RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

[beowuuf]

Well, a crush should actually pin Petal, requiring two checks to get out from under. However, the worm is relatively thin compared to say a dragon (hence I halved the damage already), and it's much more gittery so I'm saying it's just 'grappling' you. Which means yeah, you can still try to poke it.


Up close the armour spiked were revealed to be blunt, and moveable. Probably good defence, but even more she now saw they were an improved method of locomotion, and seemed to be controlled my muscle. That did not stop them from digging into her painfully, and making it impossible for her to wriggle out (good news, you only lose 3 hot point this round) but it did stop them from skewering her and ending her life prematurely. Petal wriggled around, but the worm held her securely. In desperation she looked for a weakness to exploit, and actually found it at the end of the spikes. Since they were for movement, and could actually be wiggled by the worm, that meant their ends at the body were flexible. Where they stood straight out (ontop) the plating settled to lock with the body, but under the body, where they were being foldeed over, bare muscle was being revealed.

Petal focused raw mana on the end of the wand, then almost blacked out and threw up simultaneously. The wand's song became a shrieking dirge in her hand, it was like it screamed in pain. The faux-Petals had each seemed to embrace an aspect of Petal, instead of being true copies. It seemed the one with the wand had been more mage than sorcerer, bending the world to its whim without understanding nor care of the Song of Life. The wand had been glowing white hot because it had been tortured by magic to an extreme degree, and PEtal could no more achieve the effect that stop being a Sorcerer.

Still, the wand wasthe perfect size to jab into the no doubt vulnerable and sensative muscles. She desperately jabbed, and the worm shuddered and rolled. It was not enough to get security, but was certainly enough for the worm to move its head around into her direction. Petal was face to face with the thing, and the foul stench of it was a further crushing presence.

Still, two hopefully things happened. As the worm shifted close, moving its head from side to side, Petal saw the unknown bika had managed to dislodge a tooth of the worm, and therefore had a purchase into the outside world. A dagger was stuck into the worm's lip, and it was obviously unable to do anything about that. The bIka seemed to have hold of an arm,obviously of Growlgra.

More importantly though, Petal'#s invisibility was still ongoing. The worm could not perceive Petal, and therefore the source of the pain, through the whirl of the cocooning vortex Petal had created around herself. The worm, therefore, lifted up its enormous bulk to look fully at the ground...


Sorry I didn't get to post more yesterday! Long day (mostly for good reasons). Anyway, Petal's invisibility will last until the end of your next turn - so you still get a move and standard action before it goes away. And Petal is now free to act. I'm starting to become a little more leniant with how long 0-level effects take to be used. So if Petal wants to try and create a message in the other bika's head while still doing other things, I'll prooooobably allow it. Anyway, the bika are almost fre, and Petal can try to act. You call if she runs to look for a better opportunity, or simply makes a move now while invisibility is still in effect.

Good luck!

[raixel]

Ehh as long as it was a good long day i'll forgive you this time *teasin* Ok, for ideas i have: Wedge the wand vertically in the worm's mouth (might be too small) and this...

Petal concentrates on the mana around her and summons four little glowing lights and sets them to dancing about the worm's head. To her senses they hum and sing like tiny sparrows. She focuses on having them move like some sort of natural prey, diving and swirling around the worm's mouth. Hopefully this will distract the creature long enough that the Bikas can get free. not sure what I need to roll here She takes a few steps back and again concentrates on the form of the Bika hanging on desperately for dear life. Ok, I have two ideas here. One is to cast STR aura on the Bikas (or on myself and then get close enough) but we havent really worked out the mechanics on that spell yet, at least the last I heard. The other option is to cast another pull at UM level. That might give them the boost they need to get out. For now, i'm gonna try the pull because i'm not sure if I can cast the strength on them or how it would work She imagines a giant hand scooping up the Bikas and pulling them the last few feet out of the worm's mouth as she builds up the mana for her spell.
She puts her hands into the shape of the rune UM, index fingers touching the opposite thumb. She brings the rune up in front of her mouth and focuses her personal mana into the Song that is always around her.
"UMOHKATHROS" she speaks explosively into the rune-shape, and watches as she feels the powerful energy fly free and twist the elements the way she wants them. Hopefully it will be enough to life the Bikas free. 1d20+2=5 not likely, that.

[beowuuf]

The wand would be way too small! The worm can swallow a smallcreature whole without damage - it's about eight feet thick hence has an eight foot mouth without strtching. The aura will probably work exactly as the shield/shield potion spells. So the same effect as the strength potion, but it is in a blanket 5 foot all aorund, you'd need to use a 0-level effect to rule out an enemy from it, and it degrades at +1 per round right away, instead of lasting for cleric level/2 rounds. There's some oddness at the high end that in doign that which, luckily, I don't have to fix for this game.

Hmm, tough one to adjudicate on the pull. I'd let a willing participant effectively blow their roll (0, and the strength modifer represents their inertia) and a helpless person has an automatic 0 strength. Trouble is, the bika doens't necessarily know what you are doing. So bad news, rolled a perception check and got a grap roll. Good news - rolled a horrible resist to the unexpected movement Not enough for a 5 foot pull out of the mouth, but I think good enough to get the bika out.


Everything was happening too fast, and the worm was thrashing wildly. The pull of the spell didn't have long enough take affect before the worm shifted its head again, but it was long enough for the female bika to be helped through the now gnashing mouth. The female bika held one hand onto her dagger, somehow, and through the broken tooth still managed to keep a hold of Growlgra.

"I can't hold him...much longer..." she said in a set of wuffled growls. The bika bites the worm, and it roars and shifts with greater vigor. The bika seems to be using the movement to pull her ocmpanion free, but there is going to be the difficulty of the gnashing teeth themselves....

And, of course, at that moment Petal's invisibility sudden't stops, and the song surrounding her gentle fades to nothing.


Ok, so you could try a final pull spell, and you might get away with it this round because the worm is concentrating on the bika. However, you would need an extra straight dexterity check to time the move perfectly to ensure Growlgra does not get bit! Alternatively...well, you could try to auras and let the bika do it herself while you hover close beign a distraction. Or, you know, something else.

You're almost there! Basically, just need a) one last something to get Growlgra free safely, then b) something or a set of somethings to get you guys out of the worm's bitey anger so you can pull Growlgra across to the teleporter. Assumign that's where you are going, of course.

Then I might actually let you and Petal have a moment's peace....maybe...

[raixel]

Yeah, i misread the wand as being lance sized when i went back thru the posts, forgetting it was the tiny petal that was holding it. I suppose I can't ZO the worm's mouth open . I'm gonna try to strength aura (UM level)the bika then pull again, cuz at this point im running out of ideas (and mana)

"Hang on for just a litte bit longer!" Petal shouts to the struggling bika. "I'm gonna try a few spells to get you free! When you feel the pull, tug as hard as you can, then make for the teleporter over there with Growlgra." Not sure which direction it is in relation to us, but Petal would know and say it, i just dont as a player.

Petal concentrates on the female bika, imagining the strength of the warrior flowing into the struggling dog-woman. She starts Singing to the air around her, a song which tells of mighty fighters killing huge beasts. She feels the air stirring to her will and coalescing around the bika. A giant OH symbol appears on the floor, outlining the range of the spell. She adds the rune EW to the Song, so that the symbol changes shape to avoid the worm. burning a 0 lev spell , i thought it fit nicely in with the description of the EW rune. As she begins to finish the Song, a giant sword-like KU rune falls point first from nothingness to impact the floor and send out radiant bolts of flickering yellow light like electricity to the edges of the spell. Petal shapes her hands into the UM rune and brings it up to her mouth. She shouts "UMOHEWKU" thru the UM rune. The runic symbols fade, but the electric yellow light remains flickering around Petal and the bikas.
Petal feels a surge of strength infuse her body as she begins to cast again. The Song of the pull spell comes easily to her mind, as she has cast it recently. The runes fall into place, and again she feels the swirling tug as she bends the elements of mana to her desire. She times the triggering of the spell with the thrashing of the worm as best as she can, trying not to get Growlgra impaled upon the gnashing teeth of the worm. StraightDEX (1d20+4=7) It is very hard to time the spell with the struggling of the bika and the bucking of the worm. When she thinks the time is right, she again speaks the mystical runes "UMOHKATHROS" thru the symbol in front of her mouth. Pull (1d20+2=16) She smiles as she feels the energy take shape, hoping it'll be enough to help the female bika get Growlgra free.

[beowuuf]

Actually, I would have allowed ZO, but the worm would have had to have fully closed its mouth first, so you'd still have had timing issues


The Bika growls in appreciation, and attempts to pull her companion out after a few moments holding on to allow Petal to catch her breath back. The bika is distracted, for she is obviously trying ot inflict maximum pain on the worm in order to make sure the worm doesn't think to go afetr Petal, nor simply start swallowing Growlgra. That works, but the thrashing it causes makes an actual rescue almost impossible.

Still, only almost. The bika manages to pull Growlgra as far as possible, and both Petal's magical pull and the bika's desperate grab manage to yank Growlgra free. There is a small amount of blood and the felame bika gives a wuffle of concern, but such considerations are best left for later. For now, the pair and Petal still need to escape.

"Where's the teleporter?" growls the bika in concern, not seeing it.

There is a 'zap' sound, asa Zo spell is fired by mini-Chaos. "No appreciation for humour," he mumbles to himself as the teleporter is switched back on. The worm spins around to it for a moment, by then twists back.

The bika is already starting ot grab her companion as fast as possible, aiming to drop down the pit closest.


Wow, all the little thigns you havew done (providing I didn't miss something) have added up well. E6 is actually a good position worm to have been pulled out at, for the bika can land on D6 and make for the closest pit. That means they can drop down the pit closest. And because you've closed pits 9 and 12, they can actually get to the teleporter.

So almost there! The only trouble is, of course, to keep the worm away from the bika long enough for them to do the route. Petal can probably out-manouver the worm, certainly out-run it, but that area is a little bit small to keep going forever. The worm also has som threat range to its attack, so assume you will need an acrobatics check for any movement realitively close to the worm.

You can either figure out a way to trap the worm, figure out some ways to distract it and then run, or perhaps just run and get it to chase you. Then your brain can rest






Hmm, that was a set of middling rolls on the bika's part for her timing and also the strength pull and a secondary pull (sicne the first was meh). The poor dex check makes your good pull check get knocked down a level to middling aswell. Still, at least a lot of middling rolls equate to one awesome, so it all balances out in the end

[raixel]

Did the dancing lights do anything? I didnt notice anything about them in your description.

As the female Bika starts to drag Growlgra away, Petal quickly summons the fire slumbering deep within the earth. Arcing her own wings out for the runic symbol of flight, IR, she sings a Song of flame mixed with the desire to fly free. She places the tips of her index fingers and thumbs together to form two arrows, the symbol for the weakest mana rune LO. As soon as the bikas are out of the range of the spell, Petal points her hands in the rune shape at the worm and calls out "LOFULIR". A small fireball takes off from her outstreched hands and impacts the worm. FULIR (1d6+1=7) Although the fireball seems large for one cast with the LO rune, Petal knows that it would seem nothing but an annoyance to the giant worm. She has no intention of trying to kill it, however, as the fireball was just a distraction to make the worm focus on her and not the injured bikas.

"Here, wormy wormy!" Petal shouts mockingly. "Your mom was a maggot! Over here!" Hopefully her yelling will distract the worm long enough for the Bikas to get to the teleporter. Peal backs away from the worm, while continuing to mock it. Dodging this way and that to avoid its attacks dodge bonus she moves to the pit on her left and hovers over it. d7
"Perhaps Chaos would like some company," she thinks to herself as she tries to avoid the worms thrashing body and giant biting maw. A slow smirk spreads across her face.

Ok, so basically Petal will try and distract the worm until the bikas are near enough to the teleporter to reach it in 1 round (I assume they are double moving?) At that point she will double move (fly) to the teleporter as fast as possible. For now, she is going to try to lead the worm over to Chaos, while avoiding the Bikas.

[beowuuf]

Oh yeah, the dancing lights. Sorry, I didn't explicitly reference them in the firts post, but they were the main reason you didn't get chomped while casting the spell to pull the bika out. Since then, her dagger and the internal discomfort of mouth creatures had been the intenal distraction. The dancing lights don't need concentration, but are activated 'as you desire', so good shout, you can intelligently direct them sub-consciously to annoy the worm to avoid chompage now the bika aren't actively distracting the worm.

The female bika cannot double move at full speed, she's dragging Growlgra. She can push him down a pit while apologising, and then scramble down herself, but especially upwards might be an issue. An issue she might need a flying companion to resolve! So you might not want the worm in that area right by Chaos, since the bika need to slowly get out of the pit somehow just 10 feet away!. Nothing to stop you trying to pull chaos away from that area though. He might like to see how far aroudn you can fly! The ceiling is only 15 feet here, so not enough to safely fly out of the range of the worm overhead, but if you hug the room you can get closer to the worm. Or you can fly in and out of pits quicker (with an acrobatics check) than the worm possibly can.

Ah, and sorry I thought I'd posted this, instead of leaving it half finished for later!

I'll definitely need your acrobatics rolls. I think a bluff check is the best way to represent you using the dancing lights - you get to use them as if making a free feint.

[raixel]

Ok. I'm a bit confused by the last post. It appears to just cut off, so im not gonna post anything till i know for sure if it was intentional(im suspicious cuz ive never seen you post a 1 sentence IC post ). Ill roll for distracting the worm and acrobatics.

bluff (1d20+8=19)
tumble(acrobatics) (1d20+4=7)

[beowuuf]

That's because I realised I needed your rolls and apparently forgot to delete what I'd started writing Well noted, I can't write short anything to save my life!

[beowuuf]

Petal's fireball and taunts seem have the desired effect, and the worm is temporarily oblivious. The bika disappear into the pit (Growlgra unceremoniously tossed down, help as long and as low as the female can bear before she jumps down herself.

Unfortunately, while the dancing lights cause the worm to be slow, the worm still manages to keep up with her. Luckily, it gets distracted enough to not bite her this time, but it moves


I figured between the fireball and dancing lights the bika could get away scot free. A good roll on the dancing lights pulls up the acrobatics check, so for now Petal isn't being eaten. I kinda put you in harm's way with this one. While other instanced of the purple worm have been toned down, this one....you see, the thing to note about this one...well, the funny thing about this one is...

Umm, it's kinda big and powerful. Oh well

Ok, as I'll be off tomorrow, I can maybe give you some guidelines fr you to post a little bit ahead. That previous set of rolls keeps the worm distracted without Petal actually getting out from under it (Ie it doens't really know what you are doing, but that is stopping you from getting away). Those two rolls will ride unless you change your tactics, so you can keep that up for as long as it takes the bika to get to the pit (I'm saying three round for adjusting at the bottom, dragging for a round and a half, and then trying to figure out a way to even start getting out of the pit at B4.

So that's really two standard actions Petal can take while keeping the worm occupied, but she still needs to figure out how to get back to the pit to help the bika back up. And she'll not shake the worm unless she changes tactics. If Petal is still determined to pull the worm towards Chaos (and right beside where the bika will emerge again) then you'll need to give me some idea of how Petal will interact with Chaos.

Basically, the checklist so far is a) get bika out (check), b) let bika escape (check), c) keep worm distracted (check), d) get bika out of other pit (strength aura will wear off, and would still be too hard on their own without some aid), e) get petal back to teleporter safely (very important one, can easily superced e) if you like :p

[raixel]

Yeah. I was thinking having the worm over there wont be the best idea. Instead Petal's gonna try and get Chaos over where she is.

As soon as Petal sees the bikas get to relative safety she looks around for the tiny figure of the fiery High Lord.
"Lord Chaos!" she shouts, trying to sound as respectful as possible. "You should come over here and check out your worm in action! Wouldnt it be cool to watch and see what it does?"
Petal thinks of her plan of action. When Chaos comes over, she's gonna hover herself near him, and try to get the worm to notice him without making it obvious what she's doing. She will defend herself without attacking full defense. bluff (1d20+8=26) I rolled it as a bluff instead of a dipl cuz she is trying to get him to directly do something, instead of just trying to influence him to help/like her more. If you think it would be better served as a dipl, the roll would be 22

She hopes the bikas will make it up out of the pit ok. If not, hopefully the worm will find Chaos interesting enough that she can sneak away.

[beowuuf]

To me bluff is just lying or being able to communicate well. If Chaos wanted to see the worm but was scared, bluff or dip would be fine. Since Chaos is hiding and currently has no intention of seeing the worm, diplomacy is more appropriate (to me I think of it in reverse, dip is the one to start the ball rolling, bluff can tip the balance that already exists). Don't worry, it's still a good roll!


Chaos looks around the corner, either hovering over a pit or balancing on the edge perfectly. "It does look interesting....very interesting!" he says with a growing sound of wonderment. The is a few zips as he tries to get close without getting too close. By this time the worm's body has extended out of the hole more, and Chaos stands at the exit point. Chaos starts poking the creature, giggling and then actually poking it as if out of scientific curiosity. "The pixie was right, this is interesting"

Petal moves across to Chaos before Chaos turns around, and the worm is not far behind.

"What? ARGH!" says Chaos as he turns around and sees what is - for him - is a pixie with a giant yellow growth on her back and four mandibles shooting out of her sides. As Petal moves sideways, it resolves into just a worm with giant teeth, which isn't much better.

"STOP! I COMMAND YOU, FACINATING BUT INFERIOR CREATURE!" mini-Chaos squeaks with as much authority as his squeaky voice allows. The worm devours him in one swift movement.

There is moment where the worm pauses, and then as it opens its mouth to hiss there is a string of muffled profanity then a 'zap'. Chaos appears outside the worm,his helm crooked and his cloak slimy. The diminuative High Lord kicks the worm's body and is then swallowed again.

Petal, for the moment, is free to get back to her companions. The female bika is managing to climb up the roots slowly by now, however Growlgra is barely dangled. The bika notices Petal looking down. "I can't manage to climb with my friend!" she says. "Help! No, wait, where is that foul thing> Is it safe?"


Woohoo, so close. Yeah, a tiny dog creature isn't really going to be able to pull another unconscious and wounded dog creature up the pit alone. Especially given the rolls I made. 1 for the strength check and barely succeeding on her own climb! If Petal will just do a pull, then you guys can get Growlgra up, but the worm will be right behind you and will need some distraction (Chaos will go away in that time). You'd have the dancing lights still on to aid with that. If you have any cool way to distract / block the worm ahead of that, or have a way to speed up the Growlgra pull, then you guys can get to the teleporter without further worm interference.

This one seems to have stretched out. Still, I guess most of that was the bika rescue, to gain nother two NPCs to your cause. So hopefully it's worth it!

[raixel]

Oh holy shite LOL! I laughed my ass off at that one. hahahaha im still re-reading it and laughing. *squeaky* I COMMAND YOU TO RE--*gulp* haha. (wiping eyes). Ok, thanks for clarifying how you run dipl and bluff. If you havent figured out by my constant confusion, in my home campaign I view them as the opposite you do. IE you use bluff to get someone to do something they have no intention of doing, diplomacy is to sway someone who already likes you.

Petal commands the dancing lights to fly around the worm's hhaed, appearing to dodge in and out of the creature's mouth. Hopefully this will distract it long enough to get another spell off. bluff (1d20+8=10) Is it just me, or does IC roll either really low or really high. I rarely see like 13-16s. Its all either -10 or 18+.

Petal summons the energy around her again. As she starts her Song, she can feel the mystical channels in her body burning from over-use. She needed to rest, soon. She calls upon the air to cloak her from sight of the worm. Again, the spell comes easily to mind, as the mana of it still tingles through her. She puts her hands in the LO rune symbol and holds is to her chest, pointing upwards. "LOOHEWSAR" she whispers softly. She holds the mana in place for an extra few seconds, fueling it with her own life energy. burn 1 0lv effect

Without waiting to see if the worm follows, she flies quickly over to where the bikas are struggling up the pit. Again, she reaches out to the whispering song of OH, flowing through the air around her. She rubs her wings together to create static, and from that spark of electricity natural to all pixies, she hears a tiny crackle of the rune KATH. She uses her own hand for he final component, coaxing the mana to form a solid grip to lift Growlgra free. As she makes the rune LO with her hands again, she thrusts her arms up sharply, mimicking the pull of the spell and burning her last mana reserves to add power. all remaining 0lev effects (2). pull (1d20+3=13)
She feels exhausted and drained. her mana reserves spent, but still she reaches down and starts dragging Growlgra to the teleporter as fast as she can, hoping at least some of the power of the spell will aid her efforts.
"Help me, I have no mana left" she puffs to the nearby female bika. str (1d20=4)

[beowuuf]

I'll need to tone down mini-Chaos at some point. Just not today Usually people (me included) are lax with the whole timing and ioverlap of diplomacy/bluff/intimidate. However, check out the d20.org descriptions. bluff is for a 'quick' lie about something (but isn't supposed to be a large suggestion), diplomacy is used to alter NPC actions in a positive (permentant) way, while intimidate is a quick fix that gets the person to do what you want, but makes the other person hate you afterwards


Chaos uses the dancing lights to once more escape the jaws, and then snaps a static spark at the worm's face. The worm ignores the odd lights, but luckily ignores Petal too. Chaos does look around to try and distract the worm with Petal again, but the pixie has temporarily disappeared into the air again ((seriously, it's like you knew that was coming!).

The female bika is snarling and grumbling, trying to manoeuver her fallen companion. She grunts in surprise as suddenly Growlgra lurches forward. "Growlgra?" she says, and then realises Petal is back when the invisibility spell wears off. "Oh, you're back," says the bika. Petal tries to help, although its hard to get the proper angle due to how the other bika was pulling the still unconscious Growlgra. The bika snorts and says, "So?" when Petal cpompains of her lack of mana and shows fatigue, even though the bika herself is clearly exhausted too, and hasn't used magic to revive Growlgra.

With the aid of the pull effect though, Growlgra was at least yanked into the roots, and in a decent position to move. The bika were extracted for the pit. The teleporter was still on, and within easy reach. There was an awkward moment as Petal and the female bika had to re-arrangement themselves around Growlgra to pull him.

A roar and shuffling very close though, indicated that Chaos had probably decided to leave the area. That was probably a good idea.


I think I take all the middling rolls on IC at times when a definitive answer would mean I wouldn't have to double check rules and make judgement calls for bonuses. Once again, nice little touches on the spells. You need to write a list!

Anyway, any last minute things before you guys go to the teleporter? The meh bluff and low strength check mean the worm was maybe not distracted for too long, but still long enough. If you want to pause for any reason, the worm might see where you might go, and might try to follow. There's a possibility the might might still do that anyway...who knows...

Anyway, room conquered! Time to rest, recuperate, recover Growlgra, and figure out the other bika's problem. Fun times

[raixel]

Hey, wasnt your bday around now? I seem to remember you saying something to that effect. If so, happy birthday! Hope you had fun. No, I think Petal's gonna bolt for the teleporter (well, 'bolt as fast as you can lugging an unconcious bika'). Oh, should bika be capitalized? I never know. Is it like saying a nationality/race like English or Caucasian, or is it like saying 'wolf' or 'human'? I always thought it was a proper noun, but now thinking about it, it could be like saying 'elf''.

Im gonna post like theres no immediate danger in the next room. If there is, I will edit it later

Petal helps the female bika lug the unconcious Growlgra to the teleporter and without hesitation steps through.

On the other side, she takes a quick look around for any danger. perception (1d20+4=5)Nat 1! As she looks around, a glob of worm spittle stuck to her hair slips into her eye and starts burning like the time she was a young pixie and held a candle close enough to her eye to singe her eyelashes and scorch her eyelid. She remembers her father rushing over to help and asking what in SAR she was doing holding a flame that close to her face. She replied she wanted to see what tiny creature was singing FUL, FUL over and over again in a crackling little voice. It was the first time she realized not everyone could hear the singing that had been a part of her life as long as she could remember. Thinking of her family and home makes her eyes well with tears, and washes the goo clean. She spends a minute or so quietly cursing the worm and its gooey gross spit and rubbing her eye, hoping if the female bika sees the tears they will be attributed to irritation.

After her eye stops hurting, she examines Growlgra closely for any visible wounds or injury and clumsily attempts to bandage him. Heal (untrained.) (1d20+1=10) She is mostly looking for how badly injured he is and/or if he needs to be stabilized, not actually trying to regain hit points for him. The bandaging part is flavor text.

"We need to help him, but my mana is exhausted and I wont be able to cast any spells until I spend time recharging," she says to the female as she looks Growlgra over. "We should find a place to rest, or rest here if it seems safe. I'm a little worried about the worm coming through the teleporter, but I also dont think we should move Growlgra any more than we have to."

After bandaging Growlgra as best she can, she stands up and looks the female over. "What's your name?" Petal asks, smiling a bit ruefully. "I'm sorry, but in all the commotion and trying to get you two out of there it really didnt seem like the best place for introductions."

After saying this, she clasps her fist over her heart and then holds her hand out with the palm up. "I'm Petal. May you always walk the Balance in Harmony." she says formally. "Growlgra has been my companion and friend for many weeks. Not sure exactly how long it is after the destruction of her village and the backstory, but im assuming it would have been weeks, if not months or even years. When I know for sure, I will edit her line to be more accurate He stood beside me after the destruction of my home and everything I had ever known, even though we had just met. He had no reason to help, but he did. In our travels we grew close and I consider him a heart-friend, as you bikas say. I will do what I can to aid him, but I need rest. We should find what looks like a safe spot, and take turns on watch."

As Petal finishes speaking, her eyes grow wide as she remembers something. "By the way, do you have a glass flask I could borrow?

[beowuuf]

The bika moves with purpose towards the teleporter, and together the two drag Growlgra to hopefuly safety.

ZAP

The area beyond seems dark, darker than it should. Petal's light is dimming, but even so the shadows seems longer. And the air seems colder. The air and the shadows both seems to whisper of DES, as if removing light and sound and scent and hope from the area. They appear to have materialised in a dead end. There is an ornate alcove at their back, where Petal might have hoped the glow of a reciprocal teleporter would be seen. Abandoned on the alcove is a scrap of burned parchment, not readable in the current light, and a small iron key. Other than that, there is not much to know. The walls here and floor seem dirtier, as if having recovered from a fire. It is at odds with the lack of scent.

"We should be safe. For a while," growls her companion. While Petal deals with the aftermath of the worm attack, her companion moves forward for a few moments, apparently looking for signs of anything in the area. The bika becomes a shadow the same as the deep ones around for a while.

The bika only comes back after Petal starts attending to Growlgra. Petal does what she can, and recognises her friend is not dying, but is definitely in a bad way. He has various lacerations she can do nothing but gentle bandage with what rags she can scrounge. The bika comes back and is very abrupt at pushing Petal away. The bika makes a non-commital noise, neither berating nor complimenting the pixie on her work. The bika tightens the bandages and shifts them in a confident manner, and also uncreases one of Grolgra's legs that was apparently not lying correctly.

"I know mana aswell, I know its ways," says the female bika with a quick wuffled utterance, sitting down quickly on the oppsing side of Grolwgra. "I will help him now we are at rest." The female shifts uncomfortably as Petal continues. "The worm is so large we would be dead already if it had wished to come through. No, we are safest here. This is Chaos's realm. The further we go inside, the closer to death we all are."

The bika eyes the pixie for a moment as the greeting is started, but eventually stood up and extended her own paw after brushing her nose. "May we seek Balance in all that we do," relied the Bika formally. "My name is Wuuf. I am a Bika from the Plains."


As if you couldn't guess. And yes, I imagine this has only been a few weeks.


Again, Wuuf is silent for too long a time as Petal speaks. "I have known Growlgra since... since... your normal Common does not allow the words easily. Since the time his cub-bearer gave him his second freedom. We were a part of the pack, those ones who run together, although this one...I mean I, have since moved on to run with different companions. Heart-friends, as the Bika would indeed say."

Wuuf then shakes her head. "We must only rest as long as it takes to heal basic wounds and revive Growlgra. There shall be no true rest nor watch set in the realm of Chaos. We must takle what small rest as we can here, and then move on as soon as possible. The children of the great worm we just faced roam the outer halls. And worse creatures stalk Chaos's lair."

Wuuf's fur bristles slightly when asked for a flask. "I have a flask, yes. They are hard to come by, and the one I have will be needed to revive Growlgra." There is an uncomfortable silence.

Petal would probably know Chaos's realm too, having had to have touched it at least once. Unlike CSB, the corbum pillar is in this hall, not in a location underneath. Anyway, Wuuf will revive Growlgra once enough time has passed for you guys to rest. I just thought I'd give a pause so you can talk to Wuuf, sense motive her (what is her problem, anyway), check out the key/parchment, etc.

[raixel]

Petal seems off-put by the bika's brusqueness. From what she knows of them from her travels with Growlgra, bika view all close friends of pack and family members as an extended pack. Friend and family bonds are very important to them, and Wuuf's distance is unusual for a bika who had just been rescued by a companion's heart-friend.

"Well. I just asked for your flask because I didn't know you could use mana. If you want to heal him, thats fine." Petal mutters. She looks Wuuf over carefully with both her eyes and her Song, trying to divine what has twisted the bika's wings. a pixie analogy for being in a bad mood. Perhaps tail would be more appropriate Sense motive (1d20+4=12) "You would think someone who just got rescued from the belly of a giant worm would be more grateful..." she murmurs sarcastically under her breath.

Turning away from the bikas and looking around the room again, Petal notices a key and parchment in the nearby alcove. She goes over and examines them, being careful not to touch anything. Percept (1d20+4=5) As she examines them, her vision wavers from exhaustion.

She moves back over to where Wuuf is crouched over Growlgra, and hovers a few feet off the ground with her legs folded in a lotus position. "I must regain my mana," she states simply, and then begins her meditation.

She feels the cares and pains of the world drain away as her spirit becomes one with the Song, timeless and eternal. She hears the booming pulse of YA bring mountains rising up out of the ground, only to be worn down over milennia by the relentless and patient OH. The light RA rises in the morning and fills the earth. The darkness of SAR comes at night and swallows RA only to be burned off again at dawn's first glimmer. She sees a hawk on its first flight plummet to earth out of its nest and then catch the wind for the first time. It rises higher and higher screaming IR, IR in its triumph. A spider speaks VEN to the fly caught in its web. The fly's struggles grow weaker and the spider clicks its mandibles in anticipation of the meal to come. Petal sees all these things and more as the mana of life again fills her body.

She will regain mana and then burn it on VIBRONETA as many times as possible, as long as by the time the rest period is over she has a full compliment of spells. Woo, bitchy Wuuf, who woulda thunk it?

[beowuuf]

The bika's song is turned inwards, as denotes someone resting to restore their interenal energies. Only the gentle song of Bro seems to eminate from the dog-like creature, wrapping aroudn the unconscious form of Growlgra. Wuuf turns the flask in her hand this way and that, as if the flask itself would sudden'y yield healing waters unaided.

Petal cannot fully understand the creature before her. She is obviously put out by Petal herself, not just worried for Growlgra and taking it out on the pixe. Did the female bika resent that Petal had stood by earlier to recharge herself when the worm attacked them? Surely the bika cannot blame Petal for such pragmatism. Similarly, there should be no reason the bika should resent Petal's concern for a companion, if they both care about the noble bika.


Although, as a player, you can assume both of those might be true


The key and parchment are hard to make anything of, certainly without touchign them. The scroll is burned. apparently deliberately, but seems to have some small scrawl that Petal associates with Chaos's taunting clues. The iron keysimply looks liek a plain iron key. There have been many in this dungeon, they are almost like currency in this place, given freely for entertaining Chaos, and exchangeable to make a path easier. The alcove does not seem to be any different from the surroundings neither.

Perhaps, once Petal is stronger, light would aid her search, or perhaps picking up the objects would be fine.

The two sit do not sit in silence long before, before Wuuf is murmering in a low voice to herself. Petal does not need to understand the words, because she can feel the soothing and jubilant song of VI as moisture forms in the flask Wuuf holds. Wuuf gently splashes some of the fluid summoned on the worst of wound Grolwgra has, and then lifts up Growlgra's head to drip the rest into the bika's mouth.

There is a low wuffling noise, and Growlgra's body spasms. His eyes open weakly, and he starts to look around.

"This one has no memories of the place it finds itself in," he says.

"It was saved by this one...and by its heart-friend of the newest suns," says Wuuf in a more formal manner of speech than she has previously used, matching Growlgra's intonations. "The pack is now resting in the stone-plains of Chaos."

Wuuf shoots Petal a look as she is forced to recall Petals aid. There is a pause, and then Wuuf hands the flask over. "Heal your wounds, we must move soon," she says in a neutral tone.

"This one would stand, if this one has its heart-friends close," says Grolwgra.

"I said move soon...rest now," says Wuuf, in a gentler tone, lapsing back from formal speech into ordinary common.


You can use the flask for VI spells, 1d6 healing per spell level used. Decide how much you want to spent, and what spell slots. You might get a chance to fully restore mana again, but I wouldn't count on it. At rest, mana regenerates slower, and I doubt sitting still for 15 minutes in Chaos's own level is a heathy idea. At least, not in a dead end

[raixel]

Petal gratefully takes the flask. "Thank you," she says quietly.

She calls the element VI to her. It rushes into her tired body like a wave, soaking into her body the way a desert soaks up the spring rains. She concentrates, puts her hands in the UM position with the mouth of the flask thru the hole of the square and says "UMVI". The healing mana rushes out of her and into the flask, solidifying into a bubbling blue-crystal liquid.

Petal sighs as the mana leaves her and all the aches of the world come back. She remembers being young and asking her mentor why she couldn't just walk around carrying the VI mana in her body all the time, so she'd never feel tired again.
He chuckled kindly at her innocent naivety. "You see, young Petal," he explained. "That is not part of the Balance. Creatures must get tired, so that they can rest and be recharged anew. The VI mana doesn't actually make you not tired. It just provides an illusion of health, as it is not actually in this world until it reacts with the charged glass of a flask, or other runes of the Song. Since you are a creature fully of this world, to carry the VI mana in you all the time would burn your mana channels and leave you eternally unable to use the Song. That is why you must cast it into a flask. As all things are in Harmony, so is this."

"But why can't I just carry it for a little bit? I 'd know if it started to burn me and I'd let it go," the young Petal says confusedly.

He smiles at her confusion. "Hm, Let me try and explain this better," he says after a time. "You remember a few moons back when that human trader came thru with bundles of that reddish plant on his cart to sell, and the elders got very angry and banned him from the village?" At Petal's nod he continues."That plant was called Go-Fast. It is a drug that tricks the body into thinking that it has boundless energy. When you burn it and inhale the smoke, you feel alive, with no need for sleep or food. But it is Unbalanced. It becomes addictive, and without it you feel drained and unable to function as your body has burned all of its resources. It doesn't actually provide energy, just the illusion of it. The VI mana is similar, in that it must be shaped with the Song to actually provide true healing. Otherwise it is just an illusion."

Petal chuckles inwardly at her mentor's patience with her incessant questions. She holds the flask up and stares thru the blue liquid.
"For you, my mentor," she toasts and then downs the contents, handing the flask back to Wuuf when she is done. UMVI (2d6+1=10)
1 2nd lev spell and 1 0 lev spell After resting She will try and regain the mana she just spent if possible,If not, oh well she rises and checks on Growlgra. She looks him over and again flies over to the alcove.

"i'm gonna take this key and parchment. Be alert for anything. In this dungeon Ive seen things like this that are actually traps." she tells the bikas.
She cautiously reaches out and takes the key and parchment, wary of anything changing. If there is nothing immediate, she will examine the parchment.

[beowuuf]

Remember, the spell slots to me don't represent your full mana. You actually only have full mana to cast bout a third of the spells, biased to the high level slots. All the other slots already represent your mana regeneration over a short period of time as far as I am concerned

In other news, that exact 'VI' question is incidentally an interesting question that might be re-visited in a month or two

Growlgra stirs and nods in greeting properly to Petal. "Pixie, this one is pleased to see you still standing. The stone-plain of Chaos are the deep thoughts of that one. They are madness itself." The bika seems stable. Wuuf had taken the flaask back with a small neutral nod, and then cast both more VI and also the strengthening YA essences into the flask for Growlgra. Growlgra's bandages still were matted with some blood, but the bika seemed in good health now. Wuuf seems satisfied, and after looking around once mor,e casts the essence of FUL into the air. The motes of the air all vibrate with sudden heat, and the corridor is illuminated a little better.

"I have barely studied the ways of wizards," said Wuuf reluctantly. "My path was once with that of the HighLords and the priest alone. Are you confident with both paths?"

After the exchange, Wuuf looks as if she is about to stop Petal from going back to the alcove, but Growlgra restrains her, and both bika instead settle to look intently. They stand alert, poised for any danger.

Nothing happens as Petal takes the key nor parchment. Most of it is charred, as if held into a fire. Only the bottom triangle of it remains. In the greater light eminating from Wuuf, the parchment is legible.

.........THE PILLAR TO ME.
...RUNE OF POWER HOLD IT
...CLOSE.

AS the group ponder, sudden;y there is an audible 'zap', from behind the group. While Wuuf and Growlgra's noses wrinkle, Wuuf's in recognition, Petall instead begins to recognise the change in the song around. Despite his size, mini-Chaos acts like a lead weight on bedding straw when she thinks of his affect on the natural song around.

"Cowards! You run from my greatest creation! You are lucky the great Lord Chaos is merciful, and took the long way up. The great worm cannot follow, but you cannot go back. You are trapped in my domain! Haha!"

Mini-Chaos shakes his fists in triumph as he blocks the end the corridor. However, althogu hthe start of his voice is jubilant and powerful (well, as powerful as his small voice can be), by the time he is lauhging it sounds petulant and hollow. Mini-Chaos, infact, sounds hurt.

"What is that one?" asks Growlgra in horror.

"What perversion of Chaos's is this?" asks Wuuf, lookling suspiciously at Petal.

[raixel]

Petal looks Mini-Chaos over. "As far as Ive been able to tell, that actually IS Chaos." she says to the bikas quietly. She focuses some of her mana into her hand, and makes a hand-sign for 'play along' hoping the bikas understand it. Burn a 0lev spell effect to make it more easily understood. I dont know how this will change the roll. If it doesnt seem possible/worth it Petal wouldnt do it. I as a player dont know however Innuendo (1d20+1=8)
She turns back to the tiny High Lord and performs a sweeping bow. "My Lord." she says respectfully. "May I introduce two of my companions, Wuuf and Growlgra. It is good to see that you are unharmed. As for fleeing the worm, you don't honestly think three puny adventurers such as ourselves could actually fight it, do you? Besides, then we couldn't see more of your dungeon!" Dipl (1d20+4=6)

She turns back toward the bikas after she finishes her speech and quickly whispers "Say something polite to him. I know he's Chaos, but he's helped me before." Then she holds out the parchment and says in a more normal voice, loud enough for Chaos to hear. "This is one of Chaos' devious puzzles. What do you make of it? He's so clever, isnt he?" Her back is to the tiny High Lord, and the bikas can clearly see the digust on her face at uttering those words.

"Oh, Wuuf, In response to your question. I have taken the Test of Harmony and among my people am considered a full sorcerer. I don't know any other way to be, as pixie sorcerers are born, not made. I don't remember a time when I couldn't hear the Mana Song. Being a sorcerer is just learning how to shape the Song while still keeping a hold on the sense of self that makes each of us unique. It isnt a choice, as people who can hear the Song but don't learn how to flow within it eventually go insane. Their power fragments their soul from within as their identity gets lost in the beauty of the Song. So I guess Im comfortable, as it is an intrinsic part of my being." she tells the Bika. She smiles shyly at Wuuf and a faint blush colors her cheeks as she finishes speaking.

[beowuuf]

It's a straight bluff check in 3.5, it's one of those folded skills like intuit north getting put into knowledge (Nature). And it's a pretty simple message, so don't worry - that means you hit the DC 15 check. I don't think I'll let you use 0-level effects to gain skill check boosts, that's too much a priest thing. You can, however, use the mage 'message' ability as a 0-level effect per person per message if you want to co-ordinatie a bigger lie later.


"That's not the point! Why should I allow you the pleasure and privelidge of seeing more of my dungeon, if you are just going to run through it! And leave me to deal with your messes! Unacceptable!"

Wuuf moves forward, as if to say something, but Grolwgra was quicker on the uptake and laid a restraining hand upon his fellow bika's arm. "THis one is...impressed...by the ...bredth....of...the lair. The puzzles have always made this one scratch its head to the skin."

Wuuf bared her fangs, but kept her meaning vieled. "I will certainly recall the puzzles of Chaos forevermore," she says, "I welcome an opportunity to complete them, and show my "

Lord Chaos looks to the other two, then at Petal. "No, no, no. You shouldn't be happy about them. You should be terrified of them. And then solve them properly!" Chaos's tone of voice becomes such an imitation of a child taking to his parents, who are not playing a game the right way. Chaos's voice and emotions then twist, and he gets both proud and happy.

"Puzzle? That is not one of mine. I will show you. I will make you enjoy my puzzles the right way. Yes! Stay there! I command you!" Chaos jumps in the air as he points, and the moves off with a flourish of his small cloak. In the new light by Wuuf''s spell, the end of the corriror seems to branch left and right. Petal recalls many of the side areas in Chaos's domain were circular, and also usually had a hidden way to get back to the Junction of the Ways.

"We must go the other direction, before that thing comes back," says Wuuf, giving Petal a strange look for her association with mini-Chaos. "I think you play a dangerous game," she concludes.

Growlgra looks to the burnt parchment. "This one finds such a message strange. It is from Chaos, though. It is his writing."

Wuuf looks at the parchment. "It seems straightforward, I cannot see the puzzle. Neither can I see why it would be burned." Wuuf bares her teeth again. "My companions and I tried to enter here and stop the corbum pillar being it could allow Chaos to fully form, and save Viborg. However, somehow Chaos had raised the pillar into his privatwe domain, protected by demons. My companions and I tried to dig under the pillar, to force it to fall back into the lower chambers where it was safer to pluck the material out. However, my companions were scattered. I found Grolwgra though." Wuuf nodded to Growlgra. "This parchment seems to speak of the pillar, and runes. Perhaps the pillar is bound to Chaos's lair. Perhaps if we disrupt the runes that bind it, the pillar can fall. We would be able to destroy it right under Chaos's nose."


Sorry, they blew their checks aswell. Still, good idea, so you don't get him on side, but you do get some small info about the scroll and get him to at least start leaving the area to be mean to you.

Anyway, hopefully you get my meaning about the pillar just now. The pillar as you would know it from CSB is actually one level up. The original champions, excluding Wuuf, apparently died discovering the pillar was in Chaos's lair (hence why Chaos suddenly sprung out from the Grey Lord so soon). They had excavated the area underneath, where the pillar should be by CSB. Petal's mission here is to figure out what exactly is the deal with the pillar, and the runes. Obviously, Petal would 'win' here by removing wehatevre is stoppign the pillar from falling down from Chaos's lair into it's proper position (in CSB). The conceit here was always Petal had to be dead at the end of her backstory. However, you can still win this by sacrificing Petal to allow the next set of champions a temporarily Chaos-free dungeon (proximity to the pillar pulls Chaos out). That way, the original champions did something, and Petal will finish, to allow Chaos to be defeated. And of course, Chaos being temporarily overridden by the Grey Lord will mean a lull in the attacks that happen If Petal fails, then we can imagine many more lives will be lost before Chaos was defeated in CSB.

Sounds like a good, heroic mission? Also, an exteremely dangerous one?

[raixel]

Well, if innuendo's actually a bluff, the roll woulda been 15 and not 8. As I said before, i play a weird combo of 3 and 3.5. One of the things we kept was all the skills. So if yo uhave condensed a skill, let me know.
Yeah, if I remember right, the conceit was Petal had to "die" so the other group could "rescue" her. Kinda sux now, ive gotten rather fond of Growlgra. What happens if she dies for real? Do you have a contingency plan (that doesnt involve me re-rolling)? I think, it would be cool regardless of if she succeeds or fails to have it affect the lay of the land (so to speak) of the other party. IE if she fails, Viborg is a fearful semi-ruined town under seige, the land is dark, and minions of Chaos overtake everything until CSB. (and the chars in the other game know of this history) or if she succeeds, the outside world is peaceful, and CSB is just a hiccup. Just a thought to provide versimilitude

"Growlgra, are you good to move?" Petal asks the injured bika. "We really should get out of here before Chaos comes back. He's...odd. He isnt what I thought he'd be. I expected what I saw in my vision, a megalomaniacal tyrant bent on subverting the world. And he is that, partially. But at times he also seems to show remorse and sorrow."

Petal shrugs and turns to Wuuf. "It is the way of the sorceror, that if an unbalanced being has a chance to be brought back to the Song, we sorcerers must do whatever is within our power to aid them. Part of the priestly aspect of it I guess...I do think Chaos is too far gone to help. But he did create this dungeon, and if there is even the slightest chance of him aiding us, I must take it. Rest assured, I do not consider him an ally."

She again reads over the burned parchment, and examines the iron key. "I need weapons." she tells the bikas. "I cant keep on relying on my magic to aid us, especially if we are going into the heart of Chaos's domain. But we must head towards this pillar, in any case. Do you know where it is from where we are now?"

[beowuuf]

Indeed, the 7+8 equalled the DC, so you conveyed the message. Pity your companions were just crap at backing you up

And have faith in your GM, since Petal's death is assured at some point, then I have contingencies at hand. Notice how quickly you found NPCs, for example? Obviously, I've got things set up for Petal's death (prematurely) and things set up as a reward for you getting out of this alive...well, alive just before the less satisfying death by narrative

Haven't you noticed I've pitched some fairly nasty things at you to avoid, or do I really have that horrible a reputation you just thought it was normal? So yes, when I pitch a gargantuan purple worm at you, I'm not going to pull a punch if you slip up. So far, I've thrown about 34 medium/large cross over elementals at you and the worm, and you've survived, so you can guess you've been pitching some pretty cool ideas. Don;t worry, I'll tone it down...after this next bit...


Growlgra stands up proudly, and nods assent. It does not look like bluster, the potions Wuuf has given to him apparently have done the trick - for now at least.

Wuuf makes a face at Petal's comments, but it seems at the thought of Chaos, instead of at Petal's thoughts. "Chaos's emotions match his nature. Just as Librasulus was focused on his goal to the exclusion of everything, Chaos is distracted by whims and faux feelings. Do not underestimate him, below it all his intellect rules all. His only consistent traits are his evil and his thirst for sport and conquest. Everything else is fleeting and trecherous, like broken ice on a lake. He would cry at the struggles of a brave champion one moment, then seal the walls shut for a new puzzle and new champions a heartbeat later without a further thought."

Wuuf pauses for a moment at Petal's further comment. "It is an admirable trait. Do not let it blind you to do what must be done. We must enter Chaos's inner sanctum somehow, usually these circular paths spill out into his sanctum eventually. The pillar should be in the centre of a large arena. However, the arena may have shifting archetecture. And the circular paths outside have roaming creatures."

Growlgra moves forward as Petal asks for weapons. "This one has lost those implements we gathered in the earlier times," he said with regret. "This one does have a second knife, which it wishes a heart-friend to take."

Wuuf, having lost her dagger, makes a face at Petal being offered the weapon, but moves away to check the coast is clear.

"Do not mind that one," says Growlgra quietly, "the pup-bearer must have formed deep heart-ties with those who came here in the Time of the Great Sundering.. This one thinks she carries a heart-sickness that all could catch."


Just a plain dagger I'm afraid, only 1d3 damage due to its small size. I assume you will carry it and the wand in your off-hand? Anyway, will you go off right after Chaos, or move off left on your own. Wuuf will certainly be determined to go right, Grolwgra will be a little torn but more likely to follow Petal's lead.

[raixel]

1d3 WOOT! I gots me a rat-sticker!

"We should stick together" Petal tells the bikas. She nods towards Wuuf. "As you have been in this area before, I trust your judgement. If you think left is the best way, then I follow your lead." So saying, she follows after Wuuf down the left corridor, dagger held out at the ready.

As they walk, she glances at Wuuf's angry face. "I am not your enemy," she remarks to the female bika. "Whatever harm you think I have done you, or pain you carry in your heart, let it be spoken now so that we may solve it. We cannot afford to fight amongst ourselves, especially not this close to the heart of Chaos' domain."

[beowuuf]

Me, make you earn with nasty decisions good weapons, flasks, etc? That would be mean! And hey, don't call it a rat sticker around Ameena! And you guys are actually going left - Chaos went right.


"I have no idea what you mean," says Wuuf, glanicing over at Growlgra then shooting Petal a filthy look. Growlgra looks across at the two with eyebrow raised, taking time from checking around.

The corridor to the right that Chaos has disappeared down is crooked and he soon disappears. The left hand path goes straight again in no time, and more importantly in no time comes to a crossroads. The left and right paths are blocked immediately by pits. Beyond the pits, the corridors seems to want to turn onwards again. Infront of the group, the cirrodor is blocked by a solid looking grate erected across the path. The corridor appears to go straight into the darkness.


Good instinct to have it out Wuuf, and well spoken. I'll leave you to decide if you want to let what Petal has said fester in Wuuf's mind, of if you wish Petal to push it further right now. If Petal wishes to let things fester, then there's some pretty good distractions right now Map below!

[raixel]

Sorry, was very busy today and couldnt get a post off till now. Ok, ive edited it to say left. I was a bit confused as to why wuuf wanted to go right in your previous post, when before she wanted to go the opposite way.

Petal searches the area around the grate for a keyhole or a hidden locking mechanism such as a button or lever, listening to the Song of the passage and her companions as well. Perception (1d20+4=17) She presses her hands against all the walls in this area, looking for hidden passages as well.

At Wuuf's glare she turns back to the angry bika. "I have no quarrel with you," she states quietly, an edge to her voice. "I would suggest that whatever is bothering you, you quell it now. If you don't want to speak of it, fine. But if you let it impede your feelings and judgement, you are doing Chaos' work for him. We dont hvae to be friends. But like it or not, we are stuck in this together and have way more of a chance to make it out of here alive if we do not fight amongst ourselves."

Her piece said, she turns back to Growlgra "I think I should scout over these pits. I can also scout down them, if you feel it is nessicary. But for now, I will head that way. pointing to map-north Stay here, I will be back shortly." She takes off and moves down the corridor slowly, hovering close to the ceiling of the passage, trusting in most land-bound's inabilty to notice things above them and the shadows on the ceiling to keep her safe. Hide/Stealth (1d20+8=12, 1d20+4=15)
She will just move down the passage far enough to peer around the corner, while keeping her body hidden behind the wall. If there is any noticable enemies, she will flee immediately even if they dont notice her right away.

[beowuuf]

No problem, the joy of being outside of the party right now is posting as fast as you want to. You might spot I'm slowing ot about a post a day anyway, though I'll try to not lapse lower than that.


Petal cannot see anything odd about the area around the grate, except that the grate does not look like it should move at all - unlike normal doors, it appears each bar is fised into the rock. The song is strange through, it is hard to tel lthe difference between the pure YA of the wall, and the YA Gor of the metal (the earth attacked into service). Perhaps the true are truly fused together by magic?

However, a distant song calls to Petal, and focuses her sharp eyes in a direction down the tunnel beyond. There is somethign on the floor far away - by the sound of it, a strange song of IR and BRO, there is something magical at the end of the tunnel awaiting an item. Petal recognises the sort of puzzle and trigger - it is a floor pad, awaiting a thrown item to join with it.

Wuuf comes forward, to see what Petal has found. As Petal takes advantage to speak her piece, Wuuf regards her angrily, and a growl comes from deep in the bika's throat. "You lecture me? You left us to live or die at the worm's mercy, sorcerer, while you sat back - I see now a trace for calling forth mana. If you are nothing without your magic, then to me you are nothing. If you have to court Chaos's image because you fear his magic, then it is you who are doing Chaos's work for him!"


Feel free to roll another sense motive while Wuuf is being mean.


Wuuf storms off to check out one of the pits, almost walking into Grolwgra as the other bika comes forward. He looks between his two companions, not sure which way to turn. He walks up to Petal. "This one warned you of the dead-heart of the pup-bearer," says Grolwgra gently. "This one knows it was saved by the pixie - is that not the truth of it?" There is perhaps the edge of worry in Growlgra's voice, but he seemed confident in her answer.

Obviously you can ret-con a comment to Growlgra, but I'll move Petal on over the pit afterwards.


Once Petal left Growlgra (and Wuuf, who was attempting ot ignore the pixie), it was hard for Petal to steer well in the half light around the corner. She was confident her tactic of staying high will let her avoid casual looks, but the occasional bumps against the wall and loosened dust from the wall is less stealthy.

Still, apparenly this are is another one of the circular areas of Chaos. Or more correctly, a cross. Faint light from Wuuf's light spell is also visible to the right aswell as behind. It appears that Petal has alot of room to move around if anything were to suddenly leap out. Still, whenever Petal stops and listens with her ears or inner senses, she can sense nothing aroud this area.


Stealth is an all in one ability, so your first stealth roll will cover both hiding (at 12) and being silent (at . I knocked the second roll into a new perception check, which at 15 isn't too shabby So you can be reasonably confident there is nothing normal around. I'll do an enlarged map below, but the puzzle seems reasonable simple. WIll you trigger it? Will you urge Growlgra to trigger it? Or will Petal explore a little bit more?

[raixel]

Hey, the map link appears to be broken. All I get is "Image". I can extrapolate from the previous map though.

I really want to ret-con a reply to Wuuf as well as Growlgra (Petal has a high cha and an low-average wis, I highly doubt she'd let something like what Wuuf said to her slide.) Its hard to play a char with a low average wis and int and a high cha. I was thinking of making her ditzy at first, but it didnt really fit in with the in-touch-with-the-natural-world sixth sense viewpoint I had of her. So I think it'd be better if it came out as sometimes she infers stuff wrong, or doesnt make the best choices.She is pretty eloquent tho, when she has to be Let me know what you think about that decision and if its come thru in the way I play her. I want to stay as true to the rolls as possible (IE dont go charging into melee like Haynuus, ect.) Also, the problem with stealth being combined is that I have a +8 when hiding and a +4 for stealth alone, so im a bit confused as when to use what. Based on what youve said, I take it that the +8 applies only when holding absolutely still and not moving, so I will start rolling it like that, tho correct me if im wrong

At the bika's angry words, Petal whirls to face Wuuf so fast that her natural energy, which appears as a silverish shimmer on her wings spins out from behind her like a tiny comet.
"You dare to accuse me of letting you languish in the worm's belly?" she hisses, keeping her voice down. Little blue sparks start crackling up and down her body, a natural mana-reaction to a sorcerer's rage. The sparks catch in her hair, causing it to stand out angrily from her face like a black lion's mane. "I do not see you there now, bika. By all right from the way you have treated me I should have left you there! I could have, you know. I found the teleporter long before I knew you had been swallowed. Instead, I challenged the creature, and Chaos, without even knowing if you had escaped. You say I am nothing because I am a sorcerer? What would you have me do, fling my tiny body at the worm with nothing in my hand but a useless stick because my mana is burned? I fear if I had done that, the three of us would be slowly decomposing inside the thing's gut. Evey being has strengths and weaknesses, myself included. If you cannot see thru my weaknesses to my strengths, then that is your loss, not mine. I will speak no more of this." With an effort of will, she closes her eyes and calms herself. The sparks fade and her hair falls back to its usual sleek look. When she opens her eyes, she stares intently at Wuuf for a second, trying to divine what the bika's game is. Sense motive (1d20+4=5) As she looks deeply at the female bika she feels the anger building up again, blocking out her senses, and again she shoves it down.Her reaction to the nat1

Hearing Growlgra speak, she turns to him "I am sorry you had to witness that, my pack-mate." she tells her friend, concern for him evident at having to watch his companions, one of them a hero of his people, fight amongst themselves.
"Dead though the pup-bearer's heart may be, know that this one chooses to walk in the stone-plains with a true heart-friend and that this one would jump in the jaws of death itself to save its pack-mate heart-friend from hurt," she finishes, in a clumsy attempt to speak to Growlgra formally in his own way. She smiles at him, and gives him a quick hug. "Now, lets put this behind us for now."

After exploring the passageway, she comes back and relayes what she has seen to the two bikas, doing her absolute best to treat Wuuf as if nothing had ever passed between them.

"So we have two options. I could fly the opposite direction and scout that corridor, or we could try and trigger the pad beyond the gate, which may close a pit. I think it would be best if I look around a bit more first, so I'm going to scout the opposite way." she tells them, again taking off and hovering close to the ceiling as she moves slowly across the pit to peer down the opposite corridor. Same thing as the previous post

Stealth (1d20+4=15)
Perception (1d20+4=11)

[beowuuf]

Yeah, apparently I can't type the correct link - it should have been CSBcrossroads2.jpg like the other one, instead of Crossroads2!

10-11 are very average, which means she's not bad, just not outstanding. For example, average strength means, at work, if I need a hand with heavy boxes, there is a group of people I would ask. Some I would ask first (11) and some I would ask second, or check they were ok (10). IN both cases, they would lift thigns fine. If there were someone with 12, they'd actually manage better than the 11, but I possibly wouldn't realise. Similarly, the 9 would actually have problems lifting stuff, but I'd always have the same concerns as with the 10. That's how I think of the steps anyway, the higher number means you get recognised for it, the lower number means you don't. So Petal is perfectly average, making the same basic choices as any other person. No need to play her stupid or unobservant, just roll with the dice The high charisma doens't need to be likeability, just certainty in her actions. I think the sorcerer background gives a perfect excuse. Petal has no real understanding of complex things, nor ability to determine them well, simply because she has always seen what lies beneath. It gives her extreme confidence in her actions, even though it's actually meant she's nevre been 'allowed' to learn how to observe small physical things, small quirks in people's personalities, or learn more complex intellectual solving methodologies. She's quite happy with her view of seeign the 'truth' of the worl in magic's simple building blocks, and it serves her as well as people's normal senses and intuitions serve them. No better or worse. Infact, a little better given her ability to use her charisma bonus in knowledge checks.

Never worry Petal has to be eloquent, merely have people trust her or let her have her way. But she definitely can be, since she has such assuridness in her sorceress ways and skills.

For stealth, stealth = hide (which is only the not being seen part) and move silently. Anytime you want to be stealthy, simply roll. I'll let the circumstances dictate it's just silence, if it's just staying out of sight, or both. Because Petal is small, it's assumed even if you hear her, it's harder to spot where the noise is coming from. You might have a giant who has the reverse - he m ight be able to move silently, but you are more likely to spot him out of the corner of your eye!


Whatever Wuuf might have said she had been forced to bite her tongue, perhaps by Petal's fury. Unfortunately, Petal had no way of knowing what the bika was upset about, or what effect the words had. Well, only that no apology had been forthcoming, so the bika clearly was not backing down in her own strange anger. Still, at least Growlgra seemed to trust her words, and looked happy. He was perhaps a little surprised at Petal's hug, and did not know what to do - bika rituals of friendship and comfort tended to involve rubbing against one another, which other races seemed to find strange.

Petal may have wished the argument to go away, but it was clear that Wuuf still had issues when Petal came back.

"-not the point," snapped Wuuf.
"If...then trust that one as you trust this one."

The two spring apart, Wuuf perhaps with more guilt, as Petal arrives. The three seem to fall quite easily into forgetting the angry words of a moment ago, if only because They were - after all - in Chaos's domain.

"You should scout, but do not risk the button yourself," says Wuuf neutrally. Growlgra gives her an encouraging nod for speaking to Petal, which earns Growlgra a flicker of annoyance in return.

"This one agrees to the plan, but its head and heart both urge the pixie to be very careful. This one can trigger the pad even throguh the grate. Knives and this one have been pack-mates for many seasons." Growlgra gives his odd chuffing laugh.


I thought Grolwgra might find making formal declarations about mundane tools amusing. DOn't ask me why


The bika both take up guarding positions, Grolwgra closest to the grate he glances through, as Petal again goes forwards. While the area is the mirror of the other path, there is one important difference. Another small corridor, ending in another solid grate, has been hidden in the half-light. Petal manages to quietly move forwards, finding many shadows in the rooftop to stay in.

She can hear something, a voice. She recognises it, although she has to get closer to hear words.

"I command you - attend me at once! Bring your bretheren!" Mini-Chaos is on the opposite side of the grate, further into whatever room is beyond. He is speaking to someone at a high eye level, although Petal cannot tell who from her current position.


An easy one for now - I'll let the stealth roll ride if Petal wants to get closer, but she will need to get closer to be able to hear more of the conversation, and stand a chance of spotting what Chaos is talking to. Though you might be able to guess There might be something further on by the floor pad, but Petal can't see it.