Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Forum for the finished DM D&D game 'Time's Champions' run by beowuuf

Moderators: Ameena, raixel

Forum rules
Please read the Forum rules and policies before posting.
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by Ameena »

Ameena listens to Dark's words, still not really understanding, then, why they have their weapons drawn if they see herself and Helm as no threat to them. Yet another way in which she just doesn't understand them then, she supposes.
When they reach the room with the alcoves, Ameena looks around, giving the air a bit of a sniff. She remembers the encounter with the troll-creatures and the way two of them disappeared so strangely. She wonders whether the screeching creatures will do the same thing one day, disappearing into nothingness.
Peering into the room in which she and the others first woke up, Ameena remembers the meeting as Dark speaks again. She takes a couple of steps into the room, sniffing around cautiously, then glances back up and around at Dark.
"How did you get the door open?" she asks, curiously. "Lots of you trying to lift it all at once?"
She barely gives Dark time to speak before she answers her own question.
"Oh...I suppose not, if you can't all come up this way together as you said. How, then?"

OOC - Quick Perception check to see if Ameena picks up anything weird straight away...15 (7+8). If need be, I'll have her do another one once she and Helm actually start to head through the recently-opened grating.
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by beowuuf »

"Brute force for the most part. Your thief friend there also had shown us, when we first encoutered him, the tricks to opening certain doors. Imagine, concealed switches in the bricks themselves! Still things like those grate required more physical persuasion.

"And yes, we did come this way to open these doors when first you left us, and then had the...pleasant....surprise of Brohur here blundering up to us while we were in this room together. Quite a wonderful surprise, to realise a clanking oaf like him could get through the door easily and reach us in this little room without much warning."

Behind Darke Brohur stiffens, and his eyes narrow, but he does not say a word. Darke continues. "I was already dubious tactically of how we were to explore the main Hall of Champions. After that pleasant surprise, I decided that exploring the hall took a back seat to keeping ourselves secure and together back in the other hall. The only logical option, incase something more subtle, antagonistic, and deadly were to come. And of course, then you showed up, showing both my instincts were correct, but also showing a way to explore further."

Ameena sniffs the room, and realises she is not shivering because of some odd memory or fear. The room iitself is much colder than anything else. It prickles her sensative nose, like frost on a winter's morning. The glittering infront of the opened grate is not metal shavings - it is a light dusting of ice.

Helm gives a strange noise, and when Ameena looks back she sees Darke has stepped behind the thief and now holds his sword to Helm's throat, while one of Helm's arms is pinned painfully behind his back.

"Anyway, enough of this. Go through that doorway, then come back quickly if you can. Your 'friend' dies if you do not." Ameena perhaps gets an incling of why the sudden trickery. Something isn't quite right with the doorway beyond - if the ice itself were not a clue.

"No light penetrates that gloom, the air from it sucks at your lungs and freezes the fingers just behind close to it. Oh yes, you were maybe right to question why I so needed you help, but my word - such as it is - still stands. Tell us the way out is safe, discover what this thing is, and you and your thief can walk out of here. Is it an attack? Is it another one of the random experiements of that short-arsed bastard Seeroc? Is it some plague that comes from the Grey LOrd being removed from his dungeon? I doubt you will live, but you have more chance with the sucking dark than with my sword. And Brohur has so wanted to pay any of your group back for Arbrut's fiery death. Just remember his torch - it might be the last thing you feel if you disobey me now. Go through! Tell us what this is and what lies beyond!"

Helm whimpers, but he seems trapped between telling her not to and pleading with her to do it. Once more, he is within an inch of death from one of the black-clad soldiers.


Heh, so there we go. Dunno whyyyyyyyyyy Ameena was worried. The soldiers lived up to their word, and just wanted to see the way out was clear. Just I maybe forgot to mention that the way out wasn't clear. Still, I had hinted at it at the start :D

Anyway, Ameena's choice. Risk the blackness, which she would have had to anyway if she and Helm had dodged the soldiers, or will she try something to free Helm, and run back into the dungeon? Remember, the only other way out she possibly knows is to go right back to where the party were, and follow the corridor to the 'mound of the kings'. As you may have guessed, that means attempting ot beat level 6, however it is now twisted, in reverse :D

Anyway, probably won't get the chance to update again until Tuesday, though should be able to answer questions. So have fun planning Ameena's next move!
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by Ameena »

Ameena looks somewhat worriedly at Helm, and at the sword poised at his throat, before looking rather disappointedly at Dark. She doesn't understand this apparent need to constantly make threats - why not simply ask? Then again, apparently knowing so little of the Murafu as they do, these people probably wouldn't take her word for anything. Even Helm seems to have had trouble believing her.
She has no idea what she should do to get through what sounds like some kind of magic behind the doorway. She recalls Haynuus making no complaint when he stuck his arm through the bars of the door before, waving a torch around and yelling, if she remembers correctly, something along the lines of "Cooo-eeee!". Maybe this ice magic has been triggered by the opening of the door - it's the only explanation she can think of which would explain why Haynuus felt nothing and why the soldiers seem to suddenly feel it. Unless it was the fact that Haynuus wielded a torch - fire to counteract the ice? But no, surely the soldiers would have held torches too. But wasn't that first torch magical? Ameena givse her ears a twitch. Well, no good either way - there was no ice before, and there is now, and she must find some way to deal with it.
She knows that whatever she does, Dark may choose to kill Helm anyway. She doesn't see that he would have any reason to do so - he would have nothing to gain from such an act. But then, these people seem to enjoy violence anyway. Especially, of the present company, Brohur.
She slowly moves toward the doorway, stepping carefully on all-fours and sniffing the air as she goes, twitching her whiskers this way and that for anything odd which may be in the air or on the ground. She stops at the doorway, not putting so much as a whisker into the icy area. Peering into the darknes, she tries to see what she can of the area beyond the door, and also peers at the ice on the floor, to see where it might have come from - perhaps something shattered and caused it, or perhaps it's simply a thin coating over the entire floor of this area.

OOC - Can I take 20 on Perception, since Ameena wants to make sure she can see/hear/smell every possible thing from the doorway before she takes the risk of moving forward, or would Darke not allow her time for that? In case he doesn't, I'll roll anyway...bollocks. 12 (4+8).
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by beowuuf »

Darke won't let you take 20, it's really a 'no pressure' mechanical fudge.

Ameena can't detect the source of the ice, all she knows it is now colder than the last time she was in the room. {erhaps the magical torch kept it at bay, and they took the torch?

The darkness seems unnaturally black, and no shapes are visible.

"The hour burns," says Darke, "I can't hold this sword here forever, my hand might...slip...with the strain."


Sorry, no real help. If it's any consolation, there's not much to perceive that Ameena has not already perceived.
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by Ameena »

Ameena glances back toward Dark.
"If I just step through here and die from the cold, that won't gain you anything, will it?" she asks. "You'll just know for sure that you can't get out the way we all came in - it won't help you at all if you want to know how to get rid of the cold."
She looks back into the darkness and puts her head on one side, considering, then looks back toward Dark again.
"What happens when you hold a torch through the doorway?" she asks. "Does the flame just die?"

OOC - Meh, Darke's an impatient twat, lol. I dunno what he's expecting. And I dunno why he sees the need to threaten Helm when there's blatantly nowhere either of them (Helm or Ameena) can go, what with the icy stuff one way and Darke and friends the other ;). I suppose he has to live up to his appearance as Nasty Scary Bad Guy in Black Skully Armour ;).
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by beowuuf »

Darke shrugs. "If you die, I'll know it isn't safe to go through, but neither can anyone come through the other way. And to stop you simply waiting for me to assume the worst and leaving, forgive me if I tell you this man's throat is forfeit quite soon. I don't care what it is, as long as I know what it will do to or not do."

Darke shrugs again at the other question, clearly impatient at the delay. "It illuminates nothing. We did not wave one around." He gestures with his head to the portal. "Move. Now."

I guess Darke incidentaly explained why threaten Helm. Anyway, your move!
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by Ameena »

OOC - Lol oh great..."Step through the doorway now and get frozen to death or I kill your friend", how charming of him :P. Well, I suppose there's not much else she can do...

BIC - Ameena looks into the blackness beyond the doorway. She closes her eyes for a moment, trying to prepare herself in some way for what is probably going to hurt quite a lot. But should she step through slowly? Stretch out one paw? Put her nose through? Leap through as fast as possible? She doesn't have much of a choice, nor does she have much time in which to make one. She settles on a single paw, and, since she usually favours her right forepaw, cautiously stretches out her left one so that at least she'll have her stronger paw remaining if this one becomes badly hurt by the cold beyond.
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by beowuuf »

Ameena could have darted backwards, or fallen 'affected' before getting too much closer... you players usually pleasantly surprise me enopugh that I never consider any action of mine rairoading, since 1) I would have no idea how to make you go a certain way, and b) it's more fun to stick unpredicatable players in with unpredicatable foes then sit back laughing.

Ameena feels a chill, as if she is putting her hand into the first snow, but for now nothing more. At worst her paw feels numb, though that might ache if she carried on for too muich longer. Infact the only thing that means Ameena couldn't close her eyes and imagine it was a winter landscape is the absence of any scent on the air from this place. More importantly though, she can see her hand perfectly clearly. Whatever the gloom is, it isn't a tangible blanket of anything...at least, not this close to the door...

Funny how I've been able to update well during my 'I can't update' time. I think this happened with OB when he was first introduced too! Anyway, so that will be that until Tuesday, as I'm in London all day!
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by Ameena »

OOC - Lol yes I had noticed your "...even though I'm not online again till Tuesday" updates that you've been doing all weekend, since about Thursday when you originally said you wouldn't be online again till Tuesday ;).
As for Ameena's possible reactions to this thing, I don't see what darting backwards would do - that would surely just appear to Darke as though she didn't want to go through and was staling for time, so he'd probably make good on his threat to kill Helm. As for falling over and pretending to be affected by the coldness, I didn't even think of that ;). But then, I don't see what good that would do either.

BIC - Ameena withdraws her paw and looks at it. Hmm. She pulls up the hood on her cloak, deciding that a little extra protection is worth it in exchange for a slight muffling of her hearing ability. Then, keeping all four paws on the ground, she draws her body back, then pulls herself forward and jumps straight through the doorway to land on the other side. It isn't a long hop, and half her tail remains behind, but it's enough to get the rest of her through the doorway.
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by beowuuf »

The first sensation is nothingness. Her sight, hearing and even smell are completely removed, leaving her in completely darkness.

The second sensation is movement. Ameena is being pulled forward by something. Perhaps sucked is a better word, for there is no physical assailant.

The third sensation is cold. Freezing cold. It is not just the absense of heat, it is a hunger that wishes to drain it from everything it touches.

Then there is the worst sensation. The fourth sensation. Ameena starts remembering things. Strange, contradictory things about her past and even her future.

And then suddenly Ameena is in a hall, well lit because of the terrifying source standing in the centre. And though Ameena perhaps can't quite put all the pieces together of everything she sees, and has just gone through, and what it means, she at least knows the truth.

Becuase Ameena now remembers EVERYTHING.


Not the full update, just a taster for tomorrow :D Probably best not to reply to anything yet, since I have the fun bombshell of what Ameena remembers and what is awaiting her to drop. Feel free to make final guesses in the OOC.

Oh, and yeah, Ameena took 1d6 cold damage going through that. I'll let you roll that so I can get ready for London, weeeee.
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by Ameena »

OOC - Don't have my dice box on me atm 'cause it's downstairs in my bag so I'll roll the damage tonight when I get home. Does the fact that it's cold damage mean anything? Or would that only really be relevant if Ameena was in some way vulnerable to/protected from cold?
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by beowuuf »

It's just damage, but it would be relevant if she had protection or immunity, just like the mummy took more damage from fire
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by beowuuf »

Warning - this is the big spoiler post - get all your theories out first before reading!


The memories for a brief moment seem like some vivid dream Ameena just had, delivered all at once, ready to be forgotten again. However, then her previous existence walking with the group and even Helm just now seems like the dream she just had, and now she is waking up.

Ameena remembers not just the agreeing to come to Anaias after the chance meeting in the tavern, but coming up to the mountain, and entering. The big black door in the side could be opened, and the party looked aroudn the Hall of Champions - hiundreds of pictures mounted on the walls of a huge hall, each depicting the likenesses of fallen heroes, with a centre space for those heroes who had - apparently - saved the world by defeating the High Lord Lord Chaos.

Westian had expounded upon it greatly, and they had carried on through the anti-chambers, with Westian getting increasingly worried. He had found some strange mark belonging to a 'Brother Deephold' he was searching for on one of the doors, and started following those marks.

Unlike the dream, it was Ameena, not Falkor, who had found the Grey cloak and almost trapped the party in the room - Haynuus keeping the door open himself to let the others through.

The group did not encounter Trolins, though the way had been smashed as before. The group did not get captured by soldiers, nor encounter a mummy, nor a ghost, instead finding their own way through the room Helm had given Ameena the secret of opening.

The group had encountered many terrifying creatures, and the soldiers. And Ameena recalled the group saving her life, and her saving their lives, many times as Westian grew more desperate at finding his fellow alive.

And Ameena recalled she had not turned her back on Falkor, because in her memory he had never used his spells except to help the group. And though he was slightly crotchety and had been like one of the eldest Murafu elders - after all, he was 45 and older than even Westian - they had looked out for each other as the taller ones had pressed ahead.

And Westian was determined and made sure the group stayed together, and Haynuus threw himself into any danger to save the rest. And they had all become true friends despite the oddness of each one of them.

And she had just left them.


And even as those memories came back, the memories of how they had ended up back here came back. The group had fought all of Gholsts minions, each one evil in their way and, regrettably, had to be stopped before they hurt more people.

A funny little gnome who commanded monsters, ones that were frightening in their natural form, but worse yet when they looked like you. When they looked like you, they hurt you when you attacked them.

And there was an elf whom Westian had instant hatred for, because the man worshipped dark High Lords and wanted to kill anyone who did not believe.

And there was a wild-eyed man with a strange weapon whom almost killed them all, but the group defeated.

And then there was a orc whom dressed up like Gholst, and whose armour was almost impenetrable. And it turned our that somehow, the man Westian called Theron, who was supposed to be their ally, was actually Gholst.

And the group had to use a teleporter to come back to the starting room with the cloak, and chase the man before he could leave.

However, Theron/Gholst had not realised the group had - when they defeated the evil elf - realised how to put back together a thing called a 'Soul Stone'

And the High Lord called the Grey Lord had returned.

And that was when Ameena had seen Gholst in his true form, a spirit of a tall man in armour constantly burning. And Theron had ejected Ghost, or tried to, but Gholst had held on somehow, was actually holding on to inside Theron as if grabbing his spin, and Theron was left dangling limp, telling the Grey Lord to destroy the monster. Whereas Gholst threatened to snap Theron if the Grey Lord didn't stand down.

And the group had tried to sneak up behind Gholst to defeat him, for they had strange baldes that could harm even the ethereal...

But Gholst had spotted them, and made a motion with his hand inside Theron and the apprentice to the Grey Lord had gone limp.

And Gholst laughed, for even as the Grey Lord grew angry, Gholst perhaps realised what was to happen. And perhaps the Grey Lord knew it too, for even as his expression darkened, and his eyes readened, he changed his outstretched hand from gesturing to Gholst to gesturing to the party. And had said simply, "No!"

And Ameena rememberd that brief sensation of being blown back, and of being in two places at once, and of remembering everything that had happened, and yet at the same time of only remembering everything two weeks ago before she mad met the group, and infact had just met Helm...

And she supposed it was in that state she had collapsed, because her mind threatened to do it again now as she recalled. However, she managed to shake off the feeling because she could feel she was back in her proper time again, and she was carrying her own items again, and she could remember all her skills again.

However, now in this huge hall with the many paintings, there was not Theron, nor Gholst, nor the Grey Lord. INstead, there was a tall, terrible figure standing, light coming from him liek one of Falkor's light spells, except the man himself seemed to be able to generate a strange darkness around himself even as the light revealed everything else.

And the features of the Grey Lord were visible under a huge horned helmet, but the flittering expressions of the man, and the burning red eyes of the man, proved this was not the Grey Lord.

Gholst's last act had been to break the spirit of the old High Lord. And now there stood the darkest impulses of the man - the one everyone had spoke of in hushed, terrified tones. This must be Lord Chaos.

And the High Lord looked angry, and then contemplative, and then finally seemed to settle on genuine, good natured laughter upon seeing Ameena.

"Welcome back, brave adventurer!"


Heh, look, I started typing and all the words came out. Maybe not perfectly, but I gotta go soon, and it's too fun not to post this right now.

So yeah, Ameena can have some initial reactions to all of this I guess. AS can you as a player :D
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by Ameena »

OOC - Lol as a player, I'm probably almost as confused as Ameena is right now ;). I mean, so, erm...so the memories of entering the dungeon and fighting all the monsters and sticking together as a group and stuff...that was what really happened? And the being zapped by the Grey Lord/Lord Chaos was what knocked everyone out and messed up their memories? And that reference to carrying her proper stuff again...is that something she remembers doing, or does she actually have all her stuff (whatever it might have been) right now as she's standing in front of Lord Chaos? And since she only made a short hop through the doorway in the first place (as mentioned, not quite enough for all of her tail to come through), does that mean her tail still protrudes through the wall of darkness/coldness into the room where Darke and Helm can see it, or has she actually fully teleported?
Well, whatever's happened, I can at least make a fairly detailed enough post for now ;). Oh, and yaay, I rolled a 1 on the cold damage :twisted:.

BIC - Ameena crouches on all fours, looking up at the dark figure with an odd mixture of fear, nervousness, and downright confusion. She instinctively realises that this...this being...has the abilities, the power, to probably end her life in a heartbeat. And a murafu heart, compared to the hearts of races such as humans and elves, beats fast. She isn't really sure what to say or do, though she risks the briefest of glances around the room, and a slight sniff of the air, before her attention returns to the one she somehow knows to be Lord Chaos.
She decides that maybe she should attempt to speak, and wonders what to say. She manages something, however.
"Umm...brave?"

OOC - The above said in a rather noticeable tone of nervousness ;). Oh, and a quick Perception check to see what she can figure just from what's set in front of her right now (and that quick glance and a sniff she took)...14 (6+8). And a Sense Motive to see if she can deduce anything from Mr Dark-and-Scary's speech/movements...22(14+8).
And I can see what you meant about Ameena's next encounter being one that gives her her next level ;). Well, if she survives it, I suppose ;).
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by beowuuf »

Funnily there was a quote about bravery I heard today, but would be a little bit cute to use it.

Lord Chaos breathed in heavily, and drew himself up. A black fist formed out of the blackness cloaking him, and a spiked gauntlet smashed into the wall. Despite the solid look to the wall, there is a ser of divots taken out corresponding to the spikes. Lord Chaos then tuts. Were Westian or Falkor here, they might recognise the tone as if being judged by a teacher. "Well, it would be foolish to come back otherwise," says the High Lord in a tight tone.

While Ameena's senses are perhaps a little overwhelms just now, there is one thing very obvious. She is not exactly where she should have been. Instead of being beside the iron grate, she has moved many feet sideways, and has apparently materialised beside the black door. The door is open, and apparently Lord Chaos has been looking outside.

Lord Chaos, meanwhile, seemed to laugh with childlike glee, an odd mania to it. "After all, this is not like the times I have been set free in the past. No splitting, no being pulled from deep inside a resisting fool. Finally, I have been allowed to come free without restraint. At last, I have touched the outside world..."

The last tails off. There is perhaps a sadness to it. Or perhaps a boredom to it. "Glorious, is it not?" says Lord Chaos, even though his voice has a hint of regret, liek a child that has finished all the sweets and now has nothing but an empty plate and toothache.

For outside the door is fire, and blackness. The lush rich vegetation that should have been outside is a twisted horror.

Ameena probably cannot truly work out what is outside because he nose has shut down alreayd frm the stench of the outside, and her eyes are starting to sting from smoke and rotting fumes.

Meanwhile, Ameena's brain seems to focus on the thing before her. It is quite, quite obvious that while Ameena does not always understand the ways of humans and humanoids, this one is the ultimate in incomprehensible action. It is as if the being is willfully changing his moods even as he speaks. Still, does this mean that Ameena could perhaps gain an opportunity? If all moods are possibly, could she guide him to one more understandable...

Or will she be destroyed on a whim before that is even possible?


Hey, it's Lord Chaos but he's not instantly throwing a fireball at you. Whatcha gunna do?
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by Ameena »

OOC - Heh, were I a player of DM right now, sudenly face to face with him like that, probably crap myself, but this is one little murafu who only knows about this guy through stories and rumours spoke by other people ;). In fact, since murafu prefer to ascertain truth from rumour by finding out directly, that lays the way for Ameena's next question quite nicely :).

BIC - Ameena flinches slightly as the dark figure smashes a fist into the wall. Well, yes, she's already noticed he's clearly quite powerful - she isn't sure that such a demonstration is necessary. She knows she'll have to give a little more attention to the devastation outside at some point, but since she knows that she probably wouldn't be able to deal with it, she instead focuses on the tall creature that stands near the doorway. which isn't difficult, because she knows there's a good chance she won't live much longer. She can only hope that Helm has better luck than she does at escaping.
"I...didn't really...umm...expect to end up here." she says. "Well, I mean, umm...not...in this...umm...situation."
She pauses, realising that's not really going anywhere.
"So...are you the one who's...I mean, I think I've heard of you. Are you the one known as Lord Chaos?"

OOc - Heh, Ameena's current mentality is going somewhere in the region of "There's so much death and stuff outside that if I pay any attention to that I'll probably just go mad, so instead I'd better just focus on this big scary guy in front of me who's probably gonna just kill me soon anyway, but I might as well go down like any other murafu and learn as much as I can before it happens" ;).
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by beowuuf »

The figure spins from regarding the door, and slowly, very slowly, stalks across to the murafu. The torches around, and the illumination of the embers from jsut outside the door, lend eerie shadows to the figure. These shadows almost seem to move intependantly of Lord Chaos, and the prongs of his hormed helm move forward with menace.

Make a d20 roll for a Will save against his aura!

Meanwhile in the shadows swarming around him, the figure slowly breaks forward. His red eyes burn, and he moves, as if stalking the murafu. He lowers his stance, and then his eyes meet the murafu's. "And what exactly have you heard about 'Lord Chaos'?" The High Lord's manner is clipped and intense. Worse yet, there is a chill from being so close to the tall figure. Even as his eyes lock ont oher, Ameena feels ill - a sensation that is racially unpleasant.

Being the focus of Lord Chaos's attention carries penalties. At the moment, it is attacking Ameena's constitution. Take one point of temporary constitution damage, which currently means also four hit points loss.




Here's a link to the fear effects descriptions, just so you know the progression. So Ameena will sort of be caught in the headlights at first, then will be flight or fight, and finally will just be randomly runnign aroudn or cowering. So try not to fail too many saves or directly draw Chaos to you :D

Anyway, see what you roll, any borderline cases I'll figure out what bonus your extra levels would generate.
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by Ameena »

OOC - Firstly, an addendum to the essay I just posted in the OOC thread - should I level up Ameena to level 8 since the skill increases (as well as other stuff) will be directly relevant to her current situation in that she'll be using them - since I still have her stats as they are for her level 4, she's technically running at a disadvantage right now (I mean, apart from being face-to-face with the Great Big Uber Scary Death Lord of Doom and Stuff) ;).
Secondly, Will save = 14 (11+3)...or more if her Will would have increased with her level. Oh, and regarding the Con loss...does taht mean I take 4hp from her maximum and her current, or just her maximum? She's on 13/17 right now 'cause the baby spider bit her before...should I therefore put her on 9/13?

BIC - Ameena stares up at the terrifying figure that is moving toward her. All she can think to do is answer his question, though she notices that he hasn't actually answered hers.
"Umm...lots of things." she says. "I...I could, well, I could tell you about it all. But I don't know whether you'd want a very long description like that. My race likes to talk. I don't know whether you'd know. I mean, you might not have met a murafu before. Well, I suppose you have. Well, I suppose it was me. Umm...if that was you...well, it was. Or was it? The other person...the Grey Man...no, that's not right, is it? Anyway, him. I think...aren't you him? I mean, and he's you. Or, you're part of him, or something. Or, umm..."
Ameena trails off, wondering whether this creature, if he is Lord Chaos (despite her almost-certainty as to the positive in this matter, she resolves that until she finds out for definite-sure, she won't think of him with absolute certainty as being the one caleld Lord Chaos), would much enjoy being reminded that some part of him isn't quite as nasty and destructive as he is. If, indeed, he is as nasty and desctructive as she's heard he is. The scene outside would seem to corroborate such a suggestion, and she can certainly confirm that he has a fearful presence. She just hopes he'll decide to move said presence away from her a bit, so she can stop feeling so...unpleasant.
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by beowuuf »

Let me handle the maths, if it gets relevant I'll ask you for choices on where Ameena would be at level 8. Incase you haven't noticed, you are against a High Lord, and Ameena already had lots of skill points. So doing something active against him might not be good, and doing anything to get away, etc is probably already in her perview.

Con loss is taken from both, though you can't go lower than your hit dice worth of hit point - 8 right now for maximum hit points, 8 minus your other damage for current.



"I AM NOT THE GREY LORD!" screams the man, his voice as if a screaming child. A child whose gesture can fling the murafu clear across the room and into the wall, without any contact necessary.

You take 1d6 damage...luckiily you would have at least 20 more points to play with at level 8. Chaos's aura would have made Ameena shaken - both literally, and mechanically, she'll take -2 to most check rolls. Still, she's been blasted clear of it for now.

Lord Chaos bows his head, and gets on one knee as if a knight. "I apologise for my behaviour," he says, sounding sincere. "I can be magnanomous in my victory, even to one such as you. After all, you will surely be the last of your kind soon."

Lord Chaos laughs at his little joke, a genteel chuckle as if an arisocrat. "I am the last of my kind too. The only High Lord with the courage to remain in this plane and take what is rightfully mine." Chaos turns around to regard the fallen figure. "I need no mortal to tell me what I am. I need no mortal to let me be who I am..."

There is a tone in Lord Chaos's voice, he seems to be seething quietly.


Quickly roll me a perception check
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by Ameena »

OOC - Rolled a 5 on the damage. But she'd already taken 4 damage (from the spider bite and the cold) so if her current (ie Con-decreased) max is 8 that puts her on 4 so technically she'd be on -1 now...but if she would have had more hp from being a higher level, she's still above that, right? Above -1 I mean.
As for Perception check...well, as of level 4 the roll comes out at...22 (14+8), but it will be several points higher than that in theory because I will have increased Perception over the course of levelling - it's a skill I give high priority when it comes to dishing out points, but I can't say how high I would have got it because I don't know how many points I will have had or what I wil have spent them in ;).

BIC - Ameean shrinks back against the wall, physically hurting and mentally terrified.
"I...I didn't tell you who you are." she protests meekly. "I was just saying who I think you are. Who you might be, I mean. I don't know. I just...want to get out of here. At least, I think I do..."
She glances in the direction of the doorway and wonders just how long she's got left. What has happened to the world?
"Umm...can I ask you a question?" she manages to say.
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by beowuuf »

Yup, you still have at least 20 hit points to play with, Like I said, we'll do the calclulations when you annoy Chaos enough that he starts attackign you. Did I say when, I meant...if...

Even though she was flyign through the air, Ameena knows she say a flicker in Chaos's eye. For a moemnt the red had died and the eye looked normal. Whatever Chaos might say, Ameena could indeed see that there was something else still inside the High Lord, there was another side to him being suppressed by the shifting personality of this 'Lord Chaos'

Lord Chaos slowly stalks forwards as the murafu speaks, but seems to stop as she continues her explanation - luckly not close enough for his shadow to menace her again. "Very wise, I must say," says Chaos, clearly impressed with the display of perception. His tone becoming thoughtful. "Very well, speak."
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by Ameena »

Ameena wonders whether this dark being is just toying with her, or whether he really seems interested in what she wants to say. Still, since she'd gathered before he threw her across the room that he could very easily just kill her and be done with it, she considers herself to most likely be delaying the inevitable. But still, she might as well keep up the conversation. Just in case. After all, it seems there is someone else in there. Maybe she can get them to come out.
"Well, I...I was just wondering..." she begins, still feeling rather shaken from her recent impact with the hard, cold stone wall.
"Was it you who...who did that...umm...I mean, whatever happened. We were...I think, thrown backwards, somehow, and ended up...somewhere. I can remember that, and then it all seems a bit...strange...hazy, almost. Like it didn't really happen. But...was it you who did it, or someone else? And...umm...what exactly did you...or that other person...do? And why? And...how much time has passed since they did it? You haven't actually said your name yet, but that's alright. I mean, I'm not sure I'll be needing to know soon. But umm...I'm Ameena."
Well, decides Ameena, she's asked her questions. She considers the possible outcomes that are the results of her words. He may choose to answer her questions. He may avoid them. He may hurt her some more. He might kill her. He might do both of those last two things. Ouch. She hopes not. He might talk some more strangeness, as he has been doing, and maybe then something else will happen.
She just hopes that if she's about to die, that it won't hurt too much.

OOC - Heh, Ameena's approach is "I'm a murafu, therefore I like learning about new stuff. This is new, so I want to learn about it. It might kill me to try, but that's alright - at least I'll go down doing what murafu do, and then I can see where I end up after I'm dead and learn about that instead". Even though she does normally focus on survival, she figures that right now her chances of managing that are slim enough that it doesn't really matter too much what she says because the outcome seems likely to be the same whatever happens. Not that she's gonna deliberately try to piss him off or anything - she just wants to see what she can learn before she snuffs it ;).
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by beowuuf »

Lord Chaos chuckles, and then laughs maniacally. "I do not care for your name. As to what happened to you..." Lord Chaos takes a few steps forward. The unnaturally black horns of Chaos's shadow slowly creeped over the stones of the floor towards Ameena where she sits.

"Something so wonderfully perverse, no wonder I emerged. And it was thanks to your incompitent distraction, all of you. You took his attention and Gholst snapped that pup Theron's body like a twig. And so he made one desperate act. A magickal thought so against nature not even I would have thought to have used it. He shattered time and space to throw you back in time. Your consciousness at least. Putting you back to a time when, so he foolishly though, you could stop it all. Warn him while there was still time and stop what was inevitable."

Lord Chaos strides forward confidentally, but then again pauses, the shadows of his horns pausing mere inches from Ameena.

"He destroyed these events," says Chaos, with some dawning realisation. The man starts spinning around, his cloak of shadows disipating and coalessing and he shakes his fist and screams at the ceiling. "I will not be stopped! I will not cease to be like some dream! Some memory! I have my triumph and I will not be denied!"

Chaos then spins back, and his red eyes transfix Ameena once more. Again, Chaos starts stalkign the murafu. "You, you and your companions, you are the secret. Time breaks apart and tears. I will cease to be if you heal the rift, unless you all come back here."

Lord Chaos takes another step forward. His eyes glow brighter, and there is a deep rumbling laugh, but it soon turns into a sob. "I am the last!" he almost pleads. "You cannot let me die! You must go back, force your friends to come back with you. Only when you all return will this reality be restored. Promise me! Promise your God!" The tone is arrogant, and yet still as if the High Lord is begging.


Did I mention Lord Chaos is devious but insane? Never a good idea. Your call if you want to agree or try to divert his attentions with more questions.
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by Ameena »

OOC - Some small aspect of this reminds me of what happens to (one version of) Raistlin in the Twins trilogy ;).
Meanwhile Ameena suddenly has a very good reason for wanting to reunite with the others...if she believes this "dream" enough to want to go and seek them out and tell them about it (and have them believe her). And, of course, if she can get away from this alive and sane ;).

BIC - Ameena avoids the creature's demand for a moment, as well as any of the confused thoughts about exactly what's happened to herself and the others, preferring instead to focus on another point.
"I'm...well, I'm not really sure how I got here, umm...dark one. I sort of...hopped through the doorway and ended up here. It was cold. There was ice on the floor. And it was dark. But when I jumped through, I ended up here. Now. I mean, just then, when I appeared. Did you bring me here? I mean...if you did, you'd need to send me back yourself, wouldn't you?"
Ameena glances over toward the area she first emerged to see whether there is any cold, dark expanse to be seen there.

OOC - Yes, that's a point I just thought of - what will Ameena see there? The doorway she came through? If so, will it look like it did before she just stepped through it (ie very dark and with ice on the floor), or just like a normal doorway? Or is there just a wall there or something because Ameena emerged in a different room from the one she'd been going to step into?
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by beowuuf »

Got a green gem on you? :)

The doorway was further away but Ameena could see it by the light cast by Lord Chaos. It looked sadly normal, the grate still in the open position where Haynuus had lifted it. There was no strange darkness, nor ice. On this side, at least, there seemed to be no way back.

Lord Chaos lifts himself up, straightening himself. His terrible gaze look to the place Ameena glances. "There would be a rift, a tear where you emerged. This is pure theory, for any foolish enough to attempt this would have been trapped themselves in the past. You would have found it, somehow, and come back. You are bound to this future and to your alternate past. Only when you accept one or the other will the rift heal."

Lord Chaos seems indecisive, and the horns' shaodws thankfully skirt sideways.


Suddenly there is pain in Ameena's arm and she is lifted up from the ground. Red points of light burn into her own eyes, as she is brought up to his face. Chaos has moved swiftly, almost as if there were no steps in between. The terrifying fear of his shadowy form overwhelm the mundane terror brought about by his actions.

Make another will save!

Ameena feels her arm being slowly crushed as Lord Chaos stares through her. "I will send you back or I will crush you as I choose."

However, Ameena is dropped a moment later and Lord Chaos staggers back. For a second, once again, the red eyes seem to fade. The red glare comes back quickly though.

"Do you have any last words?"

Heh, and after a normal Ameena reaction, please roll me a d2... or flip a coin, or whatever.

2 = 'last words before being teleported back'. Ask any final questiosn, and try not to annoy him. You survived the encounter. That's wacky Chaos for you. Let's see where you end up.

1 = 'last words before I kill you'. Run. Really, you'll need to gve me a decent plan of where Ameena would go, and if she would simply try to avoid him, or if she would try to reaosn with him while running. Give me d20 rolls for any actions you take. Prayer should definitely be one of them, as you might guess Chaos is less a statted monster than a walking skill challenge and powerful attack. One undodged fireball could kill Ameena, and a few good throws could kill her too.

Good luck!
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by Ameena »

OOC - Okay, roll time! Will save = 13 (10+3...unless bonuses from being level 8 apply - I dunno how much/if Will would have increased...). And for the d2 (rolling my d20 again but odds = 1, evens = 2)...woo, a 12, so he won't try to nuke me at this particular time, yaay :D.

BIC - Having noticed the faint changes occurring within this dark creature now and then, the way the red glow of his eyes seems to flicker out, Ameena figures that the Grey Man must still be in there, somewhere. She considers that she might try speaking to him, calling to him in the hopes that he might come out and try to help, but decides that it's too risky. This one, the Dark One, could just kill her before the Grey Man managed to come through. It seems that she'll have to go back to where she was, to what seems now to be so dreamlike, and try to find a way to meet the Grey One there, and get him to not turn into the Dark One. Or something. Travelling through time? The notion seems so strange to her, so alien, that she isn't sure she quite grasps what's been happening. But she decides to settle on the idea she's just thought of - that she must find the Grey One and...do...something...
For that, she supposes she'll need the others. The ones she came here with, to this place that turned out to be so dangerous, and tried to fix the problems that had been arising. But in the dream...the other existence...whatever it is, she recalls being somehow...distant from them.
She realises that she's been asked a question and looks fearfully up at the terrible figure standing over her.
"Last words? Umm..."
She tries to think of something she could say or ask that might be relevant. Given her situation, not much comes to mind.
"What...what should I call you?" she asks, deciding that she might as well make one last attempt at finding out whether this creature really is Lord Chaos, or whether he's just some other kind of...great...terrible...dark...scary...umm...person. Or maybe he's only known as "Lord Chaos" by other people, and prefers to be called something else. His reference to "last words" makes her wonder whether she'll actually live long enough to hear the answer to her question, if indeed he chooses to give one. She's sure that even if he has no knowledge of the Murafu, he'll be able to tell how weak and vulnerable she is, compared to him.

OOC - Alright, so even if he chooses to answer, he might just respond with something like "I am your GOD!!! And don't you forget it!", but meh, as mentioned in the IC above, she might as well try to find out whether he is actually the one called Lord Chaos (since she's only heard about someone of that name and then met someone scary who matches the description - the two don't necessarily go together ;)). At least I know I rolled the right number to mean he's not going into combat mode. Well, I suppose he might if the question was enough to piss him off. You can never tell with these psychopathic, completely insane creatures of total darkness, mayhem, and the DnD description of "Evil" ;).
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by beowuuf »

I had to come back...and weeee, the murafu makes it! Thank goodness, even though the procession of spells, effects and other hoops I had would have been fun, no sense in creating a hellish fight if you don't offer ways out. Seriously, I had them set pretty lethally. And all the DCs would have been upfront just so you really knew how bad it was. Still, had to balance that with a 50/50 chance, right?

The will save fail would have put Ameena into panicked mode, but as you will find out it shouldn't matter now... hence why she will loose no more stats from being close to him either.


Lord Chaos brought the struggling murafu even closer. His eyes glowed redder than before, if possible, and she could hear the hiss of his breath. She is encircled by his darkness, her nose once more smelling nothing. The shadows almost create whispers of something in her mind, like screams.

"What should you call me? I am flattered you care so much," he said but the mocking tone seemed to catch in his throat, as if some genuine emotion bubbled up from within. "Why do you care exactly who I claim to be? Merely know I am someone you will meet again, one way or another. Come back through the rift and I will, at least, remember to be in your debt."

Just as Ameena might think she'll lose an arm given his powerful grip, and just as she things that the odd imagined voices in her head might become real, Lord Chaos sudden;y whips her back with a powerful motion and throws her across the hall.

Even as she spins, completely out of control to surely be dashed against a wall or the floor, there are bellowed words of magic. There is an unpleasant sensation like a thunderstorm that forces Ameena's fur to stand on end and tingle unnaturally.

And then a feeling of intense gravity, as if Ameena has been thrown off of a cliff face.

There is nothing but darkness, and scentlessness, and silence, and...heat. Too much heat...


Ok, I really am tired, so I'll end it there and introduce you back into the dungeon again (back in the past, of course) tomorrow.

I'll also summarise what affect this is likely to have had on the poor little murafu, and also what she'll remember on the flip side.

As a player, you're probably jsut all 'lalalalla' since I never got to actually attempt to kill your character. Oh well, you still need to find the rest of the people...

Oh, I'll close this thread, and open a new one to represent the next part. Hopefully it will be shorter. As you might be able to guess, Ameena might well be needed to save the day if the party don't start being a little more paranoid, and pick up some hints on 'Brighteyes'! :D
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: Ameena's BIG (and last?) adventure!

Post by beowuuf »

Oh, and of course Lord Chaos had to not say his name, he's a villain!

A villain whose moods were determined by a die roll. Second lowest number = urge to kill. Lowest number = get changed into something hideous. Fun times!
Post Reply