limit of her movement.(back towards the tree area)

Once she relays her message, she backs away from the entire group far enough that she cant be seen easily, but can hear them talking and hides again. HIDE (1d20+9=13)

God damn! I forgot invis in this campaign uses the (no comment, I remember the giant discussion now ) 1rnd/lev rules. I was goin off my home campaigns 30sec/lev w/o thinking bout it. Well, then. Her first move to Soorec and back to Deephold is a double move. (1 round). Her message to Deephold then moving away where she cant be seen is another.(1 round)

[beowuuf]

Sorry, I meant to address that message question too, sorry. I thought we'd agreed that while you don't have the fundamental 0-level abilities of the DM wizard class (which incluided the 0 level message spell as an effect), but sorcerers do get to use the very basic 0-level effects such as the message effect too? Soorec did it way back, so you have to have the ability to do some of the basics. Hopefully that cushions the invisibility delay.

Edit: Maybe we ended up with different flavours of sorcerer, and you decided to not have that ability. That rings a bell now... Anyway, the above post works, so we can leave it at that. Perhaps Falkor can teach Petal the simple trick when they meet

[raixel]

AFAIR, we agreed to drop all the 0 lev wiz skills for Petals ability to sense mana(harmful/helpful, strength, general charicteristics, the better the roll the more she learns) by touching an object and the +4 cha bonus to perception when passively detecting energy(like what she just did when entering the range of Soorec's spells). So kinda like instead of getting the 0 lev spells, its a supercharged detect magic(that will also alert her to passive energy flows, but that isnt as detailed or powerful. just something is there and maybe basic type- if the roll is good) I still have all the char creation PMs saved ad could double check if you want,tho.

[beowuuf]

No, that's my recollection too. I have all the stuff saved in weird places too, just I'm running around tidying before leaving early tomorrow Update soon then!

[beowuuf]

Ok, time for an actual update!


Deephold seemed oddly distracted as Haynuus spoke, and missed Haynuus walking forward until it was too late. Of course, it was hard to argue with a half-orc when momentum took hold. "Wait...what?" he mumbled, looking towards Haynuus and then back behind him in confusion. He hefted his mace, and moved forwards to support Haynuus, althoguh clearly a moment had passed where Deephold could take control of the situation.

Soorec had apparently taken the move forward as a cue that the two accepted, and the grak-graks and Soorec started to turn away as if to begin walking. Although it could be noted that the very front two spread wider apart and did not re-enterthe corridor's entrance. Clearly, they would become the rearguard.

Also clearly, despite Haynuus's open empty hands and Soorec's light tone, the gnome mage had not forgotten that Haynuus himself a few hours ago had happily hacked away at and helped killed the gnome. Soorec's eyebrow raised for a moment before he broke in to a wider enthusiastic grin, and the right-hand grak-grak closest very deliberatle melted its face and reformed it, body expanding and popping with disgusting noises. Three fake Helms, and one real one, were now joined by a suspicious looking Haynuus. That being a Haynuus who was both suspicious itself, and regarded its namesake with an expression of suspicious.

"OF course we can talk while we travel, it feels as if it was so long since I have seen you!" Soorec tapped his nose. "Not about everything, oh no, I'm afraid you didn't do a good enough job for that to be safe. But certainly, it is an exciting time. Why, just like our own little family here, that has had its ups and down and shares of drama and disagreements, so too have my original extended family that roam these halls. Oh yes. However, it seems that your own travels have brought matters to an interesting head, oh yes. A meeting has been called, a meeting of those who were barely ackonowledging one another!" Soorec then burst out laughing. "Ah, imagine how it looked when our mutual friends-" and Soorec winked widely at the words, "did not show up. I almost burst out laughing in front of Dragat...I meant Gholst, of course...in front of Gholst and Theron. Oh my yes! Sadly, of course, you did not create such a fun situation permenantly, which is why I have this intermission to come find you all. Oh yes, you need to share in this, you really do. I think you will realise how vital you will be, once we get there."

The gnome was once again running his mouth off excitely, and almost missed Haynuus's other questions. "Oh, yes, Ameena is more than comfortable, I assure you. Though best if she does not get disturbed. Teleportation is rather a tricky power to master. I'm afraid I had to cheat, and I do believe our friend requires some rest. Travel may broaden the mind, but do it too fast and the mind goes 'poof'. And not in a fun way!"

Helm looked gaunt and seemed miserable at Haynuus's call. Of course, it looked as if Soorec had the upper hand, and worse yet Helm had never seen the interaction of the mage and the group before. Haynuus was perhaps making too good a job of being very light and talkative with the gnome mage. Still, something slowly penetrated his brain. The very pointed way Haynuus asked about carrying Ameena. And obviously, HAynuus's armour that matched Deephold's - Helm still seemed to wince spotting the dwarf, and the dwarf did not fully show any emotion at seeing the thief in the flesh.

However, perhaps Helm was recalling his first dealing with Haynuus. Where the seemingly silly and clumsy half-orc had not only shown himself good while pretending to be bad, but had used his disarming manner to cleverly give the thief a dagger. Of course, at the same time the thief had been trying to give his own item of trust.

Slowly, Helm's eyes seemed to develop the first gentle embers of hope, and he gave a small nervous smile towards Haynuus and a nod. Both disappeared as he looked at Soorec and the grak-graks, as if expecting to be beaten for such a miniscule display.


MEanwhile, Deephold had obviously been distracted by Petal's words. Petal saw that Deephold stiffened, and gave the worst, most wooden show of nodding his head slowly while pretending not to nod. Deephold looked aorudn breifly while rushing off to follow Haynuus, and Petal at least had reassurance her spell was still fully despite getting close to the disruption of the anti-magic when the dwarf's eyes looked right passed her multiple times.

Sadly, Haynuus's speech and Soorec's responses seemed to be stopping deephold from passing on the message. As it was, Petal tried to keep her distance as best she could. The grak-grak that had sensed her before, the one loitering on the left waiting for the group to moved pased it, and still in the shape of Helm, once more swept its eyes around. Firstly at where she had been, then slowly aroudn the roof, and then off in to the middle distance to her right, and then most chillingly of all right where she was. It was terrifying to meet the eyes of an opponent when, to her, there was no reason it should not be able to see her. For a moment, the magic she knew was wrapped around her like a dark cloak seemed to be stripped away from her senses, and she felt vulnerable and naked. She could even swear she could feel the twinkle of recognition in the creature's eyes...

And then the glance moved on to check along the walls.

The group moved forwards, swallowed in to the mouth of the tunnel, a false Helmand false Haynuus slowly walking in afterwards, with ominous steps.

Pausing as long as possible, and trusting to her low light vision to let her see them far up ahead when the invisibility wore off, Petal started trackign the group...


And stop there. Not really a lciffhanger as such, but does seem a suitably ominous place to step. Assuming Ian and Ameena, you were happy to be lead onwards! If so, then feel free to react or not to what's going on.

Raixel, if Petal will cast invisibility again, then obviously she can fly closer to the group, otherwise, she'll need to stay well back. You know the drill, for a perception roll to understand what's being said, DC15 at best assuming you stay just out of range of the grak-graks' eyesight, which might be dangerous (I know it would actually be DC16-17. but I'm being nice because Haynuus and Soorec aren't exactly subtle). However Soorec's speech is so fast that I might say you need DC20 to perfectly understand what he's said when he really gets expositional, and similarly if anyone like Helm says anything quietly, you'll have beat DC20 too. Only one perception roll needed to carry for the whole journey, unless it's a bad roll, in which case you'll need to change your circumstances (like move forward by 10 feet) to qualify for a new roll. Your hide roll will carry too, unless you do anything very different to change your circumstances, so figure out the risks as you will

AS you know, my 'no updates for the weekend' usually mean I'll be around and posting sporadically anyway, so we;ll see. Definitely update Monday. Have a good weekend!

[raixel]

Question: Have my spells repopped? I havent updated hp/spells since the fight with the dragon. If the rest at the tree was long enough, Petal has used 1 2nd lev and 1 0. If not she only has 1 3rd, 1 2nd and 4 1st and 3 0s left, so is in deep doo doo. I seem to remember something about her mana regen being real fast, but I dont remember exactly. Also, shouldnt I roll a second roll for moving, since that roll was just to jump in the shadows?

Petal hangs back out of the range of the grak-graks senses, trusting in her sharp ears to catch the words of the group. Besides, what they were saying wasnt as important as the fact that the gnome didnt know she was out here. She couldt risk losing that advantage by following too closely. So, as the group moves off, she follows behind trusting in her natural speed and small size to keep her hidden in the shadowy passages of the mountain. Hopefully, she would be able to catch some of what the gnome was saying as well.

Perception 1d20+5=17

[Ameena]

OOC - Well, as Ameena's in the arms of a grak-grak and surrounded by three more plus Soorec and doesn't really know wtf is going on, she's figured that trying to do anything would probably be a bit stupid right now, hence the "playing dead".

BIC - Ameena remains still, listening to the conversation around her. She resists the urge to tense up in hope as Haynuus offers to carry her and get her away from the grak-grak, but not entirely unexpectedly, Soorec refuses.
As she keeps half an ear on the conversation around her and worries about her friends, particularly Helm, her thoughts also turn toward the petal-dancer. That had been created by the Elements, not by Soorec - of this she is sure. Yet it seemed that it was the little green creature which caused her to end up here, with Soorec and his creations. Maybe the one that did so wasn't the same one as before - maybe that one is elsewhere, and Soorec somehow found out about it, or even captured it, and replaced it with a copy to bring her to him. She has no idea how much time has passed since this happened, so doesn't know whether the group was very close to Soorec's position when she disappeared, or whether days have passed since that moment. She wonders why, if the group had been close, Soorec bothered to take her in this way when he was nearby with his grak-graks and with Helm a prisoner already - if the grak-graks are in Helm's shape, after all, the group can't attack them without hurting him. And they can't attack Soorec, because then the grak-graks will go berserk and start killing everything. Again.
She supposes that they are being taken back to some place of Soorec's where he might try to lock them up, or something. She wonders whether the gnome is aware of the fact that the group wants to go back to his lab, to where he keeps his special items and things, but wonders what they can do when they get there, surrounded as they are by grak-graks at the moment. She is glad that Soorec sounds as though he's not aware she's awake, since she knows that any movement she makes which is felt by the grak-grak will enter his awareness too, by whatever magical connection he shares with the creatures.
She decides to start thinking, remembering, setting her mind to work on what she knows about grak-graks, as well as Soorec, and whether the group has ever found a way to properly stop them.

[ian_scho]

Haynuus followed the smell. He didn't need a perception check for that!

He thought for a while while they travelled... And wondered how to extract as much information as possible out of the gnome.

OOC - More later. enjoy the weekend Beo!

[ian_scho]

"Well lets hope you didn't hurt her with your magicks." Haynuus replied to the gnomes apparent lack of concern to Ameena's state of health. He tried to think about her and what she's done, what she said. He recalled once that she seemed to know far more about what was going on than he did. And he wondered... "So Ameena is still valuable as well?" Haynuus thinks he knew something about her that the half-orc didn't.

Later he realised the gnome's slip of the tongue. Dragat...? He knew of no such person but mentally pocketed the name for it's regurgitation later may come up useful.

Next Haynuus mentally shifted through his backpack but could find nothing of use to the obviously dishevelled Helm in there. His weapons were too cumbersome and passing him the curing fruit by slight of hand was too obvious to attempt. Perhaps he could get the revitalising fruit to him via more ordinary means... "Would you like some fruit, Mister Helm? My old shaman used to tell me that it's great for your ass but I always shied away from having so much of it in my diet." And with that he passed the fruit over, for it's hopeful consumption.

OOC - Do I need a roll to do that last bit? Have a free d20 (1d20=6)!

[beowuuf]

@Raixel: You haven't fully eaten recently, and I seem to recall some food drain somewhere. Sorry, going off the top of my head here. If you can cofirm this, then restore half the spells - rounding up. If not, then together with Petal following slowly behind, let's be nice and say restore full spells. Jumping in to the shadows was the real trick (was it successful). Petal will be so far back that I'm assuming not hearing well will buy her decent consealment. If you want to roll a new roll, you can, but be aware that it's a gamble. Roll low, and Petal could very well reveal herself when really she's doing nothing to confirm anything she may or may not have given away before. Then again, roll well and she might be able to get the drop on people down the line or I might grant a perception bonus Basically, roll well and she can concentrate on listening not sneaking, is how I see it.{/b}

Petal could hear Haynuus's questions drifting towards her and realised what he was saying a moment after he said it, her brain distracted by working out the distances and also ensuring she moved from scant cover to scant cover. That suspicious grak-grak had, after all, given her position a very speculative look before.

Petal noticed that there were discarded potion flasks just in the entrance to the corridor. At first she might have wondered if it was a trap, or some signal from the group. However, it seemed more likely that there were Soorec's own and he had prepared himself before meeting the group. Certainly the flasks looked old and dusty. And certainly, that seemed to speak of a lack of trust in meeting with the group that the anti-magic shield had already hinted at.

You can grab them - there are three - if you like.

Ameena tries to keep half an ear on the conversation around her, although of course her brain too registered what is said a moment later as she also tries to sift through thoughts and memories. The petal-dancer that trapped her, she dimly recalls, dissolved in her hands, didn't it? Or did it. Hopefully it did, that would mean it wasn't real, a trick. Of course, where the real one was she didn't know. Would Soorec have hurt it to make a copy? Would one of the grak-graks have killed it out of hand?

As for why she needed captured, of course they had killed Soorec's only means of knowing what was going on. And also who knew how much the oddly acting grak-grak had let him know even before that. Perhaps Soorec thought the party had been responsible? And after all, Soorec didn't really care about others, so he might not trust how much others cared about each other. He probably assumed the party didn't care about Helm, and so had set a trap to grab a useful member of the group, as it appeared. Haynuus was asking questions about Ameena which caused a distraction in such trains of thought.

If Soorec didn't think Helm was important anymore, then despite appearances was he relying on Ameena's presence and ca[ture to keep the group in check? If so, then what did that mean for Helm? Was he at the mercy of Soorec's whim, one wrong move seeing the man die?

It was a little distracting to recall other facets of grak-graks given that sort of thinking, and besides there was not too much more to know. Powerful clerics could make them flinch, but it seemed only healing magics actually hurt them. They could be knocked unconscious when the thing they were mimicing died. However, she dimly recalled - from memories that seemed 'off' - that the hurt done when they pretended to be someone didn't seem to affect them otherwise. A person could be almost dead, and yet when the grak-grak swapped form - as she recalled it doing at the last moment - it seemed in full health. The memory of stopping him before was still tantalisingly in the back of her mind like a fish in the depths of a pond. She recalled something about a mirror, but not what happened. Certainly, in her previous 'life', they did not dare kill the little gnome.


Just to reiterate (or iterate), just because I'm making there be bad consequences for it, don't think I'm steering you away from killing a 'favourite' NPC. You guys want him dead, and manage it, he's dead. No question nor GM intervention. You are the heroes and my guys are window dressing. Just make sure you mitigate or channel the consequences! You guys have played too well for the last year and a half for me to shield you from the world now


Not knowing Ameena had such thoughts in her head, not even able to tell if Ameena had thoughts runnign through her head anymore, Haynuus seemed to be left to carry on the conversation. Deephold was being oddly silent. Only as Haynuus was regretting his lack of knowledge, and having his circlet pointedly reminding hm there was a whole sea of other memories for the half-orcto draw from, did something else come to the fore. Soorec hates priests. Westian had earned a semi-pass somehow, but the truth was Soorec hated their hate of his 'little ones'. Deephold had also been captured originally by Soorec, and probably knew of this hatred first hand. deephold, perhaps realising that force of arms could not directly swing the day, seemed to be trying to keep to the background to stop Soorec's ire from rising. A good plan, if that's what Deephold was doing, but it did leave Haynuus a little at sea. His 'throw good intentioned words at a situation and hope it all turned out for the best' had a mixed track record so far.

The circlet meanwhile was stirring and reminding Haynuus he did know Dargat. Dargat was a powerful orc, and was once GHolst's second in command, a feared warrior and commander. Certainly, in another life, someone Haynuus could have looked up to instead of feel quesy about. Dargat was claimed dead, but Haynuus and the group - in their other strange life - had discovered that Gholst was the one dead. That Dargat was pretending to be Gholst.

...his body a sham... the ghost girl had once said!

There had been a schism between 'Gholst' and Dargat last time when the party had come here. This time, two weeks earlier, apparently the two were meeting along with Soorec, Garax and...the elf priest. Did that mean the schism hadn't happened yet? Or worse, did that mean the group's actions were actually starting to bind the blackskulls back together?

I thinjk we'd gone over part of this before, and some of it might have been OOC knowledge. Anyway, certainly with access to his other memories, and wit hthe circlet, Haynuus can have a few sudden revelations and recollections about these things.

At Haynuus's actual comments, Soorec looked around. "Was there a threat in there?" he asked in regards to the half-orc's comments on Ameena, looking to Haynuus's blade. Of course, the gnome smiled as if it were a joke, but certainly there was an undercurrent. Given that Haynuus had not really meant it like that, and the gnome had taken it badly, meant there was definitely tensions here to worry about. The gnome actually gave Haynuus a look mentioned Ameena's value. "I certainly hope so," he said, clearly a little in the dark at Haynuus's meaning, and in return saying something oddly cryptic in return. Although it certainly could echo Ameena's worry regarding Helm's perceived value.

The passing of the fruit seemed to break the tension a little, and Soorec went back to humming happily and walking on. Helm looked surprised at both being addressed, and also at being allowed to take it. He nodded gratefully, with great nervousness he took the fruit, looking to Soorec and the grak-graks many times first.

"Th-thank you," he stammered in a small, weak voice. "I feel like it's been...it's been a long time since I was out of here and had real food." For some reason, Helm shot Ameena a look when he said that, and there was a spasm as if of a remembered pain.

A moment later, it was his mirror images that spasmed. Helm was happily eating, perhaps daring to believe there might be hope. It took him a moment to realise something was wrong, and when Soorec glared at the grak-graks and then him. Helm dropped the fruit and took a step back, looking between Haynuus and Soorec.

"Oh this will NOT stand. Not at all! After everything I have done and abided!" said Soorec. The grak-graks pain had passed, Ameena painfully squeezed by the one holding her, although all now glared round to Helm and Haynuus. Their faces were starting ot melt.


Ok, roll initiative. I'm not sayign you are about to be attacked, I'm not saying you won't be. I'm saying roll initiative, as timing might be important You guys can start saying or start doing anything you like (as well as reacting to anything in the above update), but that's it.

Realistically, Ameena and Petal can't do much to react to the immediate thing. Petal is too far back trying to work out what's being said, and Ameena is thinking and playing dead. Raixel, if you decide to re-roll your hiding and get anything above 20, assume you hear exactly what Soorec said. Otherwise, Petal will just spot the group stopped and Soorec said something loudly. It will take her a moment to realise what it was.

Ameena, if you roll a very good initiative (over 20) and you think Ameena would instantly stop playing dead, then she can start moving. However, I'm guessing Ameena is likely to be passive until things seem to be turning, so unless she would just jump the second Soorec said anything, despite her not knowing exactly what is going on, then don'#t do it! No hedging bets!

[Ameena]

OOC - Apart from anything else, even if she stops playing dead Ameena's still being currently held by something that could easily rip her into several small pieces rather quickly...and she also currently still only has 10hp left. She also doesn't really know what exactly is going on - even if she heard the conversation all she'll gather is that Haynuus just gave Helm some fruit - she wasn't there for when the group found the fruit in the first place so all that might happen is that she'll wonder where he got it from since she doesn't know it's magical healing fruit. Anyway, Initiative = 16 (13+3).

[raixel]

*snicker* Wow. We are in a mess here. AFAIK, we bandied the idea of eating around, but didnt really go with it, or if we did we didnt hash it out very well. Im cool with the concept of 1/2 spells though. I was under the impression Petal at magic fruit at the tree. Maybe I forgot to add that in or edited it out without putting it back.

Petal hangs back to grab the 3 flasks left by Soorec before following along a decent ways behind the party. As the group walks, Petal sneaks up closer and closer as she tries to overhear what is being said. Stealth (1d20+9=26) BOOYA IC LOVES ME She sees Haynuus pass Helm the fruit and winces as she knows what is to come. Sure enough, within a few moments the grak-graks twitch in pain. The gnome stops and looks around, and Petal ducks behind an overhang to avoid being seen. She can clearly hear the anger in the gnomes voice, even if she cant quite make out every single word.

I guess the game is up now... she thinks to herself.

Petal waits for an opening, and still keeping to the shadows, moves up to the group while trying to avoid being seen by the gnome and his cronies. Double move if I have to, otherwise move action. If it doesnt take everything I will post my standard later

INIT (1d20+4=5) The good IC giveth, and the good IC taketh away...Houston, we have a nat 1.

[ian_scho]

OOC - lolzored. Initiative (1d20=18)

Haynuus leaps in there on the defensive, verbally speaking. "Wait! What have I done now? I was just trying to help the poor Mister Helm here?! I didn't know that your grak-grak's melt and twitch all the time and eating too much fruit can be dangerous to their health. How was I to know that? A diet of fruit makes my sphincter twitch too, just like your buddies here." Bluff check. (1d20-2=16)

"Tell you what. Why not change those things to ME, and let Mister Sneaky here eat his fruit? We'll all feel better for it." And with that he picked up the fruit from the floor and shoved it into Helm's hands. He then offered Soorec his best I'm just an innocent idiot look ever. Even his circlet had momentarily stopped nibbling on his frontal lobe while he performed the pinnacle of his method acting experience.

[beowuuf]

Will you need those initiative rolls and that charging pixie coming to the rescue?


The faces stopped as Haynuus, in an amazing demonsttration of speed and focal clarity, avoided his large tongue and managed to spit out some plausable - he hoped - words towards the gnome before violence erupted, sweeping up Helm and Ameena and possible Deephold. The grak-grak faces continued to be in mid-melt, again that grotesque not Helm anymore but not Haynuus yet expression. Well, except for the grak-grak that was alreadyHaynuus, giving Haynuus an unpleasant look. Haynuus could perhaps recall a wonderful time when he had not known what he looked like. Perhaps, one day, he would be able to see what he looked like and not have the feeling the mirror image was a thought away from trying to tear out his throat.

Soorec looked at Haynuus. Soorec looked for a longer time. The gnome slowly began to grin, though the grin did not reach his eyes. "Of course," he said, his eyes still not sparkling. At Haynuus's comment on the grak-grak's becoming Haynuus not Helm, Soorec's smile even froze. He looked to Helm, and then looked to Haynuus. It was, again, another long look.

"I'm sure it was an accident. Perhaps I was rash. Our friend here should eat his gift, and then we can get underway." The gnome gave a deadly serious and silent look to Helm, only glancing once down towards the fruit. The grak-graks split their glares between Haynuus and Helm, with alien watery eyes unblinking. Except for one eye on one, that blinked once with eyelids coming from the sides.

Helm looked as if he was about to faint. "Th- thank you," he said, the words hollow and dead. He picked up the fruit, dusted it off without looking at it, meeting Soorec's gaze with terror. Slowly, with apparently no enjoyment, Helm tried to choke down the dirt encrusted food. It seemed to take forever, with Helm noisily swallowing, and occasionally coughing loudly in the silence. For some reason the coughing seemed to distress Helm the most.

Only once Helm finally finished, and gave a sad and fake smile to Soorec, did the gnome then turn to Haynuus as if nothing had happened, smiling and eyes shining himself. "Of course, accidents happen!" said the gnome, turning around and gesturing for the group to carry on forward again, ignoring Helm coughing once more.

Haynuus could see that, for some reason, all the grak-graks had become Helm.


So have you guys escaped unscathed? Haynuus is free to roll a sense motive check in return to figure it out, or Ian as a player you can go with your gut. Ameena is still curled up, Deephold will be readying actions based on what Haynuus is doing, and of course Petal has remained hidden a little closer to the group than before.

Reactions, thoughts, and I might go for a follow up update tomorrow at lunch

[Ameena]

OOC - I promise I'll do something as soon as I see a chance to do so and get away with it! Right now Ameena still doesn't want to give away that she's awake, despite the fact that she wants her friends to know she's alright.

[raixel]

Petal peers out from behind the chunk of rock she is using as cover, carefully shading her eyes with her hand so a stray flicker of light would not cause them to shine. She hears Haynuus' words as she is looking around for a closer place to sneak to, one where she could strike at the gnome. But when she realizes what the half-orc is trying to do she stops and smiles. Even though Haynuus appeared to be stupid, Petal knew he had a natural cunning that could come out when it was greatly needed, like now. She tenses and waits, watching the group closely, then relaxes as she hears Soorec's reply. As she watches the human Helm cower and look at Soorec in fear as the gnome glares at him, her lip curls in disgust.

"What a weak-minded human... she thinks to herself. Why are my companions so concerned with this coward? From what the other have said, he not only is obviously weak, but a thief and a traitor. I will never understand humans. This 'helm' should be grateful that he has had a chance to eat the sacred VI fruit, yet he drops it on the ground like a piece of food from a common market!

The pixe continues watching, filled with disgust for both the gnome and his human prisoner. When the group moves off she can see that ll the grak-graks have become the human again.

Good. At least now I dnt have to worry about hurting Haynuus if I hit a formstealer. she thinks grimly as she follows along behind the ragged group.

[ian_scho]

"Thanks again" repeated Haynuus as he really was grateful for a bit of leeway as to his intentions. To be honest he had handed the fruit over to a pale Helm in an attempt to get him to feel better and had overlooked the fact that it would hurt the grak-graks... Until after he had handed the fruit over and it was only then his circlet informed him of the possible consequences of his actions. He cast a glance over to the human and he looked a bit pinkier now, which was always good sign for them. Although thinking about it he recalled once wandering around some docks and a few of the women-folk there were practically painted in shades of red and they seemed to be the healthiest of the species that he'd ever seen.

Shaking his head to clear it he continued. He didn't see the pixie but was confident that she was not far behind due to her overly inquisitive nature. Ameena continued to be lifeless yet according to Soorec somewhat comfortable. And finally Helm was trotting along a bit dandier now. Finally Deephold appeared to be making great effort in occupying as little space as possible as he moved. It was some priest trick he assumed. Finally he turned his attention to Brighteyes. (1d20+2=4) The light was not good, and Haynuus was a wee bit too nervous to push the situation but he tried to see if the gnome's intentions were negative anyway. "...Sooooo every-things going to be all right then, yes?" It was a somewhat pathetic attempt to divine any ulterior motive that Soorec might have but in Haynuus' mind it did work on the few orcish warlords he'd met (or especially when orcish warlord's discreetly asked their wives that very question).

[beowuuf]

"Indeed," said Soorec, as a small 'snap' happened. The two grak-graks infront of Haynuus had already started to melt, and so only one of the two behind Haynuus collapsed. And he stood up a moment later afetr his fellow smacked him.

Helm, however, simply collapsed with no more than a sigh on the ground.

Soorec turned back. "I'm sure we all understand one another now," said Soorec. The grak-graks started turning in to Haynuus. "Take the thief with us if any of you care, and I might restore his life. If you are good." Soorec actually sighed sadly. "Thioguh I don't think you care about anyone but yourselves..."

"MONSTER!" yelled Deephold, lifting mace and starting to move towards the gnome. The gnome turned round, anger on his face...


Ok, so we know Haynuus is first in the initiative order, and Petal's slow initiative will be because she is so far away (no, she doens't need to trip :p). Anyway, Haynuus's bluuf roll was decent, Soorec barely rolled better to sense motive. It wa a little muddy, so he's basically just goign to want to make an example and try a different way to keep you guys in check. But you can see he's at the end of his patience. Of course, killing Helm means Deephold and Ameena might be a little bit emoptionally invested in doing nasty things so poor Haynuus has a two front war. Still, at least Petal doens't have to blast Helm, that might have been party splitting in a different way.

So, you know, we'll see how this all pans out. You guys know that dead doens't have to be dead, but does Soorec really have ressurection at the end of this walk, or would you have to locate an Altar yourself and hope Helm's spirit and Larethian/Titiana's grace were strong enough to bring him back?

Anyway, good luck! Make the right choices and quickly, or this good go south very quickly!

[Ameena]

As she hears the sudden sound, Ameena finds that she knows, without any doubt, what has happened - perhaps fortunately, though, she is so shocked by it that she doesn't even move. Helm is dead. Her friend is dead. She still fails to understand how one creature can kill another so easily - the ways of predators she understands. They, after all, are killing so that they can eat, so that they can survive, and so consume the body of whatever they've killed in order to benefit from it and make use of the life energy they take. But those who kill simply because they can, and then leave the body as some kind of...message...those she can never hope to understand. Such things are just too far outside a murafu's way of thinking.
Her thoughts become something of a blur, and she isn't sure what to do. She is somehow quite certain that Deephold's intentions are obvious, and wonders whether he knows what will happen if he kills Soorec, or whether he's simply temporarily forgotten due to his own shock at what's just happened to one of his friends.
If he kills Soorec...
But Soorec was brought back. That means Helm can come back! Ameena belatedly remembers that death here isn't quite the same as it is in the outside world - the spirits of things that die don't fully leave, and can be put back into their bodies by using one of those...big...stone...table...things. So if they can get away from Soorec, maybe they can find one, and use it, before Helm's body starts to smell too bad. But for now, never mind Soorec - there is one thing she feels she should concentrate on above everything else, just in case Deephold does strike the gnome down.
Destroy the grak-graks!
Ammena abruptly writhes around, grabbing the remaining healing potion from its pouch and glad she hadn't used it yet. Then she squirms about and attempts to pour it into the face of the grak-grak holding her - the creature might not have any ichor-oozing wounds, but it has eyes, and a mouth, and therefore a way for her to get the liquid inside it.
After this, she attempts to get down from the grak-grak, leaping to the ground and trying to avoid its grab.

OOC - Um, well, I'm not entirely sure what I need to roll there. Does Ameena get Combat Advantage through surprise? Well, I'll roll an attack for the pouring-the-healing-potion-down-the-gob and an Acrobatics to try and then leap away to a nearby square of unoccupied space (if there is one). Oh, incidentally it was an Um-level healing potion if you weren't sure. Anyway, attack roll = 27 (18 +9, though subtract 3 if a healing potion doesn't count as a light/natural weapon for her Weapon Finesse to count). Acrobatics to get-the-fuck-out-of-there = 32 (17+15). Ooh, I'm rather liking those rolls . Hey, did you want me to roll "damage" for the healing potion as well? Hey, wouldn't it be cool (for me ) if the attack caught the grak-grak by surprise and so did Sneak Attack damage...ooh shit no wait, that wouldn't work anyway 'cause it's undead. Ooh, add another two to the attack roll if it was a surprise . Anyway, in case I get to roll "healing/damage" for the potion, it does 5 (3+2). If I've done that all wrong let me know and I'll roll whatever I was supposed to roll instead (or just keep those nice roll sbut use them for something else ).

[beowuuf]

The healing potion is essentially poisoning the grak-grak, doing damage that way. You can't sneak attack poison :p Basically, doing full hesaling damage is managing to 'sneak attack'# it means you got the bulk on target, instead of spilling it.

The way this works is you get a surprise movement action (retrieving the potion). After that. it's normal actions, and the grak-grak is holding you, so technically you are grappled. I believe getting free with an escape artist check is a standard action, so you kinda need to choose to either attack now and free yourself next go assuming you don'tget torn apart, ooooor you could free yourself this go, and I'd let Ameena stay on the grak-grak to try and attack next go. But of course the grak-grak would try to snag her again so she might end up in the same predicament if you can't keep pulling these good rolls off

[Ameena]

OOC - Oh is it Escape Artist to get out of grapples in this version? Okay, hehe - there isn't an Escape Artist skill in 4th edition so it uses either Acrobatics vs. Reflexes or Athletics vs. Fortitude, depending on how you want to try and get yourself free of the grapple. In that case Ameena will use the health potion now (while she's still close enough to do it - after all, she'd need to physically climb up the grak-grak to perform this attack were she starting from the ground), and the attempted escape will have to be next turn, provided she survives long enough to be able to do so . So can I just turn that Acrobatics roll into an Escape Artist check instead, then, and let it roll over to next go? The total would be 27 (17+10). I thought Escape Artist was just for untying knots and stuff, didn't think about grapple evasion 'cause I hadn't read about that mechanic in this verison, lol. Though as Ameena only has 10hp left, I'm not hugely confident about her surviving the rest of this round unless she can incapacitate her grak-grak enough with the health potion .

[raixel]

Yeah, but technically isnt a potion tiny, so you can attempt to use it without getting free and just take a -4 penalty? Escape artist can be used for a lot of stuff. Thats the cool thing about skills, if you think a skill can be used for something, ask the DM. I have a cool book of 'new uses for skills' that gives a lot of cool ideas for different checks using skills in different situations

Petal crouches on a tiny ledge halfway up the wall that is buried in shadows, only using her wings to keep her balance, as the ledge is really nothing more than where the rock of the dungeon wall has settled over time, causing a small protrusion. From her position she can see the group clearly, althought they couldnt see her (she hopes). She can hear Haynuus' deep voice, as well as the annoyingly whiny voice of the gnome. She wonders what they are talking about. The grak-graks' start to melt and suddenly the human, Helm, collapses soundlessly to the ground, appearing dead. The entire party stops for a second in shock, then Deephold raises his mace and shouts at the gnome.

Well , at least I dont have to worry about that kraat'il human tagging along with us now... the pixie thinks.

Even though the party seems horrified by the gnome's actions, Petal was waiting for him to do something like this. After all, this IS the way evil and broken beings act, is it not? She was just glad it wasnt someone she had sworn her oath to, or by the laws of her people she would be required to do her best to slay the killer. But since it isnt, she waits, not wanting to reveal her position until battle is joined.

Petal delays

[beowuuf]

Yes, my point was that while she is free to attack while grappled, escape artist is a standard action use on her turn only, so if she makes the attack she misses her best chance to escape from the grapple, so risking being crushed or have her neck snapped by the grak-grak on its turn.

[ian_scho]

It was suicide to attack, thought Haynuus. He really didn't like the gnome but that last act confirmed that he could neither work for nor be associated with him. If the others didn't act he could have carried the corpse to be resurrected at a later date to try to escape but then...

Deephold. With murder in mind he advances to the gnome, and Haynuus recalled the affection Deephold possessed for the human. It would take some persuasion to prevent a fight here, especially as Haynuus himself really wanted to be as far away from the gnome as possible (such as Soorec residing in the land of his Gods that he worshipped). But then on top of this and much to Haynuus's surprise Ameena jumps up and with an act that was almost humorous yet murderous shoved the neck of what looked like a VI potion down the throat of a grak-grak. Ye gods, it was almost evil. He'd never seen anything like it yet it was the perfect act of mental cunning and grace all helped by the fact that the thing was carrying Ameena in the first place. Genius.

What to do? Four grak-graks, one terrible gnome and a party that's well down on their numbers.

"Waiiit!" He wondered if he would be able to stop the situation from exploding. Or if his party members wanted it to explode. "We'll follow you back, but you must let us resurrect Helm. He could then be let free, while we continue our business." With that he stood manfully between Deephold and Soorec (and not orcfully as that would include clubbing as well as the body check). "He obviously plays no part in your plans now, so we need you to help us breath life back into his body." He then he tried talking to Deephold. "Without Soorec we can't get Helm back home. Not alive anyway." To Ameena "Stop that! It's silly!" (this is the second time he's said that to her now). And to Soorec, with his arms open and eyes looking doleful, "Ye bastard". It was an unusual way to finish his attempts at persuasion but in the orcish lands finishing like this was an act of submission. The other races didn't always understand the nuances of orcish conversation.

Haynuus regarded all of this talking in a difficult situation to be practically suicide as he always makes a mess of it. But then doing nothing would be suicide. Fighting would be suicide. Oh suicide! OOC - A random d20 (1d20=15).

[beowuuf]

I'll let Ameena indicate OOC if she'll stop or not. Obviously physically bodychecking Deephold at the very least means he can't swing this round. Petal delaying helps too.

[Ameena]

OOC - Hmm...no, I think Ameena wil carry on - she's too much in shock at what just happened to Helm that although she did briefly recall the fact that he can be rezzed, she's forgotten it again in the adrenaline rush and she can't just continue to sit still while Soorec has her friends murdered. She still feels kind of guilty about leaving Helm behind (though she knows that wasn't her fault, she also knows what kind of situation he was in when she left him, and can see that things clearly haven't got much better for him since they parted), and I think she was probably just a few steps away from starting to writhe in disgust at the stench and feel of the creature carrying her. Besides, I think it's about time the little pacifistic murafu had an attempt to kick some arse. Even if that arse then kicks her back and finishes her off. I'm not entirely expecting her to survive this, really, considering her current hp level, but despite a murafu's normal acceptance of death, this on top of everything else that's happened during her stay in the dungeon has had something of a significant effect on her . At least if she dies and isn't around to speak up for Helm, Deephold (and hopefully Haynuus) will be voting for picking his body up and rezzing him. I can see Petal and Ameena having a bit of a clash over his "value", for want of a better word .