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Post by Mushgnome on Aug 5, 2011 11:52:19 GMT -6
The Shadow looks up at the purple man and blinks. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I have no family on this planet, purple man." He stares at the severed feet. "A village of blues, huh?" Then he looks back up at the purple man, "If I could shrug, I would... just seems a waste to ruin those who might be good sacrifices." "Sacrifices?!?" You have your purple captor's attention! "What know you of the sacrifice of Blues? Speak up! Your life depends upon it..." |
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Post by ehiker133 on Aug 5, 2011 13:02:16 GMT -6
"I know... I know of a ritual... one taught me by my master before... before he was driven to insanity. It is one which I can use to bring the powers of the endless deep to you. It... it involves the sacrifice of two blues and... and..." The Shadow of the Evermore pauses, suddenly seeing his chance to survive, to go on, forever more. His eyes narrow as he looks up at the purple man. His jale skin swirls with determination.
"And its secrets will remain hidden from you if you leave me here in the ground to die, purple man. Let me out and tend my wounds and we shall endeavor to call the great one together, for it is something I have longed to attempt. Only..." The movement of his skin tones slows down. He closes his eyes in a long blink before opening them again. "We'll need more... we'll... we'll need..." His neck relaxes as he closes his eyes and his head slumps to one side, his body fully taxed and exhausted.
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kipper
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 57
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Post by kipper on Aug 5, 2011 23:07:52 GMT -6
Breath of New Moon hastily snatches up her weapon and slashes out with her glaive at Wheat Man. "We've got another one over here!" she calls out.
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Post by Mushgnome on Aug 7, 2011 19:53:15 GMT -6
(Charisma check = 13)
Shadow starts to drift off, but is snapped back to reality (?) by a sharp slap to the face from the Purple Stranger.
"A 'magical ritual'... do you think you are the first bounty to bargain his miserable life for 'mystic lore' or 'eldritch secrets'? Please!
"Your knowledge of the deep I will take from you by force, as I will take from you the secret location of the Village of the Jales, as I will take all of your secrets.
"Your pathetic life I will spare, for one reason and one reason only: Some day, I will call upon you to do a service for me. You will do this thing, whatever I ask, without question or hesitation. Pledge me this bit of your soul, and I will spare your pathetic life."
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Post by ehiker133 on Aug 7, 2011 21:28:11 GMT -6
The Shadow stares at the purple man coldly for a long moment.
Finally, he answers, "I swear..."
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Post by Mushgnome on Aug 10, 2011 8:56:39 GMT -6
The Purple Stranger grabs a shovel and begins to dig The Shadow out of the hole. As he digs, he says matter-of-fact, "A Jale Sorcerer such as yourself is an inadequate sacrifice. There is a risk the ritual might backfire. I need a Jale innocent who does not carry the taint of sorcery."
Soon you are free of the pit, though you are still at 0hp and very weak.
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Post by ehiker133 on Aug 10, 2011 9:07:37 GMT -6
The Shadow checks to see if he has any of the wine he bought from Bucket on him still. If he does, he'll drink it and rest for 15 minutes to try and recover some health.
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Post by Mushgnome on Aug 10, 2011 9:23:51 GMT -6
Meanwhile in Aylesbury, the Wheat Man has joined the fight!
(Initiative: party 1, enemy 2)
The Wheat Man startles all of you with an unusual maneuver: He hurls his bulk directly at the baby tentacle creature, separating into individual worms as he flies through the air! The worms form a solid mass around the infant, then quickly bounce back, tossing the flailing, tentacled thing up into the tree branches above!
The squid-thing swings from limb to limb above the battle. It seems much more comfortable and agile in the tree than it did on the ground.
Before the Wheat Man can re-form itself for an attack, the party rushes in from all sides!
The ever-alert Breath of New Moon is first to attack. (AF vs. LF needs a 4; 1d6+1 = 2) She swings but her mighty glaive was designed for carving up large opponents, not killing individual worms!
Fated to Die attacks wildly with his sword (HF vs. LF needs 5; 1d6+1= 7!) splattering a dozen worms with each swipe! The entire mass vibrates with rage (1d10 = 8; 1d10 = 7) as it takes 7 hp damage!
Seeing the monster is vulnerable, Sovereign Mask, Eye, and Minion attack from all directions (3 x (1d6+1) = 3, 4, 3). Only Eye's Sword of Omens does any real damage, dealing (d10=3, d6=4) 4 hp.
The maggots that are Wheat Man begin to re-form into humanoid shape. The juvenile tentacle beast swings from the tree like a monkey. Your intentions for the next round?
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Post by Mushgnome on Aug 10, 2011 9:47:58 GMT -6
The Shadow checks to see if he has any of the wine he bought from Bucket on him still. If he does, he'll drink it and rest for 15 minutes to try and recover some health. All of your equipment is in a pile nearby, and the Purple Stranger does not prevent you from using it. The wine is refreshing and lifts your spirits, unfortunately it does not restore your hit point damage. Carcosa rules on healing: "Each week of complete rest will restore two hit dice. Each day of complete rest will restore 1 hit point." You are looking at 5 days (1/2 week + 1 day) of complete rest to heal your 1+1 hd unless you can find some means of accelerated healing. Carcosa is brutal!  |
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kipper
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 57
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Post by kipper on Aug 10, 2011 15:24:19 GMT -6
Breath of New Moon continues slashing with her Glaive. She wonders at the Wheat Man's actions in throwing the tentacle-thing into the tree, but in the press of battle does not have time to give it further thought.
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Post by crusssdaddy on Aug 10, 2011 18:38:08 GMT -6
Fated to Die presses the attack against Wheatworm.
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Post by Mushgnome on Aug 11, 2011 8:21:59 GMT -6
(Initiative for the next round: party 3, Wheat Man 4)
The Wheat Man throws wild haymakers at Fated to Die with each of its burly "arms" (LF vs HF needs 6; 2d6 = 3, 4).
The cunning Ulfire Man deftly avoids the punches and slashes at the worm-cluster's mid-section (needs a 5; 1d6+1=7!). Worms fly everywhere as the monstrosity takes (1d10=9, 1d12=6) 6 hp damage!
Breath of New Moon swings at the "head" with her glaive (needs a 4; 1d6+1=5; damage 1d10=8, 1d10=1). However due to the creature's lack of vital anatomy, the blade passes through with minimal damage.
Sovereign Mask, Eye, and Minion attack (3, 6, 5) and once again the Sword of Omens aims true for a massive (1d10=10, 1d12=11) 11hp damage! Something within the thing snaps, and it collapses into a pile of wriggling worms. Minion squishes a few of them, but their motions are uncoordinated and harmless.
Wheat Man is vanquished! He has sacrificed himself to rescue the tentacle creature, which has disappeared into the tree canopy.
In the distance you hear a squeal of brakes as the Monorail pulls into the Aylesbury station. How did the Green Men fare in the tunnel, you wonder, and how will they react to the carnage in their graveyard?
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Post by ehiker133 on Aug 11, 2011 8:45:00 GMT -6
The Shadow checks to see if he has any of the wine he bought from Bucket on him still. If he does, he'll drink it and rest for 15 minutes to try and recover some health. All of your equipment is in a pile nearby, and the Purple Stranger does not prevent you from using it. The wine is refreshing and lifts your spirits, unfortunately it does not restore your hit point damage. Carcosa rules on healing: "Each week of complete rest will restore two hit dice. Each day of complete rest will restore 1 hit point." You are looking at 5 days (1/2 week + 1 day) of complete rest to heal your 1+1 hd unless you can find some means of accelerated healing. Carcosa is brutal! will rest by his gear for now, waiting to see what the Purple Man does. He will not speak, though, obviously saving his strength for finding his way back to the rest of the party. |
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kipper
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 57
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Post by kipper on Aug 11, 2011 9:16:27 GMT -6
Breath of New Moon prods around in the tree with her Glaive, seeing if she can find the tentacle-beast.
If she cannot: "We had best leave now before we are outnumbered."
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Post by crusssdaddy on Aug 11, 2011 9:19:51 GMT -6
[OOC: Is Tentacle Baby up in a bunch of trees, or is it one tree? Can we form a perimeter to keep it from leaving, or is there really no hope of corralling it?]
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Post by Mushgnome on Aug 11, 2011 13:26:20 GMT -6
Unfortunately you took your eye off Tentacle Baby during the battle with Wheat Man. Presumably it's up in the tree canopy somewhere. There is the large tree that Breath used to climb up to the roof, but there are also many smaller trees in the cemetery and church-yard. If you intend to hunt the thing down, you'll need some kind of a plan...
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Post by crusssdaddy on Aug 11, 2011 16:09:46 GMT -6
Fated to Die: "My plan was to defeat the Pastor, reveal the nature of his perversion to the (I believe unsuspecting) townsfolk, and then claim control of the Church as its saviors... and then profit! Without proof of the Tentacle-Thing, we appear to be but common murderers. My first instinct is simply to flee, but I would not have the countryside roused in pursuit of we villains."
"However, there may still be time to talk our way out of this... what say you all?"
As he awaits his companions' response, Fated opens the briefcase given him by the Pastor and peers within.
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Post by Mushgnome on Aug 19, 2011 12:34:21 GMT -6
Breath of New Moon pokes at the tree canopy with her polearm, but it's obvious the tentacle baby has fled into the darkness.
"Maybe we should hide the body," ventures Eye of Thundera. "What about the Wheat Man's mausoleum over there?"
Fated peeks into the small briefcase. There are 13 purple velvet pouches, each holding a neatly paper-wrapped roll of 13 freshly-minted gold coins (169 gp total). The coins have an abstract stylized tentacle beast on the "heads" side and a trapezoid on the "tails."
The evidence does not look good; a man is dead and you are holding a briefcase of his money. Also there is the immobile (and immense) Shadow of Evermore to consider... He lies deep in slumber, his vital signs slowed to the faintest pulse.
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Post by Mushgnome on Aug 19, 2011 12:46:55 GMT -6
The Shadow's captor returns from the hunt with two giant scorpions impaled on his spear-tip. Soon they are roasting over a fire. The meat is delicious, like lobster, and The Shadow falls into a deep sleep. He has a strange dream that he is very old and his body has rotted away into a tangle of worms trapped in his own grave.
The next morning you awaken refreshed. You are restored to 1 hit point (0+1 HD). The nightmare is quickly forgotten as you are confronted by the reality of the situation: You are still far from Aylesbury and held captive by the insane Purple Stranger. You are not restrained in any way, but he is keeping a close eye on you, and his pistol hangs always at his side.
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Post by ehiker133 on Aug 19, 2011 18:21:06 GMT -6
The Shadow maintains his silence, but makes himself busy about the camp, choosing not to remain too close to the purple man.
He eats more of the scorpion for his morning meal and examines his armour to make sure it is in working condition still.
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Post by crusssdaddy on Aug 20, 2011 7:53:32 GMT -6
Fated to Die begins kicking stray maggots from Wheat Man onto the pastors corpse, and arranging rubble from the burst crypt in a suggestive manner.
"I don't like our chances of getting very far lugging this behemoth around. The Green Men will be here soon - our choice is to flee the scene and leave the Shadow behind, or remain and contrive an explanation for this crime."
"What shall we do?"
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kipper
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 57
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Post by kipper on Aug 20, 2011 10:19:12 GMT -6
"We must leave now before we are discovered!" Breath of New Moon states emphatically. "We could carry him with us if necessary...." she adds somewhat more weakly, indicating The Shadow with a wave. She goes over to his body, and gives it a tentative lift.
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Post by Mushgnome on Aug 28, 2011 8:53:37 GMT -6
Eye, Mask, and Minion lift the inert Shadow and carry him back to the church through the back entrance. Hopefully they can smuggle him inside and lay him to rest among the wounded passengers before anyone notices.
Fated and Breath are left alone in the graveyard to deal with the aftermath of the battle...
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Post by Mushgnome on Aug 28, 2011 9:05:37 GMT -6
Meanwhile...
(d6=3)
"Are you strong enough to travel?" inquires The Shadow's captor. "If there are none of your jale-kin nearby, then I must continue my search. You may stay here or accompany me as you wish; your tainted blood is worthless for my ritual, but your strength may be of use to me in these dangerous times."
Shadow takes stock and confirms he has all of his equipment and his single precious hit point.
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kipper
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 57
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Post by kipper on Aug 28, 2011 12:50:52 GMT -6
"Let's go!" Breath of New Moon says to Fated, clearing out before the Green Men arrive.
"I saw where the light came from in the hills, we should head over there now while we still have some advantage of surprise."
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Post by crusssdaddy on Aug 28, 2011 22:43:08 GMT -6
Fated to Die embraces discretion and beats feet.
[OOC: Does Fated still have a slave? If so, he directs Pack Slave to stay with Shadow.]
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Post by ehiker133 on Aug 29, 2011 7:31:36 GMT -6
Meanwhile... (d6=3) "Are you strong enough to travel?" inquires The Shadow's captor. "If there are none of your jale-kin nearby, then I must continue my search. You may stay here or accompany me as you wish; your tainted blood is worthless for my ritual, but your strength may be of use to me in these dangerous times." Shadow takes stock and confirms he has all of his equipment and his single precious hit point. looks at the purple man for a long while. Then curtly nods his head and makes as if to follow. |
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Post by Mushgnome on Aug 31, 2011 9:59:54 GMT -6
I am starting a new thread for Breath, Fated, and anyone else who wants to journey to Trapezoid Mountain.
I forgot about Pack Slave! He can stay in the church and help tend the unconscious Shadow if you like.
Shadow, I will have an update for you soon...
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Post by Mushgnome on Aug 31, 2011 12:17:56 GMT -6
The Purple Stranger leads Shadow of Evermore down the hill, away from the bleeding stone. A short distance away is a hidden, sheltered small ravine. Here you see an impressive sight: an immense dragonfly! It stands the height of a man, its long body like a tree-trunk, and its transparent wings an impressive span.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" urges the purple man, vaulting into the saddle. "Climb aboard, and hold on tight!"
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Post by ehiker133 on Aug 31, 2011 13:24:26 GMT -6
The Shadow of the Evermore shrugs his shoulders then climbs up behind the Purple Stranger.
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