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

[beowuuf]

Very strange behaviour. I have had a PM eaten, but that was because it snuck me into a preview of the PM when I expected it to post - because I told it to post - and so navigated away. I tend to save my posts too, but only because I don't trust computers at all anymore. Programmes crash, computers crash, and sometimes the power goes out!


Deephold nods along to Ameena's words. "Perhaps I am biased from Fex's betrayal. Certainly, your friend Falkor did not undertake the endeavour with Fex. And as you say, the halfling are a friendly people." However, Deephold's face remains clouded at mention of Falkor.

Deephold seems relieved that Ameena naturally pauses and asks about a topic again. "Yes, please, explain your recollections about the Soul Stone." Deephold starts to cast Vi into a few flasks, taking and handing them back so both Ameena and Haynuus are served. Both of you now have an ON VI potion, restoring 3d6 health.

Deephold catches the talk behind him even as he concentrates on what Ameena is saying. When it menitons the Grey Lord and Chaos, he quickly turrns around. "Four champions managed to find the Firestaff of the Grey Lord, and used it to pull Chaos back into the Grey Lord - for Chaos was not a separate entity, but an aspect of the High Lord pulled free during the Grey Lord's experiments. Please guard that information closely, for not many beyond this wall know this fact. Much damage was done here, some not undone by the Grey Lord afterwards. There is indeed a danger that Chaos can be once more pulled from the Grey Lord, now the two know they can be separated. I doubt Chaos has returned, for this place is ironically in too much disarray to indicate his presence. The soul stone should bind many of the magics and dangers that the Grey Lord refused to undo. With it shattered, there is much danger here. Restoring it, we can discover where the Grey Lord is. And assuming he is still safe somewhere, many of the dangers here can be brought back under his control."


As the group speak, the butterfly leads them onwards down a set of rocky passageways carved int othe cavern wall. However, the walls get straighter, and soon brickwork can be spotted at a cracked interfasce with a cavern wall. There appear to be some headless Trolin corpses at the interface, corpses Haynuus is sure he recognises as belonging to the two foes he fought earlier.

"Wait, I hear something," says Deephold, looking around.


Ok, there's two parts to the update, so make sure you respond to them both - the discussion first, and then after that section of the discussion, assume you then come to the corridor part. Give me whatever rolls or actions you think are appropriate. Also, remember that I'm away all weekend, so sadly tonight/tomorrow morning's update will be the last update until Monday evening!

Edit: Ah, I see I double posted with Ian. Luckily, I think the update covers what Haynuus just said Thank goodness for that, time is marching on!

[Ameena]

OOC - I've noticed when I make a "failed" post, instead of the following screen saying "Your post has been made successfully", or whatever it says, instead I get "No post mode specified". I don't even know what the term "post mode" means, and I'm not doing anything different to what I've been doing for the past...however many years the forum's had this kind of layout. I just hit "Back" and re-submit the post and it's worked so far...well, the couple of times I've noticed that "bad" message, anyway .
As for 4th edition, maybe I was explaining it in a bit of a weird way but it's really not complicated - I've been able to attempt to run a game and not completely failed at it, so it's obviously not that bad . I don't really get why people claim they hate it so much. Maybe they all like their games with more numbers in, or something, lol.

BIC - Ameena pauses and stands on her hind legs in order to put the offered potion into a pouch. She hopes she won't need either of the ones she now has, but is glad for them in case such a need should arise. She then drops back down and continues onward.
At the question of the Soul Stone, Ameena thinks for a moment.
"Well, I think we'd better wait till we meet Westian." she says. "I can remember...lots of things. But it's a bit confused. I don't really unerstand what's happened but there was some kind of magic at some point which...I don't know...I think it's made things...happen in the wrong order. But they must have still happened, because I remember them. But...well, I don't know. I wanted to explain it to everyone at once so that I only get confused once, because I'm sure I will."
She isn't particularly disheartened by this, however, and instead is simply stating it as a fact - her memories are something of a confusing mess, therefore she'll get confused trying to explain them.
When Chaos is mentioned, Ameena gives a little shudder, which causes her natural gait to pause momentarily.
"That...Chaos...he's big, isn't he? Tall, I mean. Dark. With...horns. And red eyes. Red, glowing eyes? I mean, you can hear someone's name but not get much of a description, but just know it's them when you meet them, I think. Because I think I called him the Dark One. He's very scary, and when he touches you, it...hurts."
Ameena pauses again, her right foreleg giving a twitch as the rest of her gives another shudder, but she distracts herself from that chain of thought by finding the green-winged one again up ahead, and wondering what they're going to find down this way.
Her wonderings are soon answered when she sees the remains of a couple of blue troll-creatures. Never one to enjoy seeing dead things lying about, Ameena shakes her head to try and lose the unpleasant smell and quickly tries to pass the bodies. She looks up at the petal-dancer.
"is it safe here?" she asks in a low voice. "I mean, are there things which might try to hurt us?"
At Deephold's mention of being able to hear something, Ameena stands completely still, head raised slightly (though she doesn't stand completely upright, merely raises her forepaws off the ground a little way) as she senses the air with every ability she has in order to detect whatever's about.

OOC - Perception for...everything... = 18 (7+11).

[beowuuf]

No. 4th edition. Discussion. Here. Bad!

[ian_scho]

"It is good that the Chaos Master no longer exists." Haynuus was actually more familiar with Lord Choas lore, than that of the Grey Lord. Such as it was being brought up with the orcs. The way the evil old lord perverted the Trolins, was a story that each Trolin Orc and Ogre must never cease to tell their offspring. A lesson in their own weaknesses and subsequent downfall if not learnt.

"Thanks for the blue juice, Mister Deephold." And with that diligently puts away the flask at the top of his back sack. He swore he saw a symbol had magically appeared on the smoky glass but dismissed it as the dwarf's dirty paw prints.

Upon arriving at the corpses he beckons Petal to join him at his side, and decides upon giving them a quick look over (1d20+2=14), just in case he could find the cause of death or any coin... Habits die hard.

[raixel]

Petal nods. "Then understand you, never able to home go. Home mine, by Chaos' army destroyed. Murdered, everyone. Villagers, traders, allies, children. Dead they are all. Tree-houses burned. Only survivors know I, me and Growlgra, bika. Travel tpgether, we did. To Chaos I go. Payback for his destroying everything. But capture me, Chaos did. Capture Growlgra."

The pixie frowns, her eyes growing shadowed.

"Not strong enough, was I. Imprisoned, was I. Growlgra, I know not where he is now. Know not how here I got. Want to find missing family mine, I do. Brother and father. Go to fight Chaos they did, about a year before destroying village Chaos did. Perhaps, here they still are. Search for them, I do. And looking for Growlgra I am also.

She shakes herself, her long black hair flying out from her face like a lions mane, as if to shake off the gloomy memories. When she turns back to the half-orc her eyes are no longer filled with pain.
"Sorry I am. To remember the painful memories and to you bring them I do not mean to. So, then. Of your past, tell me. Know little of your people I do. To me it seems humans and orcs like each other do not. For you then, painful life must have been. An understanding we have, then. To this place, how did you come?"

[raixel]

Gah! WTF my post sould have been before Beos. It was and then it jumped down here. RGH!

[raixel]

Petal looks shocked at Deephol'd's revelation.

"Wait, the Grey Lord, Chaos is?" She nods as he talks about the Firestaff.
"Yes, brother and father mine, go they did to stop Chaos they did try. Whether of the four that suceeded they were, know I not. Come back home they never did. Then, I guess seperate again, the grey Lord did. Come back, Chaos did. Destroyed my village he did. Where he goes after, I know not. "

She is thinking on this information when Deephold motions for everyone to stop and that he has heard something.

The pixie flits into the shadows and remains absolutely still, only a slight buzzing of her wings gives her away to a careful listener. She peers around her, looking for the source of the noise.

1d20+9=19 HIDE [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2770422/]1d20+5=18 PERCEPT[/url]

[beowuuf]

Deephold is concerned over the comments of Ameena. "It sounds like you have visions of the future. If so, we are already walking the steps that lead to the disaster you have hinted at. Perhaps when we find Westian, it is already too late?"

The concept of trying to predict and counter the future - if this is even possible - seems to cause a great worry in the dwarf. He doesn't seem to notice Ameena's react to Chaos's name, merely nods distractedly at the general description and at Haynuus's comments.

In reply to Petal's questions, Deephold at least comes out of himself. "Indeed, the Grey Lord's real name is Librasulus, and is aligned to bringing order. As with us all, he has oppising inclinations buried inside him. After all, noble pixie, you would summon fire to hurt a foe, and speak with a worrying tone about 'payback.' Would you wish to meet the darker aspects of you if they could be manifest, unshackled?" Deephold then pauses. "Still, it is a worry that the Grey Lord chooses to tolerate what he tolerates. Many things twisted and summoned should have been dispelled and put down to spare their existence, not allowed to roam. The Trolins pulled here by Chaos should have been ejected, not bargained with. It is not for mortals to question the High Lords, but I fear that the Grey Lord has already proven his ...eccentricities.... can threatened the whole world." Deephold pauses. "Yes, that Lord Chaos shook himself loose one since the cataclytsm is also not something generally known. Some organisations - such as my order - keep our eyes on the Grey Lord because of such things. The Soul Stone was one such method."


Beside the corpses, the group listened. It was a subtle noise, ad could have been mistaken for a strange accoustic echo created by the party's movements themselves.

However, Ameena could smell something odd - the death of the Trolins was recent, and despite the harsh smell there was a tinge to the air that didn't come from that. It was dusty, but not mold. It reminded Ameena of the undead, though she would need to get beyond the bodies to be sure.

Meanwhile, with her low level sight, and with the good position Petal could get, the pixie could spot there was some figure in the distance. There was a shuffling of the figure as it moved around slowly. And also a sound like...sniffing?

Haynuus could only see a vague shadowy figure, for whatever it was seemed to be outside the range of his night vision. The half-orc was also taken with examining the corpses. They seemed ot have been stripped of vaulables, and in a way that seemed vaguely...orcish? Or Trolin-ish, the circlet whispered to him.

The figure moved forward. "Who is that," whispered Deephold. "I swear I recognise them." The dwarf squinted into the edges of the half-light he and ther pixie could see in to.

As the figure moved closer still, PEtal could see the figure but had no way to identify who the person was. They looked human - like a human male.

Haynuus's nigh vision finally let him get the better of his sharp-eyed friends. That and familiarity allowed him to realise right away the figure was Westian. The cleric was shambling forward as if dazed.

The butterfly became visible, and rather thna steer towards Westian, the butterfly apparently tried to swing around the cleric. Westian moved with surprising speed, and leapt into the air. His cupped hands slapped around the air where the butterfly had been. He pulled his hands in close, and sniffed them.

"Is that Westian?" breathed Deephold. "Hasn't he seen us? Wait, is there someone else?"

Indeed, a second figure moved forwards in the gloom. Again, Petal would not recognise the figure as anything other than another human. To Haynuus, it was veryobviously Aurek. And very obviously, Aurek was sniffing the air too. He was also staring directly at the group.


Ok, and that's me run over lunch! Sorry for pushing you guys forward a little, feel free to retcon some reactions the moment a figure would be seen. Haynuus by the corpses is maybe a little vulnerable to sudden;y hiding, but Petal is hidden for now, and Ameena might be able to hide - or even pull Deephold into hiding too.

Next update Monday - have a good weekend!

[Ameena]

Ameena stares in the direction of the strange smell. It doesn't seem like a smell of life. More like death. Undeath. Then a figure comes into view, apparently Westian, which then apparently tries to two-handedly snatch the green-winged petal-dancer out of the air - Ameena hopes her little friend is alright.
The strange behaviour of the Westian-figure and, she now notices, an Aurek-looking figure, coupled with the smell and the fact that they're now within the realms of the troll-creatures, brings to mind only one particularly obvious conclusion, though Ameena is aware that she might be wrong.
However, she decides, better to act as though she is right, in which case she can quickly rectify her actions if she should turn out to be mistaken.
"Grak-graks!" she says, as quietly as she can yet as loudly as she dares in order for her friends to hear her. "They don't smell alive. I think it's the grak-graks! Maybe if we're quick they won't see us..."
So saying, she starts to retreat, as quietly as she can, and looks for somewhere she might hide. True, the grak-graks were serving as merely "escorts" last time they were with the group, but that doesn't mean they're still doing so now. They might not be happy, after all, to have been left behind back in the waterfall cave. Not that the dead, or even the undead, can feel happiness as such, but whatever the case, Ameena doesn't particularly want to get too close to them. If it comes to a fight, after all, she knows all too well what these creatures are capable of. She knows Haynuus knows that too, but glances up at Petal and Deephold - do they know what powers these creatures have?
She wonders what the grak-graks, if grak-graks they are, will do if they realise the group is there. Maybe they'll try to take them back to Soorec. Then again, she reasons, maybe that's not such a bad idea, though since she isn't entirely sure of everything she's remembering, maybe she's wrong about that, too.
If it turns out that what she's seeing isn't the grak-graks after all, but the real Aurek and Westian with their scents somehow masked, at least the mistake can be easily rectified by simply talking to them and apologising for trying to run away from them and hide. Well, Ameena herself hopes to get out of sight, but she can only hope the others will try to do the same.
"They're really strong." she adds, for the benefit of the two who might not know what these creatures are. "And if they get hurt while they look like someone, that person gets hurt too..."

OOC - Ameena isn't withdrawing all the way, just sort of backing away and looking to her friends to see whether they'll try to do the same. She is trying to move quietly, however, so a Stealth roll gives me 33 (18+15). I realise that's probably gonna be largely irrelevant if the rest of the group decides to show themselves, but for now she's trying to keep away. If there's any kind of shadowy alcove or offshoot tunnel or whatever that she can try to hide in, she'll go for that as long as it doesn't immediately whiff of anything worse. But she's moving backwards, on all-fours, and keeping her eyes mainly on what's in front of her (though of course she'll take a route that doesn't involve stepping all over the icky dead troll corpses ). It seems obvious enough to me that these are the grak-graks returned at last, but of course I might be wrong - it just seems that all evidence points that way so either I'm right or it's the GM using Sneaky Bastard Tactics to try and see how many of us assume it's the aforementioned grak-graks .

[ian_scho]

OOC - Wow Ameena, good work. I suspected that they were undead, but had completely forgotten about them Grak-Graks!

"Corporeal transmogrification with transference" Haynuus quietly repeated from the circlet on his head. He didn't know what it meant, but he knew the effects! If he punched the one holding the butterfly on the nose the real Westian would need a VI potion fast. He also didn't know their weakness. If the real Westian was here it'd be a fascinating experiment to prick the prone fellow with his sword to see what would happen to the animated undead doppleganger!

Next he looked to the dwarf. He didn't want to leave him on his own, but he learnt with his new friends that running was a top 5 option. He grabs the dwarf by the arm and hisses "Back. They're bad news, undead." And then unnecessarily added "These are not the people of the cloth you are looking for." And with that ushered the dwarf back down the corridor as quietly as possible.

OOC - A free d20 for the gm (1d20=4)

[raixel]

Petal doesnt know what to do. In her experience in this dungeon, every single humasn she has run into has been evil, or at least wants to harm her or her companions. So when she sees the humanish figures first appearing in the distance, she whispers quietly to her nearest companion "Appears to be two humans, it does. Moving oddly they are, though." She notices Ameena point her sensitive murafu nose in the direction of the figures.

At Ameena's revelation Petal grows confused. "Grak-grak? No, human they are. Say you, Grak-grak. What is?" she whispers under her breath, partially to herself but also hoping Ameena's sensitive ears will pick up her voice. The pixie notices her companions with the exception of Deephold all appear to be terrified and ready to flee, and she assumes they know something she doesnt. After all, she is a relative newcomer to this place and they appear to have spent much more time here than her. So, she will follow their lead.

Although she is not afraid, she slowly starts inching her way back down the corridor, staying as close to her companions as she could while remaining hidden.

[Ameena]

Ameena looks up at Petal, and gestures for the pixie to come down to her level, so that they can exchange words more easily without such a risk of being overheard.*
She then, whilst keeping an eye on the creatures-that-are-most-likely-grak-graks and on her surroundings, and with her whiskers brushing against Petal's face and head, attempts to whisper further details on the creatures.
"There's a gnome called Soorec." she explains. "He's a mage. He makes undead creatures called grak-graks, because they make a noise that sounds like it. They can change their shape so they look like someone else - if they get hurt while they look like that person, that person gets hurt in the same way. If Soorec dies, they go...well, they get sort of...I mean, with no-one around to control them, they become uncontrollable - they just run around trying to kill everything. Those creatures there don't smell like Westian and Aurek - they don't even smell alive, and we had two grak-graks wit us before but they disappeared down a tunnel wher the troll-creatures live - we're back in the region of the troll-creatures now, so I think the grak-graks ahve found us again. Soorec sent them with us to...escort us...when we went looking for Deephold. I think he was hoping the elf priest would end up dead because he didn't like him much, or something. I think we may have to go back to Soorec anyway, but..."
She looks somewhat worriedly toward the grak-graks, not really wanting to get too near to those creatures again - what if Soorec's changed his mind, after all, and has decided that he wants the grak-graks to attack them all now?
"Oh...that was another thing." she adds quickly. "I think he can see what they can see. Soorec, I mean. If they can see us, then he'll know we're here too. They're all somehow...connected."


*Obviously, the rest of this post only applies if Petal flies low enough for it to occur .

[ian_scho]

"Grak-Graks are made up of bits of different people" Haynuus added. Just in case she needed to visualise how horrible these things really are.

[beowuuf]

Deephold appears confused by the comments at first, trying to ask if these are further minions of the efl priest.

His momentary confusion and wrong-footedness means Haynuus is caught flat-footed himself pulling the dwarf out of sight. Of course, the circlet whispers to Haynuus that these creatures no doubt have darkvision equal to the half-orcs. If the half-orc can clearly make out their features, the cretures can no doubt clearly spot the two figures even if they could drop the light they possess.

The two things move forwards, scenting the air. 'Aurek' moves to the front, with 'Westian' reluctantly following behind, hands still closed on its possible prize. The two obviously saw Deephold, and either saw or suspected Haynuus's position. Within a few moments, the angle of approach would certainly ensure Haynuus would be spotted too.

Luckily, neither Petal nor apparently Ameena was being regarded. It was very possible neither had been seen at all. Or perhaps neither were considered inmportant. Either way, it gave them the freedom to speak. I too shall assume Petal will move closer. It will certainly be safe, since Ameena rolled so well to be hidden. I can retcon Raixel if you want to do something differently.

Deephold reacted to the words mentioning Soorec, though apparently realised he needed to not betray the position of his friends and spoke quietly and without blinking from the approaching creatures. "The gnome's creatures? I have seen horrors in his room during my brief stay, but shapeshifters?"

As if on queue, Aurek's face melted. Briefly, the the eyes sucked in to become recessed orbs. The mouth sneered and rounded obscenely, shark-like needle teeth visible on a suckered mouth. The eye sockets blinked, fully contracting and expanding as hands taloned, skin motted and grayed, and legs bend at the wrong angle. The creatures frame became stretched and obscene - and Petal was treated, for a moment, to her first sight of the abominations.

However, as briefly as it appeared, the creature fattened up, the skin took on a greenish tinge, and the obscene mouth and sightless eyes formed horribly familiar features. Twin half orcs - Haynuus's doubled - stood tall and smiled toothy smiles of derision.

In the background, a green shape could be seen flittering away - the group's newest friend had escaped during the transformation.

"Larethian preserve us! Those are the things I saw with the gnome!" Deephold gripped his mace tightly, and started movng sideways away from Haynuus, as if to draw their attention. "If they do not live, then Larethian will not abide them!" he said, but his voice quivered. He looked to the mace - perhaps thinking on Ameena's warning of harming Hayuus, or perhaps recalling her appraisal of their strength.

For a moment though, both Ameena and Haynuus were distracted. The circlet was whispering thoughts that sounded like Haynuus's own words, and Ameena was struggling to fight the flood of memories coming back to her...


Yeah, of course it's the grak-graks from earlier. You might have forgotten them, but they sure as heck never forgot you. Did Soorec forget you though? That might be the important question

Ok, so for a rare meta-game question, do you as players want to have a go solving the riddle of how to fight these critters yourself? Would you like some clues - in which case roll me some knowleddge rolls anyway or raw intelligence to see if you can recall some future echoes. Or, as my original plan, I can simply let you guys know how your future selves - well, Ameena and Haynuus's future selves - dealt with these guys in the future/past!

I'll leave that decision of how quickly you recall your memories to you, since this might be the last fun time you get to deal with them in this sort of setting, plus Petal/Raixel hasn't had the pleasure of dealing with them yet.

And, of course, you guys are quite capable of doing something much more insane or sneaky I have no doubt, like trying to actually make a deal, speak to them, trick them, etc.

Anyway, let's see what you guys do! At the very least, hopefully stop Deephold from trying something stupid, and the grak-graks from trying something nasty.

[ian_scho]

"Dwarf dude, can you hit me with your mace? Nice and hard, like? I want to try something. Larithean may thank you for it." And with that he squeezed his hands around his sword ready to defend the dwarf should they attack (+2 is it?).

[Ameena]

OOC - Oh, duhh, I forgot about the whole future-memories thing. Well, since Ameena's been remembering everything else, she might as well remember at least something about the grak-graks. I wonder if holy-zappage magic would do it, though, on a thought...after all, an anti-undead nuke wouldn't harm a living creature since, obviously, it only harms the undead...so if you zapped a grak-grak with one (assuming there are any such nukes in v3.5...I suppose the 4th edition equivalent would be the Radiant damage type), would it still pass that damage along to the creature whose shape it's taken? Of course, Ameena wouldn't naturally have any way of wondering that herself unless she's seen it occur before, so I'll hold off posting IC for now. Maybe you can PM me, Wuffy, with whatever new (well, old, technically) details Ameena will remember about these sneaky undead bastards .

[beowuuf]

Haynuus is also closer to his memories so Ian should know anything I tell you for Ameena. Plus I want you guys acting as a group OOC.

I'll wait to see where Petal is, if she has heard Ameena's explanation, and see Raixel's reaction to stuff before posting further.

[raixel]

Sorry. Theres been a crazy winter storm that just dumped like a foot of snow overnight on the city and I got stuck at a friends house overnight and most of today cuz the busses werent running. Just got home

Petal flits down closer to the murafu to listen to her words, still careful to remain hiiden in the shadows.

She thinks on Ameenas explanation for a minitue before whispering back. "See, I do. Language of mine, call name 'soulless'. After death, walk they still do. But a soul, a life force, they have not. Shell of living. An eveil preist usually creates them. Things, these grak-grak, similar they are? If similar they are, then to destroy them, be similar the way might be."

When the thing's face melts, Petal hisses, partially in fear and partially in disgust at the vile things. She closes her eyes, focusing her Sight and Song at the creatures, trying to find any of their weaknesses.

Ok, since Petal has never had a run in with these things before, im gonna basically roll a d20, maybe knowldge arc, I dunno. Trying to find a weakness, or their Song. Or something. If I get the CHA bonus its +8, im gonna roll the +4 now tho.

url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2776769/]Knowledge arc (1d20+4=8)[/url]

Crap. Well Petal's basically just grossed out and horrified too much to really magically look too close at them I guess

[beowuuf]

Stupidly, although I've heard about the sudden snow in seattle, I completely forgot that would affect you too! Glad you got back home without misadventure


Petal could not resolve the two things she had seen before her. The undead- soulless to her - were tools of evil men, who created shambling and horrifying servants. Changelings were the things of fairytales, one of the odder stories in her youthful books. To see the two combined, and to see the creatures labelled as undead have the forms and possibly intelligence of her new friends, that was unsettlings. There were strange songs all around, she could not feel anything of the normal weave of magic.

Yeah, Petal's on her own in terms of knowledge here!

Ameena meanwhile was recalling some things from previous - or future, or past - encounters. Thoughts of affecting these creatures with something priest-like comes to mind, although she has no real knowledge to suggest somehting that might harm these creatures and leave the rest alone. However, she recalls tha battles with these foes. She recalls Haynuus - a better armed and armoured Haynuus, to be sure - managed to defeat one in a desperate battle at one point. Although Haynuus was near death afterwards. However, Ameena also recalls there was a way to hurt the grak-graks with priest-like powers. Healing. The creatures transfered wounds back and forth to their target, but vice-versa when one of the party healed, it seemed to hurt the grak-graks instead of restored them.

Meanwhile, Haynuus was doing his own investigations, based on his old curiosities. Deephold gave Haynuus a startled look, but based on the fact two Haynuuses - Haynii? - were moving in, the dwarf was willing to take things on faith. Literally. Deephold gave a prayer to Larethian and stepped away from the creatures, taking a swing at Haynuus's off-hand arm. There was a crunching sound, and pain shot up Haynuus's arm.

However, both fake Haynuuses gave an intake of breath, their arms spasming exactly where Deephold had struck.


And there we go. You have two powerful and, one would have to assume, pissed off undead creatures. However, you have two hidden members and some potential tactics for attack. Good luck!

Edit: Haynuus takes 6 damage btw!

[raixel]

Petal blinks at Deephold as he strikes Haynuus and the pixie can hear the solid *thunk* and a look of pain cross the half-orcs face. What on earth was the dwarf thinking? What was the half-orc thinking? Did these soulless have an ability to control peoples minds? She watches her companons wearily, looking for any sign that they were under magical compulsion.

How to harm these beings? She decides to wait and see what her friends do, as they appear to be more familiar with them than she is.

Petal delays

[Ameena]

OOC - Bollocks, bollocks, bollocks...was distracted last nigth so forgot to check that my post had gone through when I made it, and it appears that it didn't. Bloody thing . Looks like I'll have to try and remember it from about 11pm last night and type it out again .

BIC - Ameena nods in acknowledgement of Petals' description of undead creatures.
"Yes, they are the undead." she says. "When a spirit leaves its body and therefore the body dies, someone comes along and uses magic to make the body walk around again and...do things. For some reason the only thing undead seem to do is trudge about and try to hurt people. Maybe they can't be made to do much else, or maybe the only people who make bodies walk again in that way are the ones who don't like anyone but don't want to actually attack them themselves..."
When Deephold strikes Haynuus she winces, but the return of her memories on how to fight these creatures seems to have come back, at least mostly, and she has an idea. She edges toward Deephold, whispering urgently to him whilst trying to remain out of view.
"I think I remember something about the way they're connected to the person they're copying!" she says. "If one gets hurt, so does the other, but because they're dead, they can't be healed in the same way - if someone heals by magic, it doesn't work on a grak-grak and it hurts them instead, I think. So if Haynuus drinks a healing potion..."
She lets the sentence trail off and then retreats again to ensure she's hidden - she decides to hang back and wait to see if she gets a chance to act - maybe she'll be able to run around and act as a diversion if the grak-graks try to attack. There certainly isn't anything she can actually do to them without harming her friends.

[ian_scho]

Out half-orc winced, yet was somewhat happy with the result. "You got two at once! Look..." and sure enough the dwarf had already taken in the true consequences of his actions. It was when Ameena mentioned about drinking the VI Potion, however, that it really made him excited. He wasn't hurt enough in his opinion though for the Grak-graks to feel the full effects of the life magic. "Again?!" He hissed. He had enough flesh left on him for a few more of those. The problem was that the priest didn't really have his heart in it! "Then I'll drink a VI WEEE potion."

This time he was ready (an action) to quaff from his bottle as soon as the dwarf had finished his next swing - Haynuus was taking his undead medicine.

OOC - The plan won't work if the Grakgraks change to someone else though, but nvm.

[Ameena]

OOC - I'm not sure Haynuus would be able to hear Ameena from where he is - she was whispering, standing behind Deephold, who's behind Haynuus, after all...

[beowuuf]

Actually no, Haynuus and Deephold are together - he's just hit him in the arm. Ameena will have a very difficulty time in whispering to Deephold. He's out in the open, deliberately. Haynuus is visible now. Ameena either needs to speak up, or go into the open to speak to him. I don't see how she can sneak over to speak to someone like that. My concession to the 33 stealth from earlier is she can speak from her hiding place without being spotted if she wants to call out to Deephold.

[beowuuf]

Thne grak-graks hissed and shifted, although it did not look as though they realised the full impact of the plan and were simply reacting to Haynuus and Deephold's initial actions. For a moment both sidestepped while their features melted. And then both stooped over and glowered with empty eyes at Deephold himself. A moment later, there were two copies of the dwarf. Although while the dwarf looked uncertain, the copies looked angry.


Ok, changing one to the other seems to have taken them a round. Also at the moment the party have initiative over the undead. Well, except Petal, who can slot in where she wants.

Also, I'll be nice and say Haynuus could swig the potion when he realises the grak-graks are changing, if he wants to take the chance.

Also, Ameena, you can decide if your character will speak out loud - she will only suspect she can remain hidden - or of she doens't speak to Deephold all. If she doens't speak, Ian you can assume Haynuus remembers vaguely something siliar to what Ameena has. Although in Haynuus's case, he doesn't have a clear memory, just what is funnelled to his brain.

Deephold is also delaying, given the knowledgeable actions of the others. Though he might act on his own next round again if nothing definite happens. After all, he has two clones now!

[raixel]

Petal moves as soon as the grak graks change into Deephold

Petal blinks again. Life was so simple when she was fighting Chaos, compared to this. Hit her companions? She couldn't do that. The very thought makes her shake with fear. She hovers in the shadows uncertainly.

Then she makes up her mind. "Deephold, I am sorry." she calls as she summons her mana to her. She closes her eyes and reaches down within the bowles of the earth, drawing on the liquid fire within. To those watching, a small spark appears within the palm of her hand. She takes her hands and makes a square by putting her fingertips and thumbs together, the small firespark suspended within. The pixie brings her hands close to her face and whispers the joys of flight to the small spark and it begins to grow into a fireball.

Wincing at what she is about to do and barely able to focus, she calls out "UM FUL IR" and sends the ball of fire arcing out towards Deephold, nearly tripling in size as it does so. Petal turns her face away as soon as the fire leaves her hands, not willing to watch her friend get hit.

FUL IR (2d6+2=12)

Just to let you guys know too, this may be my last post until friday as I am going out of town to visit my family for Thanksgiving. I will try and get one more off before I leave. If not, Petal will basically attack any member of the party with lo-um level spells and or cast healing potions as needed.

[beowuuf]

Happy thanksgiving! Gutsy move too. See what has become of that when you gewt back

[Ameena]

OOC - Okay, I thought Haynuus had originally moved further forward or something. Well, Ameena will speak as loudly as she needs to for Deephold to her her, but will otherwise try to stay out of sight for now while she isn't sure what she can physicaly do beyond offer advice.

[beowuuf]

I know it's hard to picture stuff sometimes without a map, but it also makes my updates easier by a considerable margin to not have to make maps all the time :p Especially since non-combat and combat maps aren't completely compatible - it's easier to let you guys RP your position and only jump to figuring out combat spacing when needed.

[ian_scho]

OOC - Fine fine, you're right actually Ameena! If she's hiding Haynuus wont hear her.

As soon as the grak-graks metamorphosized into the dwarf he unreadied his flask, and put it safely away. Another fine plan... He was unsure what to do now though as striking the dwarf might upset him somewhat!

"Quick, use your priestly magicks!" and with that he fumbled Westian's own holy symbol out from under his armour to wave it in front of his bearded face. Again Haynuus chose to defend the dwarf in case they were to strike him.

It was just then he glimpsed the butterfly fluttering in the shady background, but looking more like a moth due to the poor light. At least something will survive this ugly place!

OOC - a d20 (1d20=7)