Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
"He doesn't?" Elowen replied almost instantaneously, having said the words before even considering what they might have implied. Her first instinct was, for some reason, laced with negativity. She wanted to go on about the Torin she knew--the one who so recklessly chose to help free her from the clutches of his very own community--and the fact that he'd be accompanied by an angel who was near death just moments earlier.
But after pausing for a moment to clear her mind, she thought better of it. The unknown 'elf' was only trying to help bring her mind at ease, which was better than could be said for many of the refugees who were far more focused on their own well-being, both physically and mentally. Elowen would be a fool not to appreciate the stranger's efforts at comforting her, and in a moment of clarity she realized as much. The druid sighed and conceded a small smile that, while faint, was not insincere. "No, you're right. Thank you. I'm Elowen, by the way. And this is Snow, my companion. The kobolds are also my friends, but it might take me longer to introduce them, so I'll make sure that everyone is properly acquainted when we get the chance."
Idly, she ran a hand down the length of the great cat's back as she made her introduction. Though even as she did so, she strode along with purpose, waving for the other refugees to follow. All she could do for now was to focus on the task at hand, and that was to get herself, the elf, and everyone else away from danger. Elowen steeled her heart. With any luck they would have a straight shot out of here, and that was the best she could wish for, along with Torin's safety. Still, she couldn't help but continue talking, finding it to have an oddly comforting effect, even if it was to a total stranger. "Terrible time to be caught here of all places, isn't it? But I'm glad we at least found a way out. The last place I want to die is in a tunnel like this. I should have a word with the person who thought it would be a great idea to put an entire ecosystems' worth of fecal matter in tunnels as tight as these! When I finally get to breathe the air outside, I'll be sure to be that much more thankful."
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
Torin: HP = 48, PP = 46, EP = 27/58, Status = Fine, Astrologer's Boon X = 5, Upkeep = 0, Clothes at 10/25 TP
Elowen: HP = 50, PP = 48, EP = 35/96, Status = Fine
Cosi: HP = 62, PP = 39, EP = 54/85, Status = Fine, Psychic Shield X = 6, Upkeep = 0
NPC Stats
Snow: HP = 32, PP = 23, EP = 25, Status = Fine
Valkyrie: HP = 180/190, PP = 125, EP = 45/270, Weakened x3
Kobolds: (Overlord Bonus of +10 Body and +4 AV)
Nathye, fine
Beorhtio, fine
Narder, fine
Behrtio, fine
Arket, fine
Gyles, fine
Theoda, fine
Alten, fine
Gilas, fine
"Lets make sure that it doesn't mean that! Nobody else needs to die today!" the Traveler replied in a solemn and firm tone to Torin's promise, and then awaited his exchange with Elowen to conclude before he would say to her and Cosil; "Just follow that passage for about a mile, and you'll find a door made out of old flimsy wood. Very out of place, easy to spot with a bit of light or night vision. Get through that, and there's a short passage followed by an easy to miss grate on your right, that's what you're looking for! It's iron, but it comes right off, you'll find the hidden dock just a ways past it. I don't know if there's anyone there still, but there was a boat there last I checked!"
The disguised mermaid and nymph would be allowed to go past the three who had decided to fight for the fate of the city, Cosi's well wishes receiving a nod of acknowledgement from the angel and the mysterious man and possibly one from Torin as well, and then the civilians that they had fought so hard to save - marshaled by the kobolds that Elowen had summoned and the beggar who had tried to help Torin out in the alley - followed after them as they went on their way. The kobolds followed along dutifully, keeping everyone together while Cosi and their summoner were left to lead the way, and at least initially they went unopposed. Well after they had left Torin, the angel, and the mysterious stranger behind, however, they heard what sounded of claws scraping against stone and metal and teeth gnashing against flesh and bone coming from up ahead. Snow would let out a low growl from his position beside Elowen, the great cat moving to protect his companion immediately despite his continued weakness from the wounds and illness that she had found him with, but for the moment nothing sprung forth to strike at them. The kobolds stopped and shushed their followers should Elowen stop, and how they wished to proceed would be left up to the druidess as far as they were concerned.
There were a couple of options, the most simple of which being simply going forward to meet whatever might be making the sound. Alternatively, there was a corner up ahead where the sewers formed a turn followed by another turn in order to keep going in the same direction, so someone capable of stealth going up ahead to see what might be lying in wait for them might provide some more information. A metal door stood embedded in the wall off to their right, but it was locked and made of enough iron that their magics and the kobolds wouldn't be able to open it with any ease, at least not without making noise. A more narrow passageway lay just ahead at the turn on their left, which would allow them to possibly navigate a way around the obstruction but would risk getting them lost. What Elowen and Cosi decided on would be up to them, however, unless they should ask for input from any of the group that followed them.
Torin and his two companions, in the meantime, had troubles of their own. "Come on," the Traveler said stoically, "we need to get back to the surface and then wait for the right moment to get up to that ship. I don't know for sure what'll happen once we're up there, but if we can get through the ship to the control chamber and kill the Lord that's controlling the ship, it'll be defenseless. Then we just need to get out before the angels come in and destroy it!" He led Torin and the as yet unnamed angel past the door from which he had appeared and down the longer route that he had seen, having pointed Elowen and their group of refugees down the passage through which he had come, and soon enough he had brought them to a ladder leading back up to the street. The Traveler took it first, and then the angel offered to let Torin ascended ahead of her, blushing and gesturing with the hem of her robe if he made any gentlemanly insistence on the matter. "No offense, but... Peeking under my dress can wait until after we're through this alive, if it comes to that."
The Traveler, whether privy to the angel's suggestive quip or not, quickly glanced down from the top and said; "Oi! Now isn't the time for fooling around!" The angel glanced up at him with a depressingly grim quirk of her lips, and however the two ended up coming to the top of the ladder they would find themselves in a bathing room, a large shower chamber meant for group bathing. Small bursts of valuable fresh water would come from pipes attached to spouts on the walls and ceiling, allowing those within to rinse themselves with towels and water. Currently it was both empty and dry, but outside through the narrow windows that sat near where the ceiling and walls met they could still see the monstrous thing hovering overhead, and the horde of abominations raining down from it onto the last bastion of the civilization left to Torin's people.
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
Cosi flinched at the initial backlash of the words she spoke, shrinking away from the wrath of Elowen. What had she brought upon herself? But, luckily, the nymph eased up and Cosi could at least offer a somewhat nervous grin.
At the introductions, the fishy elf gave each individual a polite nod of recognition. She was tempted to pet Snow as she wondered what the fur must feel like; there isn't much in the way of fluffy softness in the ocean, after all. "My name is... Cosi," she hesitated, wondering if having such a name as an apparent elf would rouse any curiosity about her true nature. "It is a pleasure to meet you all. I must also thank you all as well. I do not want to know what might have happened had I not come across you or Torin."
"Agreed, I will certainly not take clean water and air for granted after seeing, and smelling, this vile, foul filth," she responded. "This is not how I thought my first visit to Srikloeth-Tonn would have go-"
Cosi stopped, holding her breath as she listened. She quickly waved for everyone to stop and quiet down as her legs lowered her slowly. After a quick observation of the situation, in her opinion, she could rule out the door as an option. The branch off the passageway was similarly not a good choice. Who knew if it would ever even take them back towards this passage or anywhere near their intended destination (assuming the traveler still wasn't lying to them). Cosi swallowed nervously before whispering to Elowen, "Wait. I'll check."
The oceanic druid padded forward towards the corner. Exhaling slowly, she called forth power, as the aura about her shifted into the shape of a squid. Tentacles formed from the energies that surrounded her, sprouting out behind her. She briefly glanced at the others before she cautiously peeked around the corner and proceeded forward, her skin seeming to shift color to match the dark colors of the environment around her.
Action: Wild Shape (Cat), X=8 (Upkeep=3)
Melee damage, stealth, and perception increased by 32 = 4*8
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
The Traveler's words continued to instill Torin with a confidence that had been absent since the invasion began. How many of his people had he watched die or become befouled by these merciless invaders, without the knowledge or power to stop them? The answer was too many. But the Traveler was a sign. He had the knowledge, the plan that could save this city. Wasn't that reason enough to do something besides running?
Running had been all that Torin knew to do. He had fought at first. He and a good number of friends had fought against the invaders, and they had all died. All but him. You can only lose so many loved ones, be defeated so much, before you learn to flee before a superior predator. Yes, Torin would kill the beasts when they were weak and isolated, but he did not have the power by himself to defeat such enemies.
Now the Traveler was offering him a way to do so. It wasn't bravery that motivated Torin to join the man, it was fatigue. Torin was tired of running. Tired of losing. He did these only because he had no other choice. It was flee or die. Now the Traveler had given him hope for a third choice, and if he ended up dying this time, well - so be it.
He was happy that Elowen hadn't put up any sort of fight or shown a desire to join him on what was likely a suicide mission. He'd saved this fairy from horrible servitude once, it would be a shame to have done so only to let her meet a worse fate today.
He gave the nymph a waning smile. "I think we're well and truly beyond not doing something stupid, but yeah, I'll see you on the other side."
Torin turned and nodded to the Traveler, and once they had split off from the others, the Su-Ku-Ta braced himself for a final desperate act of defiance. The angel's voice had become softer now that they were doing something that seemed to coincide better with her higher purpose. He wondered if it was pity that drove the angel to joke with him at the bottom of the ladder as he paused to let her go up first, or if she did find him a more comfortable companion knowing that he was likely about to die in an act of bravery.
"No offense, but... Peeking under my dress can wait until after we're through this alive, if it comes to that."
"Bargain struck," Torin answered the angel as he began to climb the ladder. "Though I don't even know your name," he added as he climbed toward the surface.
Whether she answered him or not, Torin would keep his eyes focused on the Traveler ahead of them and would follow and do as the man said. He had no reason to doubt that the Traveler was guided by a higher power, perhaps visions from the Star God himself. If there was someone to follow into the maw of death, he could do far worse than to follow this man with a beautiful angel by his side.
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
Elowen's brow furrowed as she caught the sound of scratching... and of feeding, or something like it. Having spent as much time as she did in the Crolian tundra, the crack of bone and the tearing of sinew was familiar enough to her, and almost assuredly meant either a freshly made kill or a scavenger getting its fill. It was a worrisome enough noise in and of itself, but her faithful companion released a growl that would confirm the suspicious echoes as characteristic of a threat. Given the circumstances they were in, with the invaders on their heels, the druid would not be so foolish as to ignore such warnings, and so she stretched her left arm out to the side for the civilians behind her to stop.
She quietly considered her options. The first would be to meet it in combat, as it could very well simply be an overgrown rat or something of the sort--though getting innocents involved in such a scuffle, especially against a decidedly more agile creature like the hunters, was not a particularly appealing prospect when she gave it another thought. Alternatively, another iron door awaited to the right... not an option that appealed to her at all. The tan-skinned beauty sighed, inwardly cursing this civilization's apparent obsession with such an element. It was almost as if the city itself had conspired to keep fae in (or out) of their limits!
Then, a glance to her left would show her yet another alternate route. It would be troublesome, to be sure. The mysterious figure from earlier, the Traveler, directed them to keep going straight for what was no doubt the shortest path to the ocean from there. Whether or not that was the truth was another matter, but it was one that Elowen was in no mood to contemplate too much at the time. It was better than blindly searching their way through the labyrinthine network of tunnels, which was what they would no doubt end up doing if they were to take a detour. No, their best option, at least with regards to making it out in a timely manner, was to go straight regardless of what lay ahead.
But just as Elowen began to mentally steel herself for the possibility of combat, Cosi gave a brief offer to scout ahead, to which she nodded. The 'elf' then put a unique mantle of power on display. It was, without a doubt, a form of druidic power... but not a variety that the boreal druidess had ever seen herself. Whereas her animal forms were a bit more direct, this one appeared to be more of a spectral extension, and of a specific sea animal at that. It likely took some degree of communion with the ocean to gain such a boon.
It reminded her that she needed to prepare, as well. She hadn't the slightest idea of what waited ahead of them, but she knew that it certainly wouldn't hurt to take her own precautions while waiting, and so she did. Remembering the cold bite of the tundra's winter winds, she focused the energy that had been so deeply ingrained into her soul and being, fashioning it around herself as she would a dress or cloak. It resulted in a snowy, crystal white sheen upon her normally green robes. The aura was relatively faint, lighter than she normally used for tougher situations, but it was enough so as not to use much of her energy as she waited in silence for the other druid to return.
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
Torin: HP = 48, PP = 46, EP = 27/58, Status = Fine, Astrologer's Boon X = 5, Upkeep = 0, Clothes at 10/25 TP
Elowen: HP = 50, PP = 48, EP = 32/96, Status = Fine, Frost Armor X = 3, Upkeep = 0
Cosi: HP = 62, PP = 39, EP = 46/85, Status = Fine, Psychic Shield X = 6, Wild Shape: Cat X = 8, Upkeep = 3
NPC Stats
Snow: HP = 32, PP = 23, EP = 25, Status = Fine
Valkyrie: HP = 180/190, PP = 125, EP = 45/270, Weakened x3
Kobolds: (Overlord Bonus of +10 Body and +4 AV)
Nathye, fine
Beorhtio, fine
Narder, fine
Behrtio, fine
Arket, fine
Gyles, fine
Theoda, fine
Alten, fine
Gilas, fine
Rolls
Cosi activates Wild Shape: Cat X = 8 and sneaks forward!
Stealth (Cosi) : Success.
Perception (Cosi) : Success.
Elowen activates Frost Armor X = 3 and holds position.
~~~~Elowen and Cosi~~~~
Striking forth while Elowen was left to wait with the others, Snow softly growling beside the druidess, Cosi ventured forth to find out what might lie in the passageway ahead of them. The form she had chosen to empower herself with, that of what the Su-Ku-Ta called the chameleon squid and what her own people considered an animal too sacred to give name to, was a creature with a venomous stinger at the end of each of its tentacles that had the ability to camouflage itself with the environment around it. They were a familiar danger to her people, but Cosi, as a druid, had long been able to swim past them without worrying about feeling the effects of their deadly neurotoxin first hand. The aspect of the creature on which she called not only made her more dangerous, but allowed her similar stealth, making her all but invisible even to Elowen and her companions who had watched her vanished against the stone.
Peaking around the corner, she found a grisly scene indeed. The chamber had been collapsed in somehow, the scorch marks on the edges of the hole suggesting magic of some sort, and apparently a few people had either been caught in the collapse or come down here in search of safety. Half a dozen of the reptilian aliens they had seen now hunched over them, the squat humanoid figures balanced on all fours as they tore chunks of meat from the dead bodies with only their mouths and the occasional use of their massive claws. These were different from the others they'd seen in the streets before when they'd been fighting to reach the sewers, however, possessing small bony crests above their brows, longer claws, and thicker bodies. What that might mean was something that she could only guess at, but the creatures were a danger and an obstacle, five of them spread throughout a roughly fifty foot long and twenty foot wide stretch of tunnel and a sixth barely more than ten feet away from Cosi and blended into the wall just like she was, her magically enhanced senses having been the only thing allowing her to sense the one watching out for their tunnel.
~~~~Torin, the Traveler, and Krisdiel~~~~
The armored angel grinned at Torin for his ready acceptance of her quip, and as he climbed ahead of her and mentioned that he hadn't even heard her name she casually replied; "Krisdiel."
Once they were all up top, the Traveler moved to the doorway only for Krisdiel to stop him by holding out an arm in front of him. The man shot the angel an annoyed look, but she just smirked back and said; "You're the only one who knows what we're looking for, and I'm the one in plate armor. I go first, you stay in the middle. Torin, make sure nothing sneaks up on us." With that firmly established, the angel strode through the door leading out of the public shower and quickly checked both sides, and as nothing leaped at her it was seemingly clear. They stepped then into the changing area, where su-ku-ta men and women would undress and redress after cleansing themselves, which was as empty as the bathing room they'd entered..... Seemingly. A trio of pools of grimy looking water had collected in pockets on the floor somehow, obscuring the stone beneath.
"Watch out, stay away from those puddles.... They-" Krisdiel began, only for the Traveler to wave a hand around while clenching something between his fingers. The three puddles spasmed violently as he did so, briefly forming humanoid shapes, but then slid back down to the floor and dissolved into the stone. "Haven't got time for that! Those were just small fry, and we need to deal with the bigger fish! Come on! Lets get outside!" he announced casually, and then gestured for the angel to lead on.
She did, and soon enough they stepped out into the reception area, which was empty, and then - after checking to make sure that it wasn't swarming with invaders - found that it was mostly clear in the immediate vicinity of the doorway. Once out in the open again, dangerously exposed, they would see some of the falling invaders turn toward them on their ponderous falls, but they would have a few seconds before the monsters arrived. "Torin," the Traveler said quickly, "do you have the ability to fly? If you do, we need to take off as quickly as we can! I, uhhhh, can't on my own, so one of you is going to have to carry me up there!" Krisdiel quickly added; "If you can carry the Traveler, I can make sure that they stay off of us while we get up to that ship."
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
Torin didn't argue with Krisdiel, though he watched the Traveler closely, trying to understand this odd man whom he had agreed to follow into almost certain death. He had done so on the man's reputation alone, and he didn't really know what to expect in the way of personality. He seemed full of energy, and walked with a confidence born of knowledge, but he did not give off an air of invulnerability, as Torin had hoped he might. Still there was much hidden about him and the male Su-Ku-Ta hoped that the Traveler would still manage to surprise him with hidden talent. What was certain was that Torin did not believe that he had the energy stores and ability to take on an Elder Lord even under the best of circumstances. Flying through a hell storm just to get to one would require a small miracle on Torin's part to stay alive. If he did get through, it would be up to Krisdiel and the Traveler to unleash whatever last strength they had to take out the enemy.
He nodded and said a simple "I can do that," when Krisdiel told him to take the rear.
They made their way through the bath houses, one of the simple luxuries of Su-Ku-Ta civilization that Torin had not taken part in for a long while, and only rarely. The casual way in which the Su-Ku-Ta regarded nudity and the combining of the sexes was exemplified in the co-sex nature of the bathhouses. Men and women and children bathed and changed side by side, with few problems because of the way women were owned in their society. Men would be suicidal to touch a female that was not theirs, but at the same time, if a certain female's beauty piqued a male's interest, then the bath houses were an excellent place to do business for the exchange of ownership. The Star Priests had not wanted him over-exposed to random females on display in bath houses, lest Torin's natural urges make him stray from the predestined breeding scheme that they had arranged for him. Only after the initial invasion had rocked the capital and changed his life irrevocably, had Torin taken the opportunity to use the baths, and by then, the cat people were not overly concerned with the sale of their womenfolk. The concerns of survival had overtaken them in priority.
Torin paused at the mention of the puddles, and recognized them for what they potentially were - slimes. He had seen them during his time in the resistance. He was preparing to sneak around them, as Krisdiel was suggesting, when suddenly the Traveler made a casual gesture and seemingly destroyed them without so much as breaking a sweat.
Not having much time to reflect on what had just happened, the trio were moving on, with the angel leading the way through the doorway to the entrance area, and then beyond into the outdoors, where they were immediately exposed. The Traveler's question about Torin's ability to fly struck the cat boy as odd.
"A fine time to ask, but yes, I can carry you there. It will be up to you and the angels to do the hard work."
So saying, Torin muttered a prayer in star cant and then let the gossamer threads of starlight gather about him and extend from his back, through the robes on his back and spread out with an impressive wingspan. Grabbing hold of the Traveler, Torin wrapped an arm about the man's torso and under his arm.
"Hold tight."
Torin turned to Krisdiel and gave her a nod. "Clear a path. I'll get him to the ship."
Without further ado, Torin braced himself and then leaped into the air with a massive whoosh of his astral wings as they propelled him into the sky. He concentrated all of his efforts on building up speed and avoiding enemies. His one driving focus was to get to that mother ship in one piece, as quickly as possible. He didn't have a clue what he'd do once he'd got there, but that wasn't for him to worry about just now.
Cast Astral Wings with 6 energy. Allows flight at double speed. +18 Dodge, + 12 Resistance, +12 AV. 0 Upkeep with Efficient Wielder.
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
Cosi's breath caught in her throat as she observed the grisly scene in front of her. Another moment and her stomach felt like it turned inside out. Her hands clasped over her mouth as she somehow managed to avoid revealing herself in a very non-flattering way. With her barely maintained composure, the merfolk carefully slid her way back, away from the feasting creatures, and back towards the group.
(Assuming she made it away) Cosi only revealed herself, her skin shifting back to 'normal' when she was well away from the aliens and with the others once more, as well as once more revealing the ethereal squid that loomed over her protectively. She swallowed nervously, as the gruesome images would not leave her mind. "We... can't go that way. There were six... things that we do not want to mess with. The ceiling also fell so more of them might just join if we try to fight our way past." No point in telling Elowen or anyone else about the unfortunate souls that were lost.
"What do we do?" The druid asked as she turned back towards the way she just came, nervously watching and listening if anything may have followed.
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
Elowen's stomach dropped as she caught the news. Even more threats. And, of course, the way she sought to use was blocked with them. The very reason they had been down there was to avoid those things in the first place. She had already spent no small amount of energy on summoning helpers by which to fight the ones on the surface, and yet there was no end in sight. Normally, having gathered that many helpers would have resulted in a swift and easy victory against nearly any squad of bandits or angry abominations... but this was just too much. Not to mention the crowd with them was liable to hold them back in the event of a fight. It was frustrating, to say the least, and she couldn't help but express as much with an exasperated sigh.
She figured that Cosi was no ordinary traveler herself, and so could only take her word for it. "We'll take the left route instead, then." Of course, this choice always presented the possibility of getting lost, but the druid had a safety measure in mind. Drawing a small seed from the pouch on her waist, and held it up to her lips, whispered a small prayer, and set it on the ground to her left. The seedling was of a plant called a 'pathfinder herb', native to certain parts of Anudor, and known for its incredibly long and threadlike roots. It was said that the discovery of such a plant could inevitably lead a thirsty traveler to a body of water. In this case, Elowen intended to use its abilities as sort of a string by which they could retrace their steps if they were to get lost, and so she channeled a smidge of growth magic into it, causing the roots to extend lengthwise as she moved along.
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
Torin: HP = 48, PP = 46, EP = 21/58, Status = Fine, Astrologer's Boon X = 5, Astral Wings X = 6, Upkeep = 0, Clothes at 10/25 TP
Elowen: HP = 50, PP = 48, EP = 31/96, Status = Fine, Frost Armor X = 3, Upkeep = 0
Cosi: HP = 62, PP = 39, EP = 37/85, Status = Fine, Psychic Shield X = 6, Wild Shape: Cat X = 8, Upkeep = 3
NPC Stats
Snow: HP = 32, PP = 23, EP = 25, Status = Fine
Valkyrie: HP = 180/190, PP = 125, EP = 33/270, Weakened x3, Energy Blade X = 18
Kobolds: (Overlord Bonus of +10 Body and +4 AV)
Nathye, fine
Beorhtio, fine
Narder, fine
Behrtio, fine
Arket, fine
Gyles, fine
Theoda, fine
Alten, fine
Gilas, fine
Rolls
Elowen uses an ability that I will explain as a use of Commune with Nature for 1 EP.
Torin uses Astral Wings X = 6 and takes off.
Cosi is going to get docked 3 turns worth of upkeep for having her buff active.
Krisdiel activates Energy Blade X = 12, effectively X = 18.
~~~~Elowen and Cosi~~~~
Placing her seed in a patch of earth that had somehow gathered on the stony floor of the sewer, Elowen put a tiny burst of magic into the plant, prompting it to grow even with the minor nutrients, sunlight, and water available to it. It would follow them with its roots, digging through the worked stone with ease, and provide a way for them to get back to this point an prevent them from wandering in circles. The beggar who had tried to help Torin earlier looked in awe at the suddenly sprouting herb, and Cosi with her enhanced senses and Elowen with her natural perceptiveness, would hear him mutter; "Pathfinder herb... Where did she get the seeds for that? They're so rare." He seemed to be talking to himself, but Elwoen could offer a response if she so wished.
Taking the left path as silently as they could, Elowen, Cosi, and their company of refugees being marshaled by the kobolds that Elowen had called upon, and with Snow carefully picking his way along beside the druidess, they found themselves in a veritable maze of tunnels. Several times on that trip, Cosi had to lead them around a group of aliens that she had detected before anyone else. The passage of time was impossible to determine, and several times the plant she had summoned told them that they were about to double back on themselves if they didn't take a different route. That proved to be a valuable way of waving time, at least, and after time unknown they came upon a portion of the passage that was a part of the one that the Traveler had told them to go down as marked by being in line with the passage where the plant she'd used to guide them originated.
A short while later they would find themselves, as they'd been told, at a sturdy wooden door. It was locked, firmly, but only the latch was made of iron, and they could try to get around it however they wished.
~~~~Torin, the Traveler, and Krisdiel~~~~
The Traveler wrapped an arm around Torin's body in turn, holding tightly to his torso as he enacted the magic that would allow him to fly. Krisdiel spread her own wings in turn, a blade of light appearing on the angel's hand, and with a weave of wind she was off and into the monster-filled air. Torin's own magical wings produced only a ghostly wave of wind, their lift provided by almost purely supernatural means rather than the physical means used by the angel's wings.
The first portion of their journey would come without any sort of resistance, the falling aliens unable to reach them in any capacity, but as they ascended above the top of the city's tallest spires the cloud began to thicken around them. Avoiding the sweeping claws of hunters and the deceptively long reach of grabbers and slimes was easy enough even then, but when a bolt of lightning passed by Torin and the Traveler, missing them by inches, Krisdiel had to dash aside and kill one of the black slimes as it floated downwards. A swarm of skyrays, small flying aliens that latched onto the faces of others and injected them with poison, threatened to descend upon Torin and the Traveler just as the angel was dealing with the magic spewing threat, and again the Traveler displayed his abilities by waving a hand and causing over a dozen of the creatures to divert from their course.
Krisdiel was before them again in mere moments, slashing away anything that they couldn't avoid, and as desperate as their ascent was it worked. A juggernaut very nearly grabbed their guardian out of the air as it fell, but she narrowly avoided it and took its arm as recompense for its failure. Torin and his passenger had numerous similar close calls, but Torin's aerial agility allowed him to avoid each one in turn. Finally, they arrived at the titanic grey surface that was the vessel's hull, and with a single swipe of her energy blade Krisdiel cut a way through the hull and into a dank, fleshy chamber within. Torin and the Traveler passed through the hole moments before it closed, and a glance around would find them in a huge hallway that ran in only two directions, left and right.
"Border hallway... Probably runs 'round the entire ship. We need to get out of it and into the main body of the ship before we're noticed," the Traveler said quickly as he disengaged from Torin and took a look around. It was dark to the point of being pitch black in the halls, but Krisdiel and her energy blade were emitting enough light that they could still see comfortably, if not very far. "Which way?" Krisdiel asked quickly, casting her glowing blue eyes about for signs of danger. It was eerily quiet in the damp, humid hallway, the first time since the ship had appeared overhead that Torin had had a moment free of the clamor of the slaughter going on down below. "That way," the Traveler replied, and started off with Krisdiel beside him. If Torin had any preparations that he'd like to make as they set off on the next portion of their suicidal mission, it would be best to make them now.
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
It was a war zone unlike anything Torin had ever been a part of. He had seen disaster, time and again, plague his people - but never had he entered the thick of it, taking flight into a sky choked on the swarms of the alien enemy, buzzing at him like an infernal hive of desert hornets, each one looking to send him to his death with one vile sweep of its claw or tentacle. His wings augmented his speed and reaction time, using the celestial energy of the stars and the destiny they represented to bend fate ever so slightly in his favor as he ascended higher and higher into the hellscape that awaited him above the spires of the last bastion of his people.
After a point, the stark terror that he felt had given way into a numbing surrealism, where every action and reaction that he made felt as if it were occurring in slow motion, and that he was more an observer than a participant in this cacophony of motion. Instinct mingled with a focus borne on the wings of necessity, his attention flitting from one obstacle to another, his body moving with enough speed that once a momentary peril was past him, it was immediately forgotten in favor of its replacement, always more terrible than the last.
Minutes passed by during their ascent. Krisdiel leading the way, brandishing her blade and cleaving a bloody swathe for him to follow. At a particularly tense moment, she was forced to veer off course to contend with a dangerous black slime. This left Torin to fend away a swarm of sky rays, which threatened to overwhelm him until the Traveler, again displaying his unusual skills, caused them to divert away at the last second. Torin had no time to consider how it had been done, only that it had occurred and that they were not yet dead.
He pushed on, always upward. There was no use in sparing a thought about going back. He had come too far. Even the angel had known, once they took that first step out into the open. This was a mission for martyrs. At least he hoped that Elowen would get away. This would be the second time he'd gone against every instinct and rational consideration in an effort to allow her to escape. Maybe it was she who was destined for greatness, and all the Star Priests' grand experiment had been meant to do was to provide her an egress from this otherwise inescapable mess. Maybe they were all as mad as a moon-marooned hyena.
At last they came to rest on the thick, metallic flesh of the floating monstrosity being piloted by an Elder Lord. Krisdiel's energy blade drove into the metal, melting through it and carving an entrance point for the three of them to slip through. The alighted in a circular corridor. The Traveler pointed out what Torin himself had surmised, that it was an outer ring and that they must find a way inward.
When the angel asked for directions, Torin thought perhaps to scry for a proper way forward, but the Traveler was quicker than he, and in a moment's time the Su-Ku-Ta was following after his two more adept companions, conserving his energies for the confrontation that surely awaited them at the core of this floating palace of death.
"Right behind you," he said, keeping his wings around him and using the energy to coast through the air behind them, his feet not touching the metal plates that made up the surface of the ship's floor. Not knowing what to expect, he kept his eyes open for anything, half expecting his life to be snuffed out at any moment and praying only that he might be able to take down his executioner with his dying act. The thought that his actions might save untold thousands of lives - Elowen's included - drove him on.
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
Elowen smiled to herself at the stranger's comment, opting to respond in a more conversational tone. "It's really not quite as rare as it's made out to be... my staff is made from a seedling that is far more rare than threadroot. People simply don't have much of a use for the plant, save for the odd stranded traveler searching for water. It's too much trouble to dig far and deep for its roots, which even then don't necessarily make for good food, nor medicine. But even then, it's a beautiful plant in its own way, don't you think? Too pretty to simply be ignored except by those in need. When one cares to truly listen for the pulse of life in the wilderness--all life, not just their own kind--they don't need to look for long. Though, living near an oasis for most of one's life helps," finished the druid with a giggle.
She then stopped herself, giving an embarrassed look upon realizing how much she must have rambled. It was a viewpoint that humans and Su-Ku-Ta were unlikely to understand, thanks to their apparent obsession with iron and other such materials. Those living in the desert truly were creatures of necessity. And while she couldn't necessarily blame them for it, she, as a member of the fae, enjoyed a bit more time in the way of lifespan and thus had the leisure to admire what the more practical races might call 'trivial things'.
It turned out that her quiet ramblings proved someone therapeutic, at least to herself if no one else, as the winding, almost repeating labyrinth that they navigated turned out to be unnervingly uniform through and through. They even had to avoid what Elowen thought to be the same group of aliens at some points, thanks to Cosi's heightened senses, and with a bit of guidance from her pathfinder root, it turned out that they hadn't gotten completely lost, as marked by the discovery of a wooden door. Again, an iron latch. Elowen simply rolled her eyes and huffed as she folded her arms. Were they always so obsessed with keeping everything out or in? After all, the doors seemed to do little to keep the REAL threats--the invaders on the surface--out of these tunnels.
Elowen reached into the pouch at her waist, her proverbial bag of tricks, and pondered what she might use. A seed of hybrid poplar would do the job in displacing the latch keeping the door in place; it grew incredibly fast on its own, especially when encouraged by a small touch of growth magic, it was sturdy, and grew through whatever it needed. Setting down two and sliding them gently beneath the door with her fingertips, she once more called upon her druidic powers as green energy swirled around the seeds. Before long, hardy sprouts shot up, moving at a visibly fast pace, forcing the latch out of its position and effectively opening the door. The trees stopped growing so quickly when she directed them to, and even leaned to the side with but a small suggestion from the druid.
"Let's hurry," she reminded the refugees, "as I have little idea myself of how much time we've spent down here." She experienced an unsettling feeling in her chest--perhaps it was about Torin or someone else--as she moved on, but managed to shrug it off for the time being.
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
Cosi could only smile at Elowen's rant, appreciating the sentiment behind the words. She, obviously, was not familiar with many plants, and she pondered what other wondrous vegetation there might be on the surface world. This is especially true if such an intriguing plant was usually overlooked.
As they wound about the sewers, the merfolk kept her senses about her. They could not afford to stumble across any aliens. However, that would have only gotten them so far. She was glad for the existence of the pathfinding herb. There was no way they would have made it through this maze of a system. While she wondered why there needed to be so many crisscrossing tunnels, as sewers weren't exactly a necessity under the sea, but she was glad for them nonetheless.
Never before had a wooden door been such a relieving sight. The lock, no so much, but the door. Then, once again, Cosi was amazed by what tricks Elowen could produce. She made a note to ask about what else the nymph might be able to do with just a handful of seeds. But, now, there was a more pressing matter.
"Agreed. At least the lock still being there is a good sign."
With the door before them, and with her enhanced senses ready, Cosi took the initiative to push ahead first.
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
Torin: HP = 48, PP = 46, EP = 21/58, Status = Fine, Astrologer's Boon X = 5, Astral Wings X = 6, Upkeep = 0, Clothes at 10/25 TP
Elowen: HP = 50, PP = 48, EP = 31/96, Status = Fine, Frost Armor X = 3, Upkeep = 0
Cosi: HP = 62, PP = 39, EP = 34/85, Status = Fine, Psychic Shield X = 6, Wild Shape: Cat X = 8, Upkeep = 3
NPC Stats
Snow: HP = 32, PP = 23, EP = 25, Status = Fine
Krisdiel: HP = 180/190, PP = 125, EP = 32/270, Weakened x3, Energy Blade X = 18
Kobolds: (Overlord Bonus of +10 Body and +4 AV)
Nathye, fine
Beorhtio, fine
Narder, fine
Behrtio, fine
Arket, fine
Gyles, fine
Theoda, fine
Alten, fine
Gilas, fine
~~~~Elowen and Cosi~~~~
"Oh, it has its uses, certainly. Quite a few have been saved by its properties, though not as many as it could. Sadly, a lot of the plants in the desert go under appreciated, even for mundane uses like the pathfinder," the strange hermit said as they walked along, become more animated as the friendly druidess did despite their dire circumstances and unsavory surroundings. A few of the people trailing after them managed jealousy at the older man's developing camaraderie with the beautiful Elowen despite the events surrounding them, but mostly their herd of rescued civilians followed them in frightened silence while flanked by the druid's summoned kobolds.
When they arrived at the door, Elowen would again be able to make use of a seed placed in the crack between the door and its frame where it met the lock, her magic allowing it to grow unnaturally quickly and eventually crack the lock away from the door, effectively allowing them to open it. Again the older su-ku-ta marveled at the display of her talent, but before he could offer any further comment on it the door was pushed open by Cosi, the disguised mermaid still empowered by her aura and thus having enhanced senses.
Unfortunately, the door had been quite thick, and the sound produced by the lock being snapped away had caused those beyond it to fall silent before the opening portal might have permitted their voices to carry. With Elowen and the old man a few paces behind, and the rest of their group several feet back, Cosi pushed the door open and found herself face to face with a squad of rough looking men, all su-ku-ta of the more bestial variety, and all of them armed to one degree or another. They stood arrayed out on a dock of somewhat hasty construction at which a skiff was moored, the long narrow vessel with a shallow bottom being more ideal for river travel than any journey over the open ocean but still capable of short coastal journeys. Tables ran along the right hand wall, set against the stone, and bags of plant material and both white and gold powder sat on it, some of them already loaded into a box by two of the men standing dumbfounded beside it. The dock and the ship at it were contained in a large stone chamber that was mostly dominated by the sewer outflow that ran beneath them, the city's refuse flowing out into the ocean to be carried out to see. Daylight was visible, blinding but warming all the same, at the far end of the chamber, but was only reachable by boat unless one wished to take a swim threw the sewage below them. Near the exit of the chamber, some two hundred feet away, were a pair of piers that had turning wheels on them, both with ropes attached to a wooden gate that blocked access to the waters beyond the sewer.
There were eight men scattered across the dock in total, of a fairly varied nature despite their similar race. The closest to the door, standing within only a few paces of it, was the only one without any obvious manufactured weapons, but more than made up for it with the natural claws on the ends of his hands. It wasn't a rare mutation, but it was one that would be met with disdain in su-ku-ta society for its bestial appearance, and given that the man had a full body of fur visible save for the short leather sarong around his waist, a highly feline face complete with a full golden mane, and a long tail ending in a similarly colored tuft of hair, it was likely that he would have been ostracized from su-ku-ta society quite heavily. Behind him, standing about twenty paces back at the lip of the dock, were two men in scale mail, shorts, and blue capes with similar features but different general coloring and shape such that they could be distinguished from one another easily enough, the one on the left darker of fur than the one on the right, but their claws were much shorter and both had a pair of short curved swords at their hips. Over on the right about forty paces from the door were two more men, both shirtless but with guns in holsters tied around the belts holding up their trousers at their hips and appearing distinctly more human, though they still had tails and feline ears, one of whom had been packing a box with the packages on the table while the other carried another box towards the ship. Over on the left some thirty paces away was another distinctly feline su-ku-ta, but rather than appearing leonine like the man near the door or the two figures in capes, the striped fur of this one was reminiscent of the tigers of the distant Amazon, smaller but no less fierce cousins to the great cat at Elowen's side, and they alone were lithe rather than muscular and clad in a garish flowing robe with a rainbow of colors worked into a simplistic but artful pattern, and carried a quarterstaff much like Elowen's but with the head of a roaring lion carved into the headpiece. Finally, on the ship about sixty feet away were two more figures, another of the more human-like su-ku-ta men holding a short rifle pointed toward the deck and clad in a white leather cuirass rather than shirtless, and beside him the most human-like of the lot stood in a long blue coat with a slightly garish blue hat with a pink flamingo feather sticking out of the top, a saber and a Badarian single shot long pistol hanging at each hip.
The group of roughians were stunned initially by the sudden intrusion upon their sanctum by the group of refugees, as they looked to be trying to leave in a hurry. A brief silence followed as they stared at Cosi, and then those who had an angle to do so looked past her towards Elowen and those behind her, before Snow suddenly began to emit a deep growl from the depths of his throat. It was a clear sign from the sickened dok-cat that he didn't like this lot very much, and even without his warning it was obvious enough given their location that they probably weren't men of lordly caliber.
The growl from the great white cat snapped the men out of their stupor, however, and every one of them dropped what they were doing and reached for their weapons, though nobody actually drew yet. The man nearest them looked to Cosi, his stance half between preparing for violence and unsure, and warily grunted; "Who the hell are you!? And how did you get down here!?" A quick glance at the boat, a moderately sized thing, would tell Cosi and Elowen one thing for sure; it wouldn't fit both groups. Not with all of its cargo at least, as the deck had a good amount of space taken up by boxes of no doubt unwholesome material, and even with that extra space it would be an extremely tight fit and a dangerous gambit against the rough seas.
~~~~Torin, the Traveler, and Krisdiel~~~~
Pursuing their grim task, Torin and his two companions traveled through the dark, dank corridors of the alien vessel, their only light the blaze of Krisdiel's and Torin's magic. A way into the depths of the vessel was their goal, and while they might have expected to have to fight the whole way there no resistance popped up to inhibit their initial advance. No pathway revealed itself, however, and tense seconds turned to tense minutes. Just as the constant adrenaline was beginning to wear thin, however, they finally found themselves faced with a purpose to put it to.
The outer hull of the vessel, while the point at which they could access it, was also where the alien ship sent some of its forces to be sent hovering down to the city below. Great tubes ran down, dropping countless instances of the fleshy invaders. Hunters curled up into balls, their eyes closed as if in stasis, were followed by curled up grabbers, stacks of skyrays, and even the occasional massive abomination like the four-armed behemoth that they had been confronted with back down on the streets. These were not a threat to them now, however, so long as they left those pathways unsevered. The fluid creatures, however, were another matter.
They came upon an intersection at long last, a pathway open that led deeper into the ship both towards its horizontal center and upwards in the vertical, but just as they hurried their steps toward it a wave of jelly emerged from it to face them. Slime, in far greater quantities than Torin had ever seen in one place before, recoiled as it nearly bowled them over, the sentient mass apparently surprised by their presence. The thing, in the pale blue light cast by Krisdiel's sword, was mostly gray like the majority of the slimes fielded by the invaders, but at its core was a large swirling black mass from which emanated a sense of insatiable hunger. It quickly recovered from its surprise, and with a swirling twist it contracted into itself. Three masses split off, but moments after they had plopped down to the fleshy ground they formed into humanoid shapes, quickly becoming women who grinned lasciviously at the trio and began their ponderous advance while their progenitor continued to squirm behind them. The slime monsters were notoriously easy to outrun, but the large slime before them blocked their progress more or less completely.
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
The long search for a way inward was beginning to look desperate. Torin knew that with every passing minute, more and more lives were being irrevocably destroyed. All that mattered now was to get to the center, at all cost, and with all speed, so that they might as a group take down this vessel. They didn't have time to stop and worry about the little things, such as the curled up pods of hunters preparing to disembark towards the earth, intend upon ravaging all that they could find in their path. The only way they were going to do anything of note would be to take down the elder lord at the center of this floating behemoth.
"I'm already dead," Torin muttered to himself as they went along, still thinking of those Su-Ku-Ta and other mortals in the city below. "But they're not."
He skidded to a halt just as they turned the corner and encountered the reeling greyish mass of slime. Had he ever seen one this large before? Certainly he knew of the smaller varieties which it spat out to block their path, but he knew that his usual method of dealing with such monstrosities was to avoid them, and take advantage of their slow pace. With the larger slime blocking the path, he didn't believe that he would have that option anymore.
"We need to focus on the large one!" Torin said as he extended his hand and poured precious reserves of his power into forming a corrossive ball of liquid that he flung at its dark core. Hopefully his words would reach his companions and they would likewise use their abilities to reduce the larger slime down to a manageable size. Then he could grab the Traveler and fly over the smaller slimes, bypassing the danger and getting to their destination with energy to spare.
Use Chemical Splash singular attack on larger slime, X = 10.
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
'Or it could not be a good sign.'
Cosi's breath caught in her throat as she surveyed the Su-ku-ta before her. She couldn't help but think about her suspicions about the Traveler from earlier, though this would have been the worst set trap ever if it actually was one.
"We are running from the aliens. Please, can you help us?"
Meanwhile, the ethereal squid above her entered a defensive looking stance as its tentacles surrounded the merfolk, forming something like a cage. Despite that, Cosi tried to look as non-threatening as possible while still keeping her guard up. A fight was the last thing she wanted.
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
Torin: HP = 48, PP = 46, EP = 11/58, Status = Fine, Astrologer's Boon X = 5, Astral Wings X = 6, Upkeep = 0, Clothes at 10/25 TP
Elowen: HP = 50, PP = 48, EP = 31/96, Status = Fine, Frost Armor X = 3, Upkeep = 0
Cosi: HP = 62, PP = 39, EP = 31/85, Status = Fine, Psychic Shield X = 6, Wild Shape: Cat X = 8, Upkeep = 3
NPC Stats
Snow: HP = 32, PP = 23, EP = 25, Status = Fine
Krisdiel: HP = 180/190, PP = 125, EP = 31/270, Weakened x3, Energy Blade X = 18
Kobolds: (Overlord Bonus of +10 Body and +4 AV)
Nathye, fine
Beorhtio, fine
Narder, fine
Behrtio, fine
Arket, fine
Gyles, fine
Theoda, fine
Alten, fine
Gilas, fine
Old Beggar
28 refugees
Torin Enemies
Grand Slime, bred 6 grey slimes, taken 15 damage
Grey Slime 1, destroyed
Grey Slime 2, destroyed
Grey Slime 3, destroyed
Grey Slime 4, taken 16 damage
Grey Slime 5, taken 15 damage
Grey Slime 6, taken 15 damage
Pirates
Captain Hireeb Mohatma, confused
Anjek, readied
Ethes, swords not drawn
Heric, swords drawn
Balix, pistol holstered
Dwali, pistol holstered
Zavira, calm
Joriak, rifle held but not pointed at anyone
Rolls
Torin uses chemical splash, single target X = 10, on the big slime. He has to move ten feet forward in order to do this.
Attack: Hit.
Damage: 4 + 4 = 6, 6 * 10 = 60, 60/4 = 15 damage.
Krisdiel uses Lightning Strikes on the three slimes, hitting each of them once.
Attacks: All three hit.
Damage: 4 + 1 + 1 = 6, 6 * 18 = 108, 108 + 15 = 123 damage. Splattered, they are.
The Traveler disrupts the grand slime.
Resistance: Success.
The grand slime is essentially stunned, leaving it unable to do anything other than breed more grey slimes, which it does. Each of those slimes also has lost as much health as Torin dealt to the main slime.
Torin also gains an EP potion.
~~~~Elowen and Cosi~~~~
The su-ku-ta men, all armed and on edge, did not relax at Cosi's words, for the ethereal squid representing her defensive magics coiled protectively around her as she settled back. Her efforts to appear non-threatening did get the man nearest them to relax slightly from his readied pose, but only just as he surveyed her and glanced past her at Elowen, Snow, and then his face fell as he spotted some of the refugees that they had with them. It was hard for Cosi to tell, of course, being unused to the feline features of the su-ku-ta on top of the mannerisms of the surface dwellers, but behind her Elowen would easily recognize the unsettled look that came over the man's face.
Behind him, however, the two men in capes and scale armor had stepped away from one another, their hands still on the hilts of their swords. Past them, the man in the garish hat and blue coat who stood on the deck of the small skiff adopted an impatient look, unable to see more than Cosi and Elowen, and ignored what Cosi had said entirely as he called out to the leonine shirtless su-ku-ta in front of the door; "Anjek, didn't you hear the lady? We'd best let her and her pretty friend there in before something grey or scaly decides to show up!" His voice was flamboyant and bright, and he cast a fairly lascivious gaze towards Elowen even though he could only see a bit of her over the docks. The one before them opened his mouth to reply, a look of regret on his face, but before a word could pass his lips the shorter leonine figure in armor drew his blades with an echoing rasp and said; "There's more than two of them, captain! Looks like beggars... Or thieves, and either way they've come to rob us!" The ears of the taller blade wielder flattened briefly, and he shot a distinct look of annoyance toward his fellow and did not draw his own blades.
"Heric's right captain, there's a lot of them!" the bare chested warrior standing directly before them said, "too many for the Heron to carry! Even if we dumped the cargo." He seemed to regret having to admit that even further, and the man in the hat frowned slightly for a moment, "ahhhh.... Well, that's unfortunate. For them." That broad grin returned, however, as he glanced towards Elowen and Cosi and added; "Of course, it need not be! Not for all of you, of course~ You see, while there might not be room for.... Heric! How many would you say there are?" The man paused while the warrior with blades in hand counted them silently, able to see most of their group as it hung back in the tunnel behind those who had gone for the door, before reporting; "Looks to be about forty of them all told... Twenty eight or so of our kind, look mostly like servants or day workers, the two human women, and a bunch of little yellow... Things. Nine of them. And a beggar." Snow gave a low growl from deep within his chest, and the man quickly amended, "and a Dok-Cat. Albino too." He gave the pale beast an appraising look, which the tiger-like figure on the left hand side had been doing since he had spotted Snow, but made no move on whatever his intentions towards the beast might be.
"Ahhh... Eheh, well, as you can obviously see, our little boat won't hold fifty people! Not with out cargo too, certainly, and only maybe half that on top of us if we did dump our loot... Which we will not do. I am afraid, then, that most of you will have to find an alternative escape route if you'd like to avoid the death that awaits you in the streets above!" the man on deck continued, earning a relieved look from the two men who'd been loading the modest vessel and another look of regret not only from the man directly before them, but from the rifleman in white leather directly beside the garishly dressed catman. His charm again returned, however, as he glanced over Cosi and Elowen, both of whom were most clearly visible to him, and added, "of course, we could certainly make a bit of room... For a few of you, in exchange for a favor or two~"
Beside Elowen, the man next to her stirred and scowled, and under his breath she heard the old beggar whisper under his breath to her, "he's lying to us... That type of ship has a lot of room below the deck, and is made to carry a lot of weight while keeping a shallow draft. It'd be tight... But all of us could get onto it, at least for long enough to get away from the city." The old man spoke with pure surety as he appraised the skiff, but whether or not Elowen or Cosi wanted to believe him was up to them to decide.
~~~~Torin, the Traveler, and Krisdiel~~~~
"You keep on that! I'll handle the spawn!" Krisdiel countered quickly as the lesser slimes started rolling toward her. It would be necessary to deal with the lesser ones, or they would have shortly overwhelmed the angel before they could destroy their source. One by one, the lesser creatures lunged for Krisdiel, but one by one they met their end on the end of the angel's blazing energy sword, which could easily pierce through them to reach their vulnerable cores. Not so for the main slime, however, as in order to reach the heart of that massive monstrosity she would have to stand nearly ten feet inside of it.
Torin, as he prepared to unleash a burst of caustic fluid powered by his own essence, would have to step closer to the dangerous mass due to the natural short reach of his intended attack. Thankfully, the creature remained in place to defend the hole that it blocked them from, rather than roll over Krisdiel and then him in its sheer mass. The burst of caustic fluid reached the thing's body, and the black, brackish fluid seeped into the main body of the gigantic mass of mobile slime, spreading slowly from the point of contact and causing the abomination to silently recoil. It was a different color from the violet core at the slime's center, immediately recognizable, but it didn't reach that vulnerable center just yet, merely produced a pool of blackness at the center.
The thing began to rumble, its liquid forming starting to roll forward, but suddenly the Traveler stretched out a hand and Torin felt a wave of unusual power, unlike anything that he had ever felt before save for when the strange man had displayed the ability to outright destroy the slimes previously. Though it was more powerful this time, this slime was significantly stronger as well, and the creature merely halted in place rather than dissolve as its lesser kin had. "I can't destroy it, I can only keep it from doing too much!" he called out, sweat forming on his brow, "Torin! Keep doing that, the poison needs to reach it's core! Here, take this!" He tossed a bottle extracted from a pocket at Torin, easy enough to catch, but in the meantime the slime shivered again as three more blobs fell from it. They contained some of the tainted material at the monster's edge, but that didn't stop them from assuming their feminine forms and turning their grins upon the armored angel in their midst, forcing Krisdiel to keep her attention focused on keeping their numbers down.
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
The door gave away a telltale creak and a snap, and a quiet push from the aura-laden Cosi would demonstrate that the latch of the dreaded iron lock had indeed come apart, just as Elowen intended. Another barrier crossed. She heaved a sigh of relief at the minor success, which would hopefully be one of many to come, as failure was no option here. The invaders penetrated deep enough, even into the sewers, seemingly in pursuit of the group at every turn. Thanks to her collaborating with the mysterious elven shaman, they had managed to avoid any serious fights thus far and came out of it largely unscathed--a streak of luck that she intended to keep going by any means necessary.
Though the slender druidess stayed several paces behind Cosi, she could still make out the sort of setting they had stumbled into. Was it perhaps... a trade port? A smuggling operation of sorts? It may have very well been the latter, given the rough features of the group going about their business. Somewhat more animalistic looking than the more privileged catmen she had seen walking about the city, they were apparently of much rowdier disposition than the gentle Torin, as shown by their less than welcoming reactions. Elowen did her best to remain as visibly composed as possible, friendly even, to avoid giving the impression of seeking a fight. She was already low on energy as it was, and to her, this was still a situation that didn't need to end a hostile one.
Their appearances alone didn't bother her too much; after all, she associated with the strange little creatures called 'kobolds' frequently, amongst others, and even traveled with a Dok-Cat regularly. It was more their clothing and equipment. More iron tools, and weapons of some sort hanging from almost every staff member's belt. Elowen had to admit to herself that the presence of such objects made her a little nervous. Still, the threat of violence from them was something that could be prevented with a bit of talk and bargaining, whereas reasoning with the aliens, to her knowledge, was just about impossible. She placed a calming hand upon Snow's head and upper back to relax him. His instincts were often dead-on, as were hers, but she would have to do her best for the time being to work with them, rather than risk taking unnecessary shots or swings from iron weapons.
Elowen listened carefully to the exchange of words that ensued between the crewmates. She could guess that the fanciest-dressing one, who had been eyeing her since she entered the area, was the captain. She was used to such a gaze, and though his intentions weren't particularly what she was in the mood for at such a crucial and stressful time, she could work with such an advantage. In fae society, or at least in the oasis where she lived, attitudes about casual encounters were fairly lax, and sexual favors were sometimes even used as currency for minor things--traded, even. She wasn't above it, but she would have to choose her words carefully. The tanned beauty glanced sideways to the beggar and simply nodded quietly to show that she was listening, but she would not echo his complaint, not just yet.
Looking towards the hat-wearing Su-Ku-Ta, she put on her best pitiful look; the kind that a nymph would wear when seeking to charm a man, as they often did. Elowen took a few steps forward until she was right beside Cosi, taking the opportunity to explain herself.
"I know this is really unexpected, but are you sure you can't fit these poor folk on? Not even... below deck? We'd be grateful beyond words if you could," said the nymph with emphasis, returning the blue-clad catman's gaze and allowing him to read between the lines if he so chose. Whatever would keep their guns pointed away for the time being.
"But we don't really have time to go into detail until we're safely out of here! The invaders are catching up to us as we speak," she then added, so as to add a sense of urgency.
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
"I'm running short on power... I've only got enough for one more of those blasts. I hope it's enough." Torin panted, the sweat damp upon his brow from the effort it took to create the corrosive attack from spiritual energy.
Catching the potion, and not knowing what it was, nor having any time to think or doubt the strange man who had convinced him to fly into the maw of some alien hell. He'd already committed himself to this flight of insanity; the point of no return was well and truly passed.
He uncorked the potion with his teeth and drank the contents down while at the same time summoning the very last of his non-essential energies to throw it at the core of the enemy barring their way.
The ball of acid formed and he splashed the slime wall in front of him with everything he had. praying to the Star God that it would be enough to give them a way forward, so that the Traveler and Krisdiel might have the strength to finish the job and take down this metal monstrosity.
Drink potion. Use chemical splash again, X = 10. Same target. Roll well!
Re: A Fated Gathering (BlueSlime, Takimaru, and Tsuki)
Torin: HP = 48, PP = 46, EP = 48/58, Status = Fine, Astrologer's Boon X = 5, Astral Wings X = 6, Upkeep = 0, Clothes at 10/25 TP
Elowen: HP = 50, PP = 48, EP = 31/96, Status = Fine, Frost Armor X = 3, Upkeep = 0
Cosi: HP = 62, PP = 39, EP = 28/85, Status = Fine, Psychic Shield X = 6, Wild Shape: Cat X = 8, Upkeep = 3
NPC Stats
Snow: HP = 32, PP = 23, EP = 25, Status = Fine
Krisdiel: HP = 180/190, PP = 125, EP = 30/270, Weakened x3, Energy Blade X = 18
Kobolds: (Overlord Bonus of +10 Body and +4 AV)
Nathye, fine
Beorhtio, fine
Narder, fine
Behrtio, fine
Arket, fine
Gyles, fine
Theoda, fine
Alten, fine
Gilas, fine
Pirates
Captain Hireeb Mohatma, confused
Anjek, readied
Ethes, swords not drawn
Heric, swords drawn
Balix, pistol holstered
Dwali, pistol holstered
Zavira, calm
Joriak, rifle held but not pointed at anyone
Rolls
Torin drinks a potion to regain 50 EP and then uses chemical splash, single target X = 10, on the big slime.
Attack: Hit.
Damage: 1 + 2 = 3, 3 * 10 = 30, 30/4 = 8 damage.
I think I fucked up the damage last time, but I don't care enough to go back and change it. This time you rolled terribly enough that the couple points you wouldn't have dealt don't matter anyway. Also, the order matters
Krisdiel uses Lightning Strikes on the three slimes, hitting each of them once.
Attacks: All three hit.
Damage: 4 + 4 + 1 = 9, 9 * 18 = 162, 162 + 15 = 177 damage. Ouchies.
The Traveler disrupts the grand slime.
Resistance: Failed.
The giant slime spawns more, and because it isn't stunned rolls down the hall. It gets an attack against Krisdiel, which would cause her to be drawn into its body if it hits and then makes a grapple check.
Attack: Miss.
~~~~Elowen and Cosi~~~~
The majority of the attention of the apparent criminals would shift toward her as Elowen stepped up beside Cosi, Snow pawing up behind her but unable to remain directly beside the nymph due to the narrow funnel made by the the doorway. Her words would prompt a slight broadening of the smile present on the flamboyantly dressed captain's face, suggesting that he had indeed understood the subtext of her statement, and found it to his liking.
"Oh? Oh-ho-ho? I suppose urgency and a desire to escape are both understandable...." he began, and then glanced to the white-clad riflewielder standing beside him, a figure noticeably more human-looking and attractive than any of the other su-ku-ta present, and casually drawled, "what do you think, Joriak? Will we even be able to fit this many if they, ahhhh, agree to a bit of silence regarding our cargo? I'm sure that ensuring their survival is a valid enough reason to keep one's tongue still, is it not?"
The su-ku-ta rifleman frowned slightly, his eyes remaining warily on Elowen and Cosi, but then turned back to his captain and replied, "it would be a very tight fit, but yes... I think we can accommodate them. Shall I oversee things then captain?" Chuckling, the flamboyant captain would nod, "yes, you are better than Zavira or myself at organizing that sort of thing. Speaking of... Zavira!" He glanced past the white-clad rifleman to the tiger-like man in a robe, "we'll have to stick some of them in your quarters too! Why don't you take the elf or something? She seems like the sort that would interest you!" The tigerman in rainbow robes let off a brief growl before he began to speak, and when his words came forth they came slowly and in an incredibly deep voice that was as comforting as it was intimidating, "I would rather they be kept out of my quarters entirely, and if I think those two would be best kept on the deck... And watched! If you insist, however... Fine, I will keep the elf out of trouble."
The captain chuckled and said, "good man!" Turning back to Elowen and Cosi, he continued, "so, if you will consent to surrender any weapons you might have, we will allow you to come aboard. You will, ahhh, have to squeeze in and make room for our cargo, but I think you ought to be fine! We'll be departing as soon as we can, however, so if you would please hurry up and get those people moving that would be wonderful!" As if to accentuate his point, there was a thunderous crash from somewhere nearby, as if an explosion or somesuch and caused a cave in, and the captain grasped the brim of his hat gestured emphatically while the kobolds started getting people moving. The pirates started to hurriedly haul the rest of their cargo onto their ship, though they would help marshaling the refugees towards the vessel's cargo hold soon enough, the beggar hovering near Elowen for a moment before going off to join the other refugees. What Cosi and Elowen wished to do would, for the time being, be up to them, but the men had seemingly already decided on where to put them, and they could just as easily go with that rather than remain on the deck. Snow would have to stay on top, however, and the pirates seem fairly wary of him save for the captain, the white-clad rifleman called Joriak, and the tiger-like one who was apparently named Zavira.
~~~~Torin, the Traveler, and Krisdiel~~~~
Downing the potion thrown to him, Torin found his energies restoring themselves even as he spent them upon another burst of acid. Something went wrong this time, however, as his magic seemed to come forth in a form barely more impressive than a stream of gray-green mist. It still blackened the gigantic slime, but only just barely, and the massive blob creature recoiled away away and reared. The Traveler raised his hand again, and Torin felt that same strange rush of will, but this time the slime continued to thrash rather than go still and shiver.
This time, it hurled chunks of itself down the hall and then began to roll, a massive undulating mass of corrupted grey jelly. Three slimes landed around Torin and then traveler, one on either side and one just behind them, all three already curling into their humanoid shapes. "Krisdiel, get back!" the Traveler called, ignoring the danger to himself and Torin for the moment in favor of a greater threat, for the rolling slime was nearly upon the angel battling in front of them even as she fended off the last three slimes that the greater one had unleashed. With a whirl of the glowing blade extending from her hand, the angel caused the three to droop and then jumped up. She was about to be overwhelmed when, with a great beat of her wings, the armored woman was hurled backwards, thrown aside just in time to avoid the slime, but that only put her back with the other three. Now, surrounded by lesser slimes and with the greater one gathering speed towards them, their time was running out, and if they didn't do something quickly they would all no doubt be bulldozed over by the gigantic rolling thing, its size covering the entirety of the hallway. Krisdiel stood before them, her gaze centered on the larger one, but that left the lesser ones unattended to, and her blade would be of no use against the gigantic thing unless she deliberately allowed herself to be absorbed, an act unlikely to result in anything but catastrophe for her, and for them.
