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

[beowuuf]

"By the Rock! Ameena, do not do that!" The dwarf had jumped back, clenching his hand in pain and brandishing the symbol with the other hand. Seeing the murafu's transformation back and disintergration into a nervous wreck seemed to emote great pity in him. He tries to move forward, but of course Ameena moves back. He notes that Haynuus has called out too, and perhaps notes the caring in the half-orc's voice. The dwarf takes a respectful step sideways, still clutching his symbol and murmering silent words.

Ameena tries to chomp herself, but only deals superficial damage before it feels like something drags her head back up by the scruff of her neck. She feels out of place with her body again, as if something is trying to take her over and stop her.

I was going to post more for Deephold, but really it should be the Ameena and Haynuus show - so I'll leave you guys to hash this out a little more after Haynuus has said 'wait'. And yes, I knew it might break the murafu. Still, I don't think it has yet, and though it's sad she won't be as innocent for all the nasty experiences inflicted on her in the mountain - solder fights and evil gems - I'm hoping she might leave the mountain a little bit older and more powerful, something the murafu may not have needed before - an actual champion. Or, you know, she might end up being broken. Who knows!

Ameena, you obviously get to start resisting this evil influence. If you think Ameena will go into a panic mode, then just make a will save to resist at +2. If you think Ameena might be a able to reason a little as it happens, you can take a -2 penalty to the will save instead, but you can also make a perception check/sense motive against the possessing influence.

[Ameena]

OOC - I'm not sure Ameena's in any mood to attempt to start analysing the opposing will - it's probably far too soon after her unwilling attack on Deephold for her to be considering anything other than the fact that she's clearly been turned into something that's entirely opposite to her own nature. Maybe when she calms down a bit, but almost certainly not right now. Though of course, at this moment I haven't started writing the IC section of the post - I don't yet know quite what affect (if any) Haynuus's shout will have had on her, for example...

BIC - Ameena gives a squeak of fear and writhes about, as though she can hope to free herself from the invisible force that's trying to control her. She is aware of a voice calling, possibly to her, but her attention is turned rather too far inward at this moment for her to register anything more than the fact that it's a familiar, non-hostile voice speaking. Beyond that, she pays it no further mind for now, instead continuing to wriggle about on the floor as though trying to escape herself, something some part of her knows is impossible, yet a greater part of her attempts to do anyway.
Her mind is a whirling mess of fear, mainly directed at herself - she attacked a friend. Something forced her to bite someone who was trying to help her. She can't seem to control her own body, even her own mind, and for the moment wants nothing more than to flee as far and as fast as she can from this terrible thing she seems to have become. But she can't. Because she is that terrible thing. She can't flee from herself.
She continues to roll and writhe around on the ground for a while, heedless of the hard stone or the two other creatures also present. Eventually she tires herself out and slumps in a heap on the ground, lying on one side and breathing hard. She is still conscious, but not really aware of anything going on around her, since she is beset not only by physical and mental exhaustion, but by the fear which remains, pounding its way through her blood, preventing her from focusing on anything coherent.

OOC - Well, since Ameena's response turned out as being nearer to the "panic mode" option than the "reason a little" one, I'd better make that roll, which gives me 18 (13+3+2). However, Ameena's doing nothing to actively resist this, really - she just wants to escape from existence completely because she's done such a Bad Thing and doesn't feel like she has any control over herself - she doesn't know when she might try to hurt someone else or do anything else she'd consider to be a negative act. Which means she can't be trusted (as far as she's concerned), which means in turn that she can add yet another non-murafu trait to her list .
So you can discount the roll if you like - I just made it 'cause you implied I should make one roll or the other. Now she's knackered herself out (which probably didn't take more than a minute, if that, since she was already pretty bloody tired and beaten-up as it was), I expect it'll be easier to get physically closer to her. Of course, that won't do much for her stress levels, assuming she notices anyone is there .

[ian_scho]

Haynuus tentatively moves closer to the Murafu, afraid that his actions would cause her to do more damage to herself than his own well being. "Stop that..." he says, "it's silly." It was the best thing he could think of saying to placate her. He squatted on his haunches and looked down on her, getting close enough to almost touch the very wound that she had inflicted on herself. "How can we help? Can you tell us what it is." He peered down to the lump in her fur. (1d20+2=15). He could see where she had bitten herself, but didn't understand how it had got there. He didn't recall seeing her with it before but he couldn't be sure.

"I think we can wait for you to recover... Although the answer to your suffering may well be found outside of this prison cell."

[beowuuf]

Feel free to keep the dialogue going, I will interject with Deephold when I can and when I think it's appropriate. Gotta run!

[Ameena]

OOC - Lol, and suddenly Haynuus suffers a moment of possession himself and starts channeling Monty Python .

BIC - Ameena becomes aware that someone is talking to her. She eventually identifies the voice as that of Haynuus. She still feels terrified, but has gone past the point where she can attempt to run away from it, for now. Instead, she opens one eye and blearily looks around for her friend, though she doesn't move her head.
"I think the...person...put it there after the fight with...the other person." she says, her voice little more than a whisper. "I don't think I'm myself any more. I don't think you should come near me - I might hurt you, or...or maybe do bad magic to you, or something."
She closes her eye again, scrunching it shut and wishing she could just be somewhere else right now - she doesn't want this. She doesn't want to hurt anyone, but this Something is making her do so. She can't afford to be near anyone because she might cause very bad things to happen to them.

[ian_scho]

Haynuus tentatively lifts her cloak from the floor and covers her with it, especially the lump which seems to be causing her so much pain. "Here, let me cover you."

He shifts back to the dwarf. "I don't think she had that lump before, and she definitely wasn't this distressed until just now... We were defending ourselves against a human called Garax. Hmmm, and I there was another one with a touch as cold as death, but without power to those who cherish that magic symbol which you hold. How can we help her?" He pauses for a moment. "I bet both you and Westian combined could do some funky magic and help her." He the proceeds to wave his fingers in the air as a kind of this is what you've got to do. He exhales to show a tiredness that is more than just physical fatigue and then continues. "I don't know what you are doing here, the nature of your mission I mean. It is not my business. But it is important that you and Westian get Ameena out and return to your order. You'll be able to help here there. Better than here." He gestures around the cell that they are in. "If you can relieve her or do what little you can and then we must get out. I'll tell you what we know before we were deposited here, but what about your story? Anything to aid us to escape?"

OOC - And herein starts the hivemind exchange that noone can be bothered to roleplay, explaining the most interesting bits of the last forum-year of events to the dwarf.

[Ameena]

Ameena doesn't respond as Haynuus drapes her cloak over her - her thoughts have turned inward again, swirling around in a mess of fear, anguish, and all manner of other negatively-toned emotions. She doesn't know what to do, and simply feels completely lost and alone in her current condition, no longer trusting herself in case her thoughts aren't really her own.

OOC - I'll leave things to Haynuus and Deephold for now, Ameena being in no mood to do anything since she doesn't know whether/when she might suddenly be forced to do something weird again.

[beowuuf]

Ameena manages to shake off the strange urges for now, though perhaps because of her own manic urges taking precident.

Deephold allows Haynuus to take the lead in talking to the manic Ameena, althoguh he does come from the other direction and seems more than willing to take a hand should Ameena try to hurt herself again.

Instead, it appears the two can get close as they wish when Ameena tires herself out.

Haynuus finally manages to see what has caused all the issues, luckily Ameena's position and fur are lying correctly for him to notice easily. His orcish eye-sight allows him to make out finer detail, even if it is in black and white overlay. The lump in Ameena's side is perfectly smooth and round. It seems embedded in her side, but the join is only jagged where she has tried to attack the stone. That would imply magic. Does that mean it could magic out of her and she would be ok? It seemed too obvious - and too much of an impediment - to have been there before. He had been knocked out earlier, and Ameena sounded like she had been put onto the table when he woke again.

Deephold nodded at Haynuus's sentiment, looking out to the door himself. "I agree, this is the work of the black hearted elf that brought you here. His mistress deals in death, and this is an instrument of their will. However, something is not right here. The possession we have just witnessed...that is not possible. Not from what I have seen of the elf, and of these artifacts. Something is very wrong..."

The dwarf also lays a gentle hand on Ameena - as far away from the stone as possibe - and answers the first part of Haynuus's words. "I recognise this device, I fear. It would have been implanted if she suffered a traumatic death - or was near death. Garax would have had nothing to do with it, though from my understanding he has brought this priest into the ranks of the Cult of Death - the loathsome solderis who have invaded here. That priest is already powerful - the cold touch you felt were mummies, creatures of undeath further empowered by his dark mistress."

The dwarf laid a reassuring hand on Haynuus's arm, and addressed his words to both. "All is not dark. The priest is a broken man, physically, spiritually and emotionally. This stone is a conduit for his will, and...no, let us not speak of the real purpose if it. It should have no more power over you, Ameena, than he has. And that man has all but lost his connection to the world. He is bitterness twisted to anger, and fear, and arrogance masking it all. He can only understand the world in those terms, and try to tempt you or force your own will in those terms. Ameena, you seem too gentle to succumb to much of this. His only power is fear - it is a power that feeds upon itself, it gives such great results for so little expenditure. However, it is not a power he possesses - it is a power you give him over you. Ameena, you must do what he cannot. You must take faith in the Lords of Good, and in yourself. And more than that, you must do something he can never do - you must be brave. You cannot harm us, if you do not let him use you so. You did not attack me when I reached for you, you were only used to attack me when pain was inflicted, when he could use your primal fear as a way in. Do not be ashamed of your actions, and do not give up on yourself. That makes you like him."

Deephold doesn't, for a moment, seem to fully understand or hear the mention of Westian when Haynuus makes it. It takes a moment in return for Deephold to fully taken in what the half-orc has said. "Wait, Westian came here?" Deephold sits back on his haunches, his eyes growing wide.

He listens as Haynuus tells the tale of thje party's exploits, even though at many points they become confusing.

There is a long pause as Deephold assimilates what he has been told. "For my own part, presumably Westian would have told you much of the lesser details. For reasons of security - and I can see that Westian was considered an equally inconspicuous second for this mission - I left alone with only a single paladin for a bodyguard. Poor Umgold." Deephold sighs, but carries on. "We made our way with as much haste as a circuitous route would allow, lest we draw attention to ourselves. My order knew of a mage called Fex, a scarred human who knew the region and the mountain. They thought I could trust him. I am glad you met Helm, for I would have thought ill of the man had you not described his capture. Helm was secured by Fex to aid with any matters of security, and bypassing it. I had hoped that my mission - to seek the Grey Lord - would be simple. I knew in my heart it was not to be." Deephold took another breath. "We moved down into the dungeon when neither Theron nor the Grey Lord appeared to our summons. My order had been told by the Grey Lord how to bypass the basic safeguards. The party briefly split apart, and I thought nothing of it until the soldiers showed up. Black clad and with skulls, I did not recall who they were until later. The Cult of Death had invaded, claiming Theron had asked them to help him after the Grey Lord had disappeaered. Both Fex and Helm had deserted us, and Umgold and myself made our escape from the forces as best we could. We managed it for many hours, but we were taken later, whle resting from an attack by the dungeon's own denizens." Deephold muttered a silent proayer. "Umgold was killed defending me, and I was taken alive to a gnome mage. He seems to be amassing prisoners, and I left the very token you gave me as a ward to a poor peasant who had found himself in the clutches of the soldiers."

Deephold sighed. "Would that I had been able to stay and watch over that poor soul. And to be there when that monsterous gnome captured that poor man-child you described! No, instead I was transferred down here, to meet with the priest. He sought to break me, and seeing the device attached to your friend, I can tell why. He needs my anger, or my acquiescence, so he can take one of Larethian's own as a trophy. Arrogance masks his fear. He would be someone to pity were he not so hollow inside, and so twisted in his purpose."

Looking back over to Ameena, Deephold seems to come back from the dark place he was in recounting briefly his own experiences. "In a way the matter is not bleak. Only your friend is taken for now. The priest must not be able to secure us, nor Westian. He would need someone of a pure soul - or at least, someone not burdened with past sins."

Deephold gestured vaguely. "At the moment, only Ameena is at risk. However, that means if we strike swiftly - shattering the stone with a blow from my mace the priest arrogantly took down with me - we should be able to negate that danger. We need out of here, but we cannot risk resorting to aggressions that would open us up to being broken by the priest."

Deephold sighed, and clutched the symbol briefly. "Larethian will show us the way. Or as usual, will open the way once we have taken the action of pushing the wedge first."


Ok, that's about enoguh rambling for now. Goign to bed, so sorry if things dn't scan - will tweak it tomorrow, or you guys can ask!

[Ameena]

OOC - Funny after Deephol specifically explained about the whole "don't mention names" thing, he suddenly seems fine with doing so himself and didn't tell Haynuus off for doing so in his last post ).

BIC - Ameena is only half-listening to Deephold as he apparently explains what's wrong with her - she doesn't really understand what he's saying, though. He's making it sound as though she's only becoming not-herself when she's scared, because it's her fear that makes the Darkstone's power control her. But how can she stop that? She can't really not be scared - fear is what helps murafu avoid trouble. After all, if she feared nothing, there'd be nothing to stop her just walking into trouble, in which case she would have died long ago, before she'd ever met a human, or elf, or any other such species.
A further source of confusion comes from Deephold's instruction that she should "take faith in the Lords of Good". She presumes one of these is Larethian, but wonders what help he can be - how can a powerful being like he be of any help to the Murafu, when they only know of his existence through hearing about it from creatures such as Deephold and Westian, who somehow know of his existence and seem to draw power from it? Murafu draw their strength from each other, not from something they can't see. But now, she can't evne do that - of course, there are no murafu here, but her "replacement" murafu, those she has become friends with, she doesn't dare go near in case she tries to harm them again.
Which means she's alone. Which means she's more afraid. But according to Deephold, being afraid is something she should try to avoid. But she can't, because she's alone, and the ones she would seek comfort from she doesn't dare approach because she might hurt them. Which makes her afraid.
She thinks herself round in circles like this a couple more times, then tries to come to some kind of decision, but of course, fails because she isn't used to being in this kind of position.
She hears her name mentioned a few times, as Haynuus and Deephold apparently converse about her. She vaguely wonders whether they should be mentioning her name so freely, given all the warnings they've had about that kind of thing before, but then decides that it probably doesn't matter now anyway - she's already been "dealt with", and is under the control of the elf-priest, so what does anything more matter?
She opens one eye again and glances over at the dwarf and half-orc. How distant she feels from them, now. Though she has, of course, only just met Deephold, she already counts him as a friend due to his connection with Westian, and from the fact that he hasn't tried to hurt her. As far as the Murafu are concerned, pretty much anyone not immediately hostile has a high chance of soon being considered a "friend".
So, maybe they can help her with her dilemma - maybe one of then will be able to come up with some kind of idea. She decides to describe her problem, in the hope that maybe even doing so will help in some way.
"I...we...live for each other." she says slowly, shifting position slightly and raising her head a little off the ground in order to see her friends and to speak better. "The Murafu, I mean. We have a saying - A friend is for life. Life is for friends. It means...well, that we live for each other. To be alone is...well, it's unthinkable, really. To be truly alone, with no-one. That is the worst thing that can happen to one of us. But I'm here, with this...this power...making me do things..."
She pauses, bowing her head for a moment to regain her composure somewhat - merely speaking about what she's done causes her distress. Then she speaks again, mainly addressing Deephold.
"You said I should...I should try to...to not be afraid. But...that's how we avoid trouble. I mean, if you're scared of something, you can run away from it faster, and survive longer, or not even go near it in the first place because you know it might be bad. But if something scary does come along, we face it together - we help each other get away from it, and we don't leave anyone behind. That's another meaning behind our saying - we live for each other, to live and talk together, and have fun, and explore, and...and all that. But we will also put our own lives in danger to help another. One murafu is no good - we must help each other, help each other survive so we can all go onward."
She pauses again.
"I'm...scared, now. I mean...I'm really scared, of...of this thing, this Darkstone. But I can't get away from it, becuase it's in me. I can't get away from myself. I might be less scared if I had help - things seem less bad if you are facing them with someone. I wish I could have your help, but I can't, because I might try to hurt you again. So that means you can't help, which means I'm alone. And I can't face this alone, because murafu aren't supposed to be alone. So that...that just makes me more scared. I just...don't know what to do."
She lowers herself to the floor again, spent, and starts to shake uncontrollably - murafu not being capable of shedding tears like other races, this is the nearest she will ever come to doing so.

OOC - Ameena would probably have responded to the mention of Helm if she hadn't been so preoccupied with other thoughts - I'll come back to it later if she gets her head sorted a bit more .

[beowuuf]

It's almost like he's received two shocks to do with Westian being around, and the murafu's actions, and is lost in the story. Plus, Fex and Helm aren't around, and until he's otherwise told are out of the priest's influence (plus they are probbaly false names as far as he's concerned), so not people who need protected. And Ameena is basically excempt from the rule now if she's already compromised. And Umgold is dead. And everyone else is on the soldier's side. Deephold hasn't told you lot his full name, and hasn't used Haynuus's name again at all.

The name thing is a little odd. It's not just the words, but the association - and also the power - a simple string of syllables have to lock in alot of thoughts and perceptions about another person. Dolo Smitre isn't actually the priest's real name, but it is now so bound into his own identify, and also the resonant perception of who he is, that it can be used as a way in to other people's minds if they associate it with him well enough. Vice versa, the name you actually think of as 'yours', especially if freely given to others, is a powerful shared experience and way of forming a complex you-shaped thing into a tiny compressed package of memory and experience into one or two words. Again, a very powerful thing if you can get a hold of it and use it.

Actually, I'll try and summarise it the reply post, since Deephold would probably mention it in response to your post. Probably best to allow Ian to respond first though! And best edit yesterday's typing - woah is it bad, even for me

[ian_scho]

Haynuus listened to Ameena talking, opening his mouth to protest from time to time but then thinking better of it. "We'll help you. You can bite me as much as you like. We've got Mister Deepholm here as Westian wanted, so we can join up with him and get you out of here... Out of here." He repeated the last phrase twice, as he just remembered that to get out of the dungeon they needed to get out of the prison cell.

"Can you get up and see if you can sniff anything around the door Ameena? Try to find a loose stone?" he chuckles to himself at that last thought. "We need to find a way out of here."

"Yes Westian is here", Haynuus replied to the dwarf, "and is probably smiting evil as we speak. He was looking for the Trolin king before we departed, and maybe even taking a poke at this twisted elven priest..." He pursed his lips. "As I said we'll meet up behind a big waterfall if all goes well."

"Oh and by the way, we don't need to find a Soul Stone or anything do we?" and with that he produced as if by magic an empty flask between his fingers.

[beowuuf]

Deephold seemed happy that Ameena spoke, looking to her attentively. "Ameena, do you not see, you already hold the seeds of your freedom in what you say. You do not fear for yourself. You fear for those who you would hurt, even though I am a stranger. That is not a fear that priest could ever understand, for it is selfless."

Deephold turns a little to address Ameena further. "Your race is indeed wise, I am sad I have not heard of them before. You seek to bond together to fight your fear, you seek to fear for others ahead of your own." Deephold rests his hand once more on Ameena. "Do you attack me? No. For your fear is not of any flavour that the priest could ever hope to understand. You feel alone, yet you are not. Do not seek to become liek the priest, for your instincts and your salvation run the same course. As long as you are not alone, as long as you fear for your friends above yourself, your mind is alien, untouchable."

Deephold temporarily touches the symbol around his neck. "Drawing strength from Larethian reminds me - reminds all who follow him - that we must think of a wider world than our own small concerns. Larethian promises us we will be safe in the end, no matter what happens in this world, so we do not need fear for ourselves. That your race has come to this mode of thought naturally is one of the High Lords' miracles that should inspire us all."

And now Deephold turns to Haynuus. "And you too, are remarkable. Your race should mark you as vulnerable - arrogance, rage, fear - those of your kind are unjustily labelled with such flaws. And yet here you sit, calmly ministering to your friend. The world is never as simple, and all people's never as dark, as they are painted when we retreat into our own little worlds. I would doubt the priest can touch your mind, either."

Deephold regards both. "The reason the priest can gain power so easily with a name, is what a name represents. We all to easily marginalise who we are, compressing our understanding of ourselves into a tight little ball and giving it a label. If we identify with that label, others can have power over us possessing and using it. Even in daily life, let alone with the magic he has learned. And we so easily take what other people assume about us, and flavour that label with, and take it back into ourselves."

Deephold then gestures to the two friends. "However, do you have a name for what you two are, together? Of course you do not! Your friendship is obvious, and is so expansive and complex no words can explain exactly what it is yet none are needed to definie it in your minds And it is expanding, and engulfing. Already you are accepting of me, it seems. Tell me where the lever is to use that against you? There is none! You can see what the priest has done to the Cult of Death, shattering them even though they do have a restrictive, confining label for what they are. Still even then he has to shatter it apart, he cannot help it, to gain any power. Only able to chip away at individuals with their selfish weaknesses. No, we do not need to fear the priest's power if we stick together, neither of you need fear him if you stay true to yourselves, and the bonds you have obviously formed together."

Deephold listens to Haynuus's words. "The Trolin king? For what purpose?" asks Deephold, confused. He shook his head at the thought of Westian going for the priest alone. "Alone, the priest is still dangerous. I am an old campaigner before I settled in the libraries of the order. Westian is still so fresh, untried."

Deephold's eyes went wide when Haynuus mentions the Soul Stone. "Yes we do, but it is best not to speak upon it now..."


Unfortunately, at that moment, there is a dull laugh from somewhere. The doorway slowly rattles open, and standing in there, laughing louder, is Dolo Smitre.


I'll leave it there so you guys can do any actions you wish, and get the first word in - if you like - before the priest does whatever mocking monologue he'll want to do! :p

And Ian - if you want to have a concealed empty flask, in deference to your previous successes, I'll ay least let you try to have one (the symbol was easier to be unnoticed). have to ask you for a thievery/sleight of hand check for a flask!

[Ameena]

Despite herself, Ameena feels slightly comforted by Deephold's touch on her blood-covered fur, then belatedly remembers that he's not touching her directly because Haynuus draped her cloak over her. She stops shaking slightly as the dwarf speaks to her of friendship, and of fearing for her friends. What he says makes some sense, but not entirely.
"If I won't hurt you because you're a friend," she says, back to speaking quietly again because she feels so weak, "then why did I bite you before? And I don't think my name is that important - you could replace me with any other murafu and it would probably be the same. Not our names, I mean. Our personalities - we're all much the same, in our own way. Many people think we're rats, but we're not - we are very much like rats, but we're different from them because we're...that word that means you can...think...properly. I mean...senny-tent? And we're physically a little different. But rats get on with each other too, just in a different way."
She pauses, realising she's probably not even talking sense right now. She should concentrate on the matter at hand. She looks up at Deephold again, fearfully.
"How can I make it stop me biting you again?" she asks. "Is there no way to get rid of it? I don't...I don't want to...be near you if I might do anything bad. It's...it goes against my nature, but I'd rather do that than hurt you again. If I bit you once, why shouldn't I again?"
When the door opens to reveal the elf priest, Ameena squirms backward, trying to get as far away from him as she can. Though she would rather, of course, maintain physical contact with her friends for as long as possible, she doesn't know whether the priest will make her do something bad again, and doesn't really know what she can do if he does - it's all very well Deephold telling her not to be scared, but that's one part of her nature she can't turn aside, no matter how hard she tries.

[ian_scho]

OOC - Buggerit I forgot about the lack of backpack. No worries. Deephold is a truly engaging eloquent priest!

Haynuus listened to the Deephold's oratory with a tear in his eye. He was beginning to understand some of this stuff better now, with his new found intellect, but really what he said was exactly what Haynuus felt. It was then his elated happiness immediately turned sour as the door rolled up. Oh if only he had a concealed dagger to hand.

In the darkness Haynuus assayed the twisted elven priest before him (1d20+2=5). Ameena skittered off to the back of the prison cell dragging his attention away from his target. She was really nervous it was obvious, but he was afraid that he would lose her once again should she have the chance so that she would no more harm those that cared for her.

"Arse"

[beowuuf]

"We cannot escape our nature, Ameena, only fight against it. When we're hurt our bodies take over to withdraw the hurt part. A primal fear can take over our bodies then, just for a moment. You only hurt me when I accidentally hurt you - a fair trade. It passed in a moment. Again, I say you did not attack me as I approached you, and do not attack me know. You need to have faith, and do not give in to fears that force you to be alone. And do not become arrogant. Why should you risk your lives for your friends, and yet not let your friends risk their lives - if risk it is - for you? Are you better than us?" Deephold said this with a gentle smile. "If we can be free, and if I can get my blessed mace, we may be able to rid you of this item easily. But I need to know you can be in the correct frame of mind to deny the priest his way in. You must be strong."

As the door opens and Ameena skitters, the laughter continues. Haynuus tries to look at the priest and assess him, but for some reason Haynuus's eyes keep blurring, as if it is hard to look at the elf. The dark elf does look tall and impressive though, dressed in smooth black armour with fancy designs upon it. Why did Haynuus think he was twisted?

Roll me a will save there, Haynuus. Though the poor perception roll might sting you a little.

"Do you really think you could just practise your little religeon here, and get away with it," mocks Dolo. "I felt it the moment you put your cursed hands upon the stone, naturally. And what a surprise you got in return." Dolo laughed at the hand of the priest, which was still bleeding. "What was it you said - 'This is not piossible?' " More laughter, cut strangely short. The priest wiped his mouth, and seemed angry. "I had to come andlisten to your words in person. Listen to you try to convince yourself and these poor fools I am not more powerful than you could imagine, more powerful than you can withstand. Darcow Deephold." The priest smiles as Deephold gives and involuntary gasp.

"And my little puppet is called Ameena, some distastful rat whom thinks she's intelligent, and this large creature is Haynuus, who thankfully knows he is not." The elf bows to the room. "My name is Dolo Smitre, and you are all mine now." His body shakes with apparent surprised laughter. "And Ameena is a coward who will run away from danger and is terrified of every shadow. Your wors will not work on her, she has abandoned friends too many times. And Haynuus here will not understand your words, he is good in a fight, but not for any forms of other thought nor emotions. And you, Darcow, you are the worst, are you not. You pretend to be a real celric, dressed in your finest armour and waving your weapon about, but you are nothing more than a librarian and a studier of words. Did you tell your deluded new friends that? Or would that have broken the spell of half-truth you were trying to weave."

Again the elf lauhged. Deephold seemed silent. "You know me too well, it appears," said Deephold neutrally and at length.

"Oh indeed. And I have realised I cannot let you stew any longer. Your own words have made me realise what it is I should do here..."

The elf stepped backwards out of the room for a moment. However, the door was left open, and two hideous mummies were revealed behind him. The creatures did not enter the room when their master left, but the coldness of their forms caused the breath of those who breathed to be visible.


Ok, if either of you want to inject some questions, comments, etc to the elf before he leaves, we can retcon them in. Otherwise, if you want to throw some questions to Deephold, or do some cunning plan, now would be an interesting time. Though do note the two powerful mummies standing at the other side of the door

[Ameena]

Now crouching against the wall at the far side of the room from the door, Ameena tucks her head down, below her stomach, and tries to tune out the words of the unpleasant elf. Deephold has told her not to be scared, and that the concept of friendship is one foriegn to the elf. She herself can never hope to grasp the idea that someone will fail to understand that which is so much a part of her being, but she doesn't try - that isn't what she wants to do.
She's had an idea, albeit one that might not work. But she can't think of what else to do.
If being with friends is what makes her feel stronger, and not being scared is something she should do right now, then she should think of friends, of friendship.
But she doesn't think of her more recent friendships - she doesn't think about Hay...about the half-orc, or the dwarf, or the half-elf, or anyone else. She thinks back, much further, to days when she was younger, before she'd met any of these creature she's travelled this dark place with. She remembers her fellow murafu, friends and family all. Still not really understanding how the elf priest's power works, she doesn't think of names, merely of images and other sensory information, of which she has plenty - it's how she was raised, after all.
She remembers the scent of leaves, of flowers, of stone and tree bark, so many different scents and yet each so different. The scents of the others, those she lived with, the feel of their fur and their whiskers. Running around with them, playing and jumping around with and on top of each other, grooming a friend and enjoying the feel of being groomed in return. Diving into gentle rivers or pools of water, feeling the sense of water in her fur and the rhythm of her feet as she'd strongly kick and pull at the water to propel herself along, then scrambling out and shaking herself dry or just sitting in the sunlight and feeling its warmth through her damp fur.
Digging burrows, kicking dirt everywhere in order to make somewhere in which to shelter from the rain or from predators. One occasion where one such predator, a large greyish feline creature, had cornered a pair of murafu and every other murafu in the area (save those currently caring for the Young) came charging in, squeaking fiercely and snapping their jaws at the creature to intimidate it into leaving - a technique which worked almost surprisingly well as a number of murafu were almost trampled by the feline as it turned tail and fled. Then the reunion with the trapped pair, a male and a female, and the joy of their survival, felt by the whole group, who more or less piled on top of them to offer support and comfort after such a harrowing experience.
Food, eating, foraging for fruit and any other kind of edible plant matter - some roots tasted particularly good. And insects, too - digging up grubs and other strange crawling things, careful not to eat the ones that might not taste so good, or which might be bad for the insides. Sitting in a group, listening to the collective munching as several murafu all sated their hunger at once. And not just the eating, but the gnawing, too - of course, simply eating food was usually enough to keep the teeth worn down, but sometimes random pieces of wood would be used too. And when you're chewing on something like that, why just chew it and leave it? At some point, possibly after a visit to land occupied by one of the larger species (humans, perhaps), one murafu had, a long, long time ago, come up with the idea of gnawing wood into shapes. And thenceforth many murafu would attempt to make their gnawed wood actually look like something. And sometimes, on the occasion that a murafu would find a friendly member of another species, this "sculpture" might be offered as a gift since some members of other races seemed to find them so appealing.
And finally, in between it all, the feel of going to sleep. Of a whole group of murafu all scrambling to form a pile, everyone trying to fit in in some way, whether inside a tiny burrow or simply outside beneath a tree, whiskers and feet sticking out in all directions, and the sheer comfort of the feeling. Of having so many of your kind with you, so close. Of knowing that, if you were one of those buried rather deep down in the sleep-pile, you might have the problem of trying to work your way out without disturbing anyone if you should happen to wake up and want to move before everyone else did.
And interweaved throughout all this, the constant feeling, the constant knowledge, that every murafu cared about every other murafu, and would be happy to help them in any way possible - to share information or food, to help gnaw through a tough branch of deadwood that was going to be used to help keep thr rain out of a burrow, or maybe to simply sit together and stare at an interesting-looking piece of rock, or perhaps one of the brightly-coloured petal-dancers which would flit among flowers and which no murafu would try to eat, simply because they were so interesting and pretty to watch.
The voices and sounds around Ameena seem to fade as she thinks of all this. She doesn't even allow herself to hope that it will work - she merely attempts to maintain concentration, to lose herself, for the moment, in memories of what it is to be a murafu, something she knows no other creature will ever truly understand, because only the murafu are murafu - there are things they do which she has never seen done elsewhere, things she's felt which she can never match whilst among other species. She wishes so strongly that she could be back among them now, but instead tries to content herself with the memories, picturing every image as clearly as the day she first saw it, every sound and every smell as sharp as when she first detected them.

OOC - I know nothing's immediately happening to Ameena right now, but I think I'm gonna roll a Will save for her attempts to resist anyway - maybe making herself think so forcibly of this kind of stuff will "get through" to Dolo in some way and maybe distract him or something, I dunno. I really hope I get a high roll now, after all that, lol. It would be rather bad if Ameena thinks of all the things in the world that have made her happy and I end up rolling a natural-1 . Alrighty then, here we go...Will save = 5 (2+3). Bollocks, bollocks, bollocks, lol. Unless she gets some kind of bonus (or penalty ), but of course even with that I'm sure it'd be a pretty crap result. Maybe trying to think of this stuff when Dolo is so close has had some kind of negative impact or something, lol. Still, if this turns out to have really bad results, I don't know what else shell be able to think of doing.
I realise the Will save might not have been necessary, but I just made it anyway since it's Ameena trying to "force out" all the bad shit that she thinks might leap out again at any moment .

[ian_scho]

Haynuus stood up, unsteadily. Before he would always hide any physical weakness as his previous comrades would feed off it, use it. Now though, surrounded by these people he had learnt that there are other weaknesses far more important than low constitution or small stature. He watched Ameena who was still yet possessed an almost dazed look to her. She was not moved by his condescending or threatening stance.

This was strength, not physical, but one to be respected. She was fighting him in her own way, in her own mind. Her action, or lack of it, gave him strength as neither of them had reacted at all. If anything the dwarf looked tired as if having to deal with an impudent child for the third time.

OOC - Will save (1d20=19)

[beowuuf]

Nice narrative Ameena. Definitely have to revisit this next time there is a contentious battle of wills!


As Haynuus stood tall, thinking of his body but ignoring it and embracing his weakness, a light seemed to go on in his head. The elf had seemed tall and proud before, and yet now Haynuus could see it clearly. The elf was a broken shell of a man. His laughter was cut short because he coughed. His body shook at times, not with laughter, but with the effort of strong emotion taking its toll. There was a trail of blood at one corner of the elf's mouth. Haynuus recalled the elf had wiped his hand there before.

Now Haynuus noticed that Deephold had ripped a small piece of fabric from his sleeve, offering it to the elf to wipe his lip. Haynuus could feel that something about the elf was sub-consciously trying to force Haynuus to ignore this scene, but Haynuus saw it clearly. Haynuus even saw the efl stumble as he span and left the room.

As the elf left, Deephold looked down upon Ameena. He did not say anything, perhaps recognising in the scrunched up face that she was doing something like prayer, or blocking out bad thoughts. Deephold rested a hand gently on her head,cluthced his symbol, and said silent words of his own.

Deephold looked up at Haynuus, and nodded at the warrior with a smile. "Remember, no anger, no arrogance, and no fear. Whatever the elf plans for us, already he has shown he has no idea who we are, and what we can do together."

Deephold kept silently speaking, and darting glances to the two friends, but he kept the bulk of his attention to the door. Before too long, something tall came back.

"Do you like my gift?" asks the priest from behind the back of the figure. "I will leave you all alone. And I am sure, in one way or another, I will see you soon." The elf laughed, though Haynuus heard the coughing start immediately. The door shut quickly, and the half light came back.

Still, all in the room had had time to see the figure that shuffled in. Not one of the mummies that had stayed outside the whole time, although this figure carried the same deeply cold aura. No, this figure had lightly coloured armour, and carried a heavy greatsword in its hands. The figure did not wear a helm, and was revealed as obviously human , with a thicket and bald head. And the figure was obviously dead.

The dead man shuffled forward, raising his greatsword unsteadily.

Deephold slowly rose and stepped backwards away from Ameena. It was hard to tell much from his frozen stance and expression. "Umgold," said Deehold at length, with a catch in his voice. "That...is Ungold."


And you guys are in combat, I'm afraid! Ameena, so far nothing triggers a will save. It's up to you if you want the roll to stand for your initiative instead so it gets gobbled up there, or if you want to roll a better initiative but risk the will save standing another will check if one happens... Haynuus, obviously I'll need an initiative roll from you too.

Umgold is not regarding you lot, he is making for Dephold, and he is not moving in a swift manner...yet.

So feel free to make this a preparatory round of actions. Get into position where you want, and also say anything to each other. I can also clarify any rules on the

By the way, Deephold does not look injured. So perhaps worry abotu your own wellbeing more! And while you guys are still pretty bruised, remember Ameena didn't get to damage herself again, and Haynuus does have some life in him...he can be knocked unconscious easily, but not so easily killed by any means!

[Ameena]

OOC - Not sure Ameena's head is particularly available for touching - probably didn't describe it too well but she's doing that thing rats do where they basically sit on their hind legs but tuck their head down and beneath themselves so the top of their head is touching the floor and their chin is against their stomach. You can say that Deephold touches her back instead though, if you want . And I also completely forgot to mention it (because I forgot about its existence again), but her cloak she will have dragged away with her and kept covering her - in this room it's the only "shelter" she's really got from the eyes of others .
As for the Initiative rolls, I'm happy for the crappy natural-2 (which will result in an Init of 5, which was what it would have been as a Will save anyway since their mods have the same totals) to stand as Ameena's initiative - her main intent of doing what she did was to draw her mind as far away from her current physical situation as possible, and generally try to force herself to feel better. So logically she wouldn't even have noticed the newcomer into the room because she's still trying to shut everything out, something I'm sure she'll want to get back to as soon as she can.
Probably not gonna be too great in this combat, lol - only 3hp left atm and no weapons...I can't BS if I'm unarmed, can I? I think I'll have to just try nomming this guy to death with my crappy 1d3 damage (assuming I can hit him, lol)...well, you know, that's once Ameena actually registers that combat is taking place and can bring herself to try to act - she might not want to in case she's forced to attack the wrong person or something...but she can think about that when she realises wtf is happening .

[ian_scho]

OOC - Agree 100% with Beo here. Loved the Murafu background!

[Ameena]

OOC - Lol, it's a tiny portion of the stuff I never get to bring out otherwise, because obviously circumstances are such that there's never any call for it to come up - but there's tons more if ever Ameena needs to do that again. Murafu might live less than half the time humans do, but they don't half cram a lot into that time .

[ian_scho]

Haynuus hissed "Use your magicks and the holy symbol." not knowing exactly how the clerics perform their work.

He glanced quickly over to Ameena who was probably the first to be prepared for the fight. Haynuus however, was not going to be the first in the fray for this one. He watched the stumbling undead who was once probably a friend and comrade advance towards the dwarf. His plan was to move around behind the undead and then rush the thing from behind, attempting to topple over the thing on top of or around the dwarf. Anything to stop it swinging the great sword.

The only flaw to the half-orc's plan was if the cleric merely pushed back the undead towards him!

OOC - Can Haynuus ready an action to bull rush the undead from behind when it advances right next to the dwarf?

[beowuuf]

The dwarf is too tall to do that trick with, and the undead is facing the wrong way :p You are free to move the undead around using bullrush though - bullrush is a standard action, so you can cue it up, even if you then make such a powerful push that you manage to rush yourself and your opponent onwards. The question is where

Of course, there might be another option...


"In good time..." murmurs Deephold, taking another step back. He is backing away form the corner where Ameena is, though also it puts himself further from Haynuus. The dwarf seems disconnected from the horrible sight, clutching his holy symbol hard.

"Remember, no anger..." he says softly again, although whether to himself of the orc is unclear. "Look to his arm... " Deephold does seem to say to Haynuus.

It is astrange thing, but Haynuus sees that wrapped around the man's arm seems to be a string of some kind. it terminates in a bottle or something similar, also bound in the same thin banded material. It is only when the tip of it glints that Deephold's focus becomes clear - the palain apparently carried a protected flask on a loop around his arm.

So tere you go, your call - you can either ready a bullrush to get the undead out of the way way, ready a grab for the flask incase the dwarf does something distracting, make the grab no matter what, or whatever else you want


Right, off to bed!

[ian_scho]

OOC - If the dwarf is with his back to the wall - it'll be a bull rush to attempt to make an ungodly mess on the floor!... Nah, it'll be that action any way, whatever happens.

The dwarf's calm and concentration was amazing. Defenceless he was ready to face down his enemy. Haynuus continued to skip across behind the undead warrior, and was ready to pounce as soon as he moved to within striking distance of the cleric. He had so few options, but the dwarf had given him a target, something to concentrate on, even though he didn't understand what the flask tied to his arm really meant or what it was supposed to do!... It was a bit like working for Westian again, to be honest.

[Ameena]

Despite her attempts to distract herself, Ameena gradually becomes aware that something is happening in the room. And despite her nose being pressed into the fur of her stomach, she detects the stench of death close by. Very close by.
Wearily, she raises her head and is somewhat startled to see Haynuus and Deephold engaged in combat with yet another undead creature, this one at least recognisable as being the body of an armoured human, though not one of the dark-armoured soldiers. Or if he is, then his armour's the wrong colour. She can see no sign of the priest.
She glances at her friends. Deephold is slowly backing away, clutching the small wooden* token he seems to draw his power from. Haynuus, meanwhile, is moving around the undead creature, positioning himself so it's between himself and Deephold.
At the sights before her, Ameena stares blankly for a few moments. She feels as though she had managed to draw her mind some distance away from the horrors of her immediate surroundings and off into more pleasant realms, so doesn't feel perhaps quite as worried as she should. Then she realises that, after all, she doesn't feel worried so much as incredibly tired of all this fighting, all these hostile creatures. She has no idea what to do about this one - maybe Deephold is backing away because there's nothing he can do, though it looks as though he's trying to concentrate on something. She recalls that Westian doesn't much like the undead and supposes that, since he shares the same kind of interests, Deephold doesn't either.
She supposes she should help them bring down this undead being and turn it back into a lifeless corpse, but isn't really sure what she can do to achieve that effect. Why is it here, anyway? If the elf-priest had wanted them dead, why not kill them earlier? Maybe this undead person is going to...to do something to them, though she has no idea what. And why wasn't it done earlier? All this is far too complicated for her - the ways of these creatures are things she knows she will never truly come to understand. Still, her friends are clearly in some kind of trouble, so she should help, if she can.
But what if the Darkstone tries to stop her? She remembers Deephold's warnings, though, and wonders whether she can think of murafu things whilst facing down an undead creature. She attempts to link this encounter with the one she remembers in which the pair of murafu were trapped by that large feline predator. Then, of course, the intention had been to scare the creature into running away. Obviously, that can't happen here becuase not only is there nowhere to run, she knows that as animated corpses, the undead have no fear anyway, nor any other emotion.
Still, maybe she can distract it, or something.
She is a little slow to move at first, attempting to stretch out her legs so that she can manoeuvre properly. She feels as though she aches all over, and that there isn't one single part of her, body or mind, which doesn't hurt in some way. But she will do what she can.
Her cloak falls to the ground again as she moves, but she leaves it where it is for now - she can put it back on later. She remains on all-fours so as to be able to move more quickly and easily. Then she darts straight toward the creature, trying to picture it as the feline she remembers seeing before. She hadn't got too close on that occasion, but she still tries to form similarities between that encounter and this, so that she can attempt to keep some part of her mind lodged in those happier times, at least for now.
"Hey, you!" she calls, knowing that trying to speak to an undead creature probably won't make any difference, but trying anyway because...well, because making noise might help. "You don't smell very good. You're dead, you know - you should probably go back to lying there not doing anything, because that's what dead people are supposed to do, not get made to walk around by magic. That's just...wrong."
So saying, she darts in and nips at the creature's nearest leg with her teeth, not intending to do any damage but simply trying to get its attention. She then prepares to force her aching body to dodge, in case she actually does manage to achieve anything.


*OOC - Is it made of wood? I recall that the one Westian found was, and was in the shape of a crescent moon. Is Deephold's the same?

OOC - Aaand let's make some rolls...I'm thinking that "Umgold" is facing Deephold, while Haynuus has been described as moving around to the back to form a flanking position. So Ameena will just be charging in at the side/diagonal - whichever's nearest, basically. An attack roll = 10 (2+8). She's not trying to inflict damage so I'll just call it non-lethal (not that that rubbish roll has probably hit but you know, just in case ), which will be 2 damage. Can I try dodging attacks in this or are we not allowed to do reactionary stuff like that? I'm getting my games muddled up now, lol - in Dark Heresy you get to roll Dodge once per round if you're attacked, for example. Well, in case Ameena's movement/speech/mini-nommage somehow manages to draw agro, I'll roll Acrobatics anyway, just in case I am allowed to do that. in which case I get...33 (19+14). Wooo a decent roll at last, now watch as it turns out I don't actually need it, lol. At least I don't draw an AoO by using an unarmed attack against an armed opponent - my feat takes care of that .

[beowuuf]

Ian, you didn't post initiative/attack rolls thta I could see, so I rolled for you. Irritatingly, while both Deephold and Haynuus - who are readying actions - rolled high initiative, they then rolled low attacks Still, it all worked out in the end.

Deephold keeps mumbling to himself as Umgold comes nearer, weapon lifted. When Umgold gets within striking distance, Haynuus moves forwards to slam the undead into the wall, Deephold standing sideways with surprise.

Ameena darts into the space, then trying to draw the undead's attention away from her friends before it reacts in angry.

The thing does indeed look at her, turning dead eye in her direction and changing the orientation of its sword. However, Ameena is already way out of the way, and the creature is not able to swing his greatsword to catch her.

This gives Deephold some time to compose himself, although he appears to have difficulty invoking. Finally he stands tall and calls upon Larethian's name, apologising to his ex-bodyguard even as he brandishes the symbol and places it upon the paladin's head.

The undead creature moans, and staggers backwards in apparent pain. The greatsword comes back up, as it looks upon its three foes with no recognition, just dead eyed malevolence.


Ameena, the symbol is metal. If it was said it was wood, that was a mis-understanding I didn't spot to correct. The symbol was used to etc a picture in a wall at one point, after all! Thiough perhaps only Westian saw that...

There's no dodge roll in D&D. You can use your acrobatics to retreat back again whilst not taking AoOs, or you could use it to move your position through the undead's square thuis distracting it. I'll leave you to decide which, with a 33 I think you have full sway to describe any tumble/leap you like to get to a cool position.

Anyway, that's the first round. In the end I guess the rolls reflected the narrative, which is cool. Deephold didn't manage to do much to turn the creature this round, so it's still a threat. Just the various player actions basically robbed it of its actions in the end.

Incase it wasn't clear, one of the quirks I gave Umgold was his flask was wrapped around his hand so he couldn't lose it in combat, and could quickly shift from healing to attackign again. That means of course that there is a spare flask to grab right now if you want to try for it.

Edit: Edited for wandering mind!

[beowuuf]

[Ameena]

OOC - Lol you left another of your unfinished sentences - "However, Ameena is already way out of the way, and the creature does not...". I'm guessing that was supposed to finish somewhere along the lines of "...does not swing at her" or something.

BIC - Ameena is slightly surprised that her meagre tactics actually seem to attract some attention from the walking corpse. As Deephold takes action, at first she wonders why he's apologising to an undead creature. Then the strangeness of the armour and the possible reason for the creature's presence in the room (after Deephold's warnings about not feeling negative emotions) suddenly make sense and she realises that there is now unfrotauntely only one person she and Haynuus need to bring back to Westian, not two as originally described. She is a little saddened at this, but knows that Umgold's spirit will have already gone. This isn't him - this is his body, animated by magic, as are all such undead creatures. So he'll feel no pain from any attacks, because he isn't there. She takes another glance to make sure, and determines, by both sight and smell that yes, this human body is definitely dead.
Then she spots the strange object attached to the creature's hand. It looks like a flask. Well, something held that close must surely be of some value to its holder. She wonders whether the undead-animating magic causes the body to somehow "remember" things from is life - maybe she can get its attention by trying to take the flask.
After her initial attempts at distraction, Ameena turns her potential dodge into a kind of dancing step, moving herself within range of the creature so that she can attempts to snap at the bindings around the flask with her teeth, forepaws ready to grab it if it should start to fall. She hopes she'll also manage to dance back out of striking distance if this should attract enough attention, but falls back on her usual murafu saying in case this doesn't work - she feels half-dead, after all, but if she goes down, she'll be dying for her friends, new and slightly older, and doesn't feel afraid about doing so. She just feels the usual sort of tension she feels when she's focused on trying to take something from someone (though usually it's food from someone's store-room rather than a flask from the arm of an undead creature) and is hoping they won't notice. Though of course, in this case she rather hopes the creature will notice. She also hopes, however, that if she's too sloe to evade this, that it will be over quickly.

OOC - Right then, I have no idea if I can do all that in one move, but here's a mechanical breakdown of what I intend - first, the Acrobatics is used to manoeuvre into position at whatever side of "Umgold" has the flask (I'm guessing left though I suppose he may not necessarily be right-handed ). Then an attack roll to try and break the bindings around the flask = 22 (14+8), with a damage roll of 1. I don't suppose I need to decalre its lethality since Ameena's not actually attacking the undead itself. For the sake of completion, though, I'll call it lethal 'cause Ameena's putting force into this one . A Thievery roll to try and yoink the flask if her bite was good enough (and if I can actually do that/do it this go) = 19 (7+12). I don't suppose I can re-use that Acrobatics roll again, can I, however good it may have been, to then dance backward out of reach? I'm guessing the moving into position counted as my move for this turn so I can't Acrobatics back out again.

[ian_scho]

Haynuus had a fraction of a second to take in the events. Ameena had returned to her hyperactive state and had said something to the undead warrior, only to stop to take a small bite off it's ankle. Unlike most orcs, he assumed, Murafus can't talk with their mouth full. She then skitted away most acrobatically as the thing half swung and half stumbled towards her. That was because of the dwarf's action. He'd used his symbol of magickyness and then both attempted to destroy the undead with his godly powers and then say something like sorry old friend. Haynuus didn't get why he would say this, and it probably didn't help. Westian was better at this stuff, the half-orc thought, but the dwarf looked as if he could drink the half-elf under the table. There was hope for them yet!

"Could we take the weapon off him?" he suggested and then bull-rushed once more the undead warrior hoping to topple him over against the wall.

OOC - Strength check (1d20+7=20) Ohh, it should have been +8 and not +7.
I think Ameena might need to roll a d4 now? Ye Gods, I wonder if he could even get a holy symbol shoved up his rectum if he's not careful.

[Ameena]

OOC - Roll a d4? Why's that?