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"Of course I'll ressurect him!" said Soorec in surprise, hurt, even as Deephold snarled and tried to step around Haynuus, almost foaming at the mouth.

And then there was a second snap.

Ameena had managed to fiddle the healing potion in to the mouth of the grak-grak, and it had silently rocked in pain at the holy waters burning its mouth. In response, and after a glance from Soorec, the creature dug its powerful arms in to Ameena and then sharply twisted them. It then, amazingly gently, placed Ameena's body down on the ground.

"YOU BASTARD!" screamed Deephold, realising what had happened.

"I'll always ressurect them, or your priest will," said Soorec quietly again, and yet there was a strange not to his voice. "The high lords will always brting back their cvhildren, no matter how foul and evil. No matter how tall their thinking, no matter how much they abuse those weaker than them. Oh yes, it's only my children that are DEAD!"

Soorec screamed this in anger, spitting the words at Deephold. "Take your fake concern for your thralls and your fake tears at their fake ends. In two hundred years you've all looked down on me, and yet when I raise something better than you, better than your twisted images, something that accepts me and loves me, YOU MURDER IT!"

Soorec twisted on Haynuus. "You wear their clothes now," he hissed, "you have your head in their clouds, with their high ideals. I thought you had promise." There was genuine, insane sadness in his voice. "I should have known when you killed me the first time, allowed one of my children to die by that yellow clawed nothing of a chaos spawn that you were as bad as them." Soorec drew himself to whatever height he possessed. "WELL YOU WILL RESPECT ME IN MY HOUSE INFRONT OF MY FAMILY OR I WILL TEAR APART EVERYTHING AROUND YOU UNTIL I FIND SOMETHING YOU ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT!"

Soorec went from foaming madness to his usual happy self again in only a few beats, breathign heavily and blinking, then straightening himself up, then blinking away a few tears, and then sparkling eyes, until finally a genuine smile. "Are we all friends again? Can we go and heal our friends now?"

Deephold has been striken. Haynuus could feel the dwarf surge again. The half-orc could perhaps not blame the dwarf. Soorec was, quite definitely, completely insane. And evil, for his casual and brutal murder of the murafu now.

Only the circlet on Haynuuss's head managed to quickly point something out. As horrible as it was to contemplate, the circlet dispassionately had accessed Haynuus's 'medical' knowl;edge, for want of a better word. Haynuus had seen - and sadly inflicted - many wounds. Helm had his nmeck broken, but gentle Ameena's back had been broken. Yes, her body should not be twisted so, but it was very liekly - horrfic as it sounded - that she was not dead. Yet. A body twisted like that certainly could not breath, and a body snapped like that certainly needed the grace of the High Lords, but she could be healed, if they could get to her. However, the probably only had moments before a lack of breathing meant she was gone from this world. Before Soorec or Soorec's tools became the only method to recover her.


Meanwhile, Petal's position was such that she couldn't see exactly what was going on in the central mass. It was hard to see what was happening withthe two grak-graks at the rear, now could she see Soorec. She could see Deephold being blocked from moving by Haynuus, and then she could hear]/i] the gnome screeching some strange diatribe.

Spoiler

"I knew you were like me," came the voice in her head, in some ways the same as Soorec's, but the madness was different, the voice more childlike and innocent in some ways and more dripping with evil in others. "I knew we could be friends when you wouldn't leave me! You just get hung up on who dies and who doesn't. That's so...rigid and boring. You like making hard decisions and killing people, you like the righteousness of revenge. You even don't mind letting them die. You just think that some deserve to live. That's all. It's such a small thing to let go of. And then we can really be friends! And then you can let yourself be happy, and not so angry with me, deep down. It makes me sad!"

Heh, sorry, had to throw that in there after the Helm thoughts. Too good of an opportunity for your little friend not to comment on

Ok, so Helm and Ameena have been ganked, though Ameena might have a few rounds to life. Maybe. Petal might be distracted, or she might be about to coming screaming in like an avenging angel. And Haynuus has either to keep Deephold - and let's face it probably Soorec too - from killing each other in the next few moments. You know, while probably wanting to snap Soorec in two himself.

So, if everyone calms down, you guys might be back on track with some well placed words from Haynuus. And Ameena might come back sneakily through some trickery. If you are lucky. Or, you know, you guys can just let this eplode to heck and see what pieces are left to pick up afterward! It's very tense. There's very good metagame-y reasons why it would be easier to carry on. I'm not seeing many ways RP wise this isn't going to go south.

As always, I have no idea which direction you guys will take this. I'm very scared and concerned and glad it's the weekend so I might have the chance to take the weekend to work out consequences!

All Haynuus heard from Soorec's monologue was Haynuus blah, blah, blah expected more, blah-blach as he saw Ameena snap and presumably perish. He was shocked, his mind was prepared for the futility of war or the continuous infighting between the orcish tribes but seeing two such cruel acts was becoming a burden for someone accustomed to the violence. It was the circlet that evaporated the smog from his vision, that Ameena was saveable. As nothing was assaulting him he threw himself to the feet of Deephold in utter desperation.

"Please! We must save Ameena NOW! Only you are the giver of life here, only you can put aside the darkness for the light. Use whatever powers and energies you have to help her. Use everthing!" OOC - A d20 (1d20=17) Watching the half-orc you wouldn't know if he was appealing to the dwarf's lifetime of training, his 'humanity' (how do you say that if he's a dwarf?), Haynuus's own deep loss, or if it was a simple trick to avoid everyone getting mangled. It was all of the above, of course.

On his knees and completely defenceless he wept openly. Killing the gnome would never erase the memories he's caused, or remove the trauma of association.

OOC - Hmm, whoops, looks like I somehow broke the half-orc .

Im assuming thinking is a free action, so...

Spoiler

Petal glares at the little being. "Its not like that at all! I dont LIKE killing. I just have to do it. And as far as who lives and who dies,think on this one. What if some deluded but well meaning druids stopped the wolves from killing the deer? The wolves kill the sick and weak deer. If they didnt, the deer would overpopulate and the sick and weak ones would breed, making more sick and weak ones, and eventually the entire herd would die out. Its not a matter of caring or not caring, its a fact of nature."

Amusingly enough, in a campaign I was running about 5 years ago, Fzoul Chembryl said almost the same thing when explaining to a wemic druid PC his viewpoint. Of course instead of saying "its not a matter of caring..." he said "...and in the above example, I am a wolf...". Petal's not quite THERE yet.

At raixel:

Spoiler

It is indeed.

There is a light laugh in her head. "Neither do I! It's a natural compulsion, for High Lords like me to lowly animals. Nature doens't like weakness, it hates stupidity!" Petal can almost hear the clapping, certainly she can hear the excited giggling. "You are there, you are so nearly there! You see why it doens't matter who lives and who dies! What if the wolves would eat all the deer? Or would eat only the stong deer? You want to save them then, and stop wolves from eating deer? You sounsd like you would! Madness! No! Rigid and boring lines or morality! The weak deer would just breed then die out anyway. Or all be eaten anyway. Nature hates the weakness! Isn't it just more fun to be the wolf, to do what you enjoy doing? What you know is right? To not let silly and arrogant judgemental ideas cloud your purpose?" Chaos's voice seemed to tail off, and grow sad. "You seem in so much pain over your village, when they were so weak they would have been wiped out anyway. They made you feel guilty, when it's just nature. They made you hate me, when I was just being the wolf. Yet you were the one who survived. You were the one who made it out of the mirror. You're not weak, you're not stupid. Don't let silly things hold you back. I've been so lonely, worried no one would see things like me." The voice then changed. "Not that I care, I am a High Lord. I am special!" The arrogance seemed tinged with sadness anyway.

Heh, nice comparison. Seems I've stolen it and run with it, in a twisted way.

God dammit. You arent making this easy ;P

Spoiler

Petal listens for a second, nodding along with Chaos' reasoning...Until he mentions that her village was weak. In her mind's eye, her mental images eye's flash in anger, almost seeming to shoot sparks. Like in that one video off of Danzig 3 hehe "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT!" she shouts at him. "IF YOU EVER CARED OR LOVED ANYTHING AT ALL, YOU WOULD NOT SAY THAT!" The pixie is furious now, and throws Chaos into the recesses of her mind.

"I must act..." she thinks to herself. "I will not become Him. I will not let this insane gnome destroy the only friends Ive found since my village was destroyed. But what can I do? Theres no way I can stop them. "

Torn with indecision, the pixie reacts the only way she knows how. Focusing her will on the group of evil beings she sings the air into a thick enveloping sheet around her. "ONOHEWSAR" she whispers quietly, as she releases the magic. As she feels the coolness of the invisiblity magic land on her skin, she focuses on the grak-grak holding Ameena and calls upon her innate power to try and distract it with the dancing globes of light.

Death? Who mentioned anything about death...


deephold looked on in shock, fear and and obvious pity and the half-orc literally threw himself at Deephold's feet in the middle of a battle. Except, of course, Deephold could see that with the four grak-graks around, and Soorec standing close with a strange sad look upon his face at Haynuus's reaction, it would not be much of a fight.

Still, the anger could not be let go of so easily. "She's dead, Haynuus," Deephold said bitterly, "I...I cannot save her this time, no matter what we may wish. And this...<i>thing</i>...will not bring her back, no matter what he says." Deephold's knuckles were going white looking between the broken half-orc and the uncaring and evil mage.

"Bring her back? And him? Why wouldn't I?" said Soorec lightly, not acknowledging his outburst of a moment ago. "The thief was almost child-like, it was a shame to have to hurt him to get your attention all the time, it made him so much less fun. And Ameena is <i>facinating</i>," said the gnome, looking aorund to her. "Why wouldn't I want to speak to her again? She seemd to have such vision of the future. I've never heard of that before, a seer in an animal. Most remarkable!" Soorec shook his head sadly at the dwarf. "Don't mistake your lack of wonder and caring for being something in me." Soorec sighed, and then tried to lightly tap the half-orc comfortingly on the shoulder, once more disregarding his screaming comments and violent acts a moment ago. "Come on, pick up your friends and let's be going to meet mine, shall we?"

Deephold stiffened. However, it seemed as if the words of Haynuus were reaching him. He closed his eyes, holdign his mace to his chest, and mumbled something only Haynuus could hear. "Lord Larethian, hear my penitant plea. Give me the strength to accept my limitations, and the nature of the world. Give me respite from my pride, and the ability to cast aside darkness to embrace your light and power, no matter from where you are forced to manifest it. Give me the strength and patience to aid the innocent."

Deephold took several breaths, and then looked to Haynuus, clutching his shoulder. "Half-orc," he whispered, "you possess more compassion and empathy than me. There is a reason Larethian led you to me, and a reason you wear the armour of one of our warrior-protectors. Please, lift yourself up and have faith in the grace of He who watches over us. Please, pick up Helm and carry him, and I will take our friend Ameena. I promise I will do everything that is necessary to see them both revived."

Soorec seemed to realise perhaps the matter was settled, and with a small skip started moving again, his lead two grak-graks and he himself both walking around the bodies without care.

Deephold took up Ameena gently, but it was clear to Haynuus that the dwarf was not paying attention, and had not seen what the half-orc had seen. Or was it simply that Haynuus had seen what he wanted to see, and Deehold was right?


Ok, so leave it there. See if that lets you guys carry on, or what. Deephold rolls a 1 for a healing/perception check, so even despite his own training, and perhaps some subconscious suspicions given Haynuus's exact wording, he's too distracted to spot what Haynuus has.

Will Haynuus have enough confidence to press the matter? And is that dangerous to do? Are you guys going to carry on? Will Petal now leap in to action?

Find out, when you guys next post!

OOC - Bad news from rolling a '1' with Deephold's health check!

Our half-orc has mixed emotions over the past event. The circlet says that she is alive, yet the priest who is obviously someone of great experience with the matter, says something different. Damn. He must try one more time, even if it leaves the dwarf thinking he is impudent. Haynuus scoops up the broken thief and casts his corpse over his shoulder. He treated the dead with little respect, as to Haynuus the body is not a real person but a vessel for the soul to act through. He is still looking at the floor for all of this, like a scolded child.

"Please Mister Deephold." he whispers. "My magics tells me that she may still be saved." He didn't want Soorec to know of the circlet, but it was worth the risk. Before, losing his strength affected him strongly and he would loathe himself for his weakness. Now however with his new-found intellect (i.e. he's not stupid any more) he realises that perhaps this is another yet greater loss.

"Can you not just cast the weakest of your potions to try? It would be of little loss to you? I'm sorry for being so tiring, but she has helped us all before... And you have saved her soul once already." OOC - Hmmm, a d20 (1d20=1). Woo hoo! Ameena is deceased for sure with a 1/400 chance (2 X (1/20) roll)

Haynuus's blubbing would make an easy trail for a predator to follow. A trail of mucus and tears would clearly show the way, although it would be a treacherous and slippery path for those to follow.

Gotcha. Crap. And now I cant really act without screwing EVERYTHING up. Im not gonna cast the Dancing Lights, I guess

Petal cast her spell and leaps off the wall, ready to fling the dancing lights in the grak-grak's face and grab Ameena and run. But as she zooms closer with death in her eyes, she realizes her companions arent fighting. They are TALKING to each other. Confused, she stops, hovering in place about 10 feet from the group. She hears what Deephold and Haynuus are saying to each other. The gnome turns and continues walking. What is going on here? She wasnt about ready to attack without the backup of her friends. And they werent fighting.

She lands and starts walking behind the group, slowly, so that they can get ahead of her. Once they are far enough away, she ducks back into the shadows and continues follwoing from the air. She guesses that her friends are just biding their time,

Spoiler

but Chaos' words keep echoing in her head. Were they really that weak? Did they really just not want to fight and were convincing themselves otherwise?

waiting until the time is right to strike.

Aww, I'm sorry. Lol, I know, it's a tough balancing act between not wanting to be beholden to the enemy and play along, and to not want to have everything blow up in your faces. Good thing I'm making it easy to maintain by not pushing everyone's buttons all the time :p Anyway, hopefully the reminder of the ruling...or perhaps a new ruling, if I'd reined it in before - will make you a little happier for now until you can shoot things


Soorec seems to be humming a little tune as he walks along. However, he looks across at the comments by Haynuus suspiciously. "More potions, I think not! Too much trouble already. Accept the loss of your friend. For a little while!" There is steel and regret in the little gnome's voice as he says it. Deephold says nothing to Soorec, instead directing his speech to Haynuus. "I'm sorry Haynuus, nothing can be done. WE must move on." However, throguh the tears Haynuus realises Deephold has said it strangely, a little laboured and forcefully.

Soorec has noticed nothing, and carries on, however Haynuus spots Deephold subtly securing a flask from somewhere, hiding it under Ameena's body. The priest murmers some words, which draws Soorec's gaze, but luckily the gnome notices nothing and assumes - by the bowed head - that it is some prayer. "You priests," he mutters lightly, although his eyes have no humour to them, and the gnome carries on.

However, as Deephold then tries to quickly and subtly use the flask, there is a hiss from the side and the gnome spins around again. "I KNEW YOU WERE-" starts the gome, and the grak-grak's growl.

Deephold pours the flask on to Ameena in defiance, craddling the murafu awkwardly as if preparing for a blow. However, Soorec, and the grak-graks, stand down. "You priests and your silly rituals," he says, with a little laugh. He even waves his finger at Deephold. "Just make sure you don't splash my children." His face then falls, and he looks serious. "I mean it. Don't." With that, Soorec then turns around, and hums his small tune again.

Deephold had stiffened at the confrontation, however he did not unfreeze as the attention of Soorec was taken off of him. Once Soorec was clearly not looking, body still taut, Deephold risked a glance downwards. And then he looked across to Haynuus. There was a misting in the dwarf's own eyes, as he mouthed a single word. Alive.


Woohoo! The murafu isn't dead after all, and got saved in time, apparently. Ameena, forget that other thing we were going to do, and instead restore 12 hit points. You'll need to make one more stabalisation check (watch this roll under 10% now!) to see what your final negative hit points are first, since this takes one round to do. Ameena will regain consciousness, and will realise she is now cradled a little bit beter by a dwarf. It's up to her if she pretends to be dead or not, of course. Remember that non-verbal attempts to communicate require DC15, or DC20 if they are complex. Or you can try to whisper, but it will be opposed bluff against the perception of those around against being heard. Try not to do too much, for reasons that will become clear at the end of the update....


Soorec seemed to be in a much happier mood for some reason, and it became clear as he started chattign again that he did not have the reserve he did earlier. "I don't know why you wouldn't just want to come with me, after all you did want to kill that dratted priest, did you not? Oh, I know Westian and Flakor wants to kill us all, clever manipulative little scamps that they are, but I had hoped that there might be some sort of batting order. That you might like to help me with the priest first
before we had to fight again." Soorec shook his head, but it seemed that the motions shook away his dissapointent too, and he was happy again. "You've been creating such wonderful distractions and frustrations. Not to me, those saddened me, Falkor tricking me and disappearing as he did. Pretending to be a demi-god, when apparently he can be run through so easily. I almopst fell for that, you know," Soorec waggled his finger at Haynuus, as if blaming the half-orc for the trickery he was not making clear. "Still, when Dargat actually came up to see me, told me my short demise had caused so much consternation, as had everything Gholst had seen, enough to bring everyone together, I could not believe it!" Soorec was happy. "A chance to air out all our animosities, perhaps put the past behind us. Wonderful!" Soorec beamed back at the others. "And even better, you appeared to have not only slain Dolo, but Garax too! The pair had been told to show, and were not showing up! Perfect!" Soorec did a little dance. "It just pointed the finger at what I had been saying all along, that Dolo was up to no good. It so looked as if a trick were happening, as if Garax and Dolo were about to launch a coup." Soorec laughed his little laugh, and then sighed. "Dargat and Gholst were even talkign, were even on the same side, without that dratted dark elf whispering lies in to Gholst's ear." Soorec shook his head again. "Of course, you didn't actually kill them, did you?" Soorec's bottom lip extended comically, and he loked for all the world liek a child whose lollipop had just been stolen. A bearded child, but a child nontheless. "And so Dolo ofcourse accused me of sending out assassins, that he knew their minds. And Gholst got angry with me, but was still angry with Dolo. And so he recessed the meeting, for I said I had you and were bringing you to me, you see? And I'm sure Dolo knows that Wesatian is dfoing, and is trying to use that to his advantage too.."

Soorec shrugged, and looked to Haynuus. "And so now you see? I need to you tell Gholst that you didn't try to kill Dolo, and that you were captured by him, and escaped because he was planning on starting a coup. Or you overheard him speaking about overthrowing Gholst. Or something." Soorec shook his little hands. "I hate that priest, but I - Soorec Moongold - swear I will get my little fasmily back. Oh yes!"

Soorec turned around again to grin encouragingly at the other, but realised many things were wrong. "Wait-" he said with uncertainty and fear...


Meanwhile, Haynuus had been feeling his reactions to the announcement of Ameena's return to life alter and sour. He began to get angrier and angrier at every wqord Soorec said. Soorec, the gnome that had hurt and killed his friend. Haynuus had needed to beg for ASmeena's life, it was hanging by that much of a thread. But for less words to Deephold, but for an extra second spend, Ameena might have been dead. All Haynuus could feel were anger and fear welling up, he wanted to lash out at the gnome, to punish the gnome and make sure the gnome could never hurt anyone again! He should crush the life from the gnome's little body, even if he died i nthe attempt.


Ian, would it surprise you to learn I want you to make a will save with a +2 bonus right about now? Also check out the OOC thread for further details.... you can post reactions to the initial stuff before all the weird anger, but check out the OOC thread for guideliens on anything to do with the will save


Ameena had come to consciousness, hearing the voices around her, again disoriented waking up once more. However, as she had tried to react to the situation and act as she though appropriate, a terrible fear seemed to be raising up in her chest. It was split, for herself that she had to get out of here away from the terrible gnome, for her friends, that she had to protect her friends by attacking the gnome and simply smothering his face, to stop him doing anything to them or herself ever again....


Yup, it's external thoughts being stuck in Ameena's head time Like Ian, roll me a will save with a +4 bonus, and check the OOC thread for further details! Obviously, you can retcon your previous actions and reactions firts before posting to the guidelines in the OOC thread regarding this will save


Petal had been hovering behind the group, deep in her own thoughts. Haynuus had proven to be a capable fighter, derfending the group to within an inch of his life without apparent complaint. Deephold...he had naive thoughts about the world, but had on the whole come through for the group, hadn't he? However, as Petal let them move away, it was as if they were become smaller and smaller to her concerns, like ants. It was hard to separate the grak-graks and Soorec from her 'friends', as they walked forwards. Why hadn't they fought? Why were they just waiting for Soorec to kill them? Petal found herself getting angrier and angrier, at first about thoughts she had a moment before, yet nowe more and more at the group she flew behind. Why did such weaklings always make her care about them and then offer themselves so willingly to death. Why did they never fight? Why did they not do what was hard and fight back? No matter the cost?

Petal found the group fusing more and more in to one small lump in her vision, Soorec must have cast a light spell os there was some vague light there, but it seemed to be slowly dimming, and even to Petal's eyes it became harder and harder to tell anyone apart. Was that Haynuus or a grak-grak? Was that Deephold or Soorec? Did it matter? Soorec and his grak-graks were evil, and had to be destroyed, burned before they killed more innocent and weak people. And it seemed that if innocent and weak people - if they were even innocent - wouldnt' do thigsg for themselves. No, Petal had to be the strong and powerful one, and do what others couldn't. And if a few weaklings were in the way, that didn't matter for the greater good, did it? Not at all...Soorec had to be stopped, no matter the cost...


All around Soorec, his four grak-graks had their faces start to melt again. The features took an oddly mocking, and elven look...


Lol, first thing's first. If Petal is walking near the grak-graks, could you roll me a stealth check to remain undetected. Obviously the weirdness that is happening, and the fact Petal was walking reasonably slowly, will be taken in to account. And then, much more importantly, can you roll me a will save aswell please? Check the OOC thread for more details, but at first guess I think she doens't get a bonus here. I could be wrong...

Spoiler

Yeah, I'm evil. Pushing down Chaos meant he's not protecting the group anymore, which lets Dolo have a free pop at everyone. You might guess by the clumsiness and strength of this 'pop' that he has many reasons to want to be so bold. Anyway, I also liek that he's using the thoughts Chaos planted in your head against you. It's like damned if you do, damned if you don't. Accept/forgive them, and they'll eat awya at your cvharacter, get mad at them, then Dolo gets the chance to try and push them on to your character.

Anyway, wait until tomorrow's update to get too mad at me.... :p

TO ALL:
See the OOC htread for more details, but yeah.... guess who's showing his face...well, 'face'...again!

OOC - Woo, Ameena fails the final stabilisation check (and so drops to -8hp) so the healing potion ups her to 4hp . Meanwhile, I'm not too surprised at the having-to-make-a-Will-save, considering how many times Soorec just mentioned That Person's name - given that he was so insistent on not thinking about That Person the last time we met him, somehow this doesn't seem particularly accidental, especially given what he seems to be getting his grak-graks to turn into .
Will save = 13 (6+3+4...dammit ).

BIC - Ameena slowly comes to, feeling a horrible pain in her back and at the same time remembering the feeling of the grak-grak, of its hands...
But these hands are different. Her nose fills with the smell of dwarf. More specifically, with the smell of Deephold, his personal scent being familiar enough to her now that she is able to recognise it. He is gently carrying her and she can hear voices above and around her, though they aren't making too much sense right now. She has a feeling that something that's being said really shouldn't be being said, but more urgent thoughts spring to mind and in her semi-conscious state she pays attention to these instead...

OOC - Even though she's into positive figures of hp right now I figure she's not gonna be magically completely cleared of having her back broken, so at the least it's gonna be bloody sore (since she is, after all, only on 4hp). I'm reckoning that this coupled with the fact that she's still surrounded by undead and all that will probably all pile on top of her and just make her want to get away to somewhere peaceful, where nothing like this will ever happen. Normally, of course, she wouldn't desert her friends in this way but as Dolo-the-bastard has managed to worm his way in again (which I'll put down to her having just woken up from being nearly dead once again), I'll say her more primal instincts take over - choosing to stay with your friends and protect/assist them isn't so much instinctive as intelligent, since it requires some degree of thought (though not necessarily sentience) to actually decide to stay. Since she's crapping herself right now and only really half-aware of exactly what's going on, her instincts will pile in and tell her she's basically alone and in danger, in which case the primary course of action is to get away from the danger as fast as possible. So basically she'll try to worm free of Deephold's grasp and run. Though I expect she'll probably just end up collapsing in a heap on the floor as her spine gives out, but, you know, she'll try it anyway until it hurts too much .

In my last post I said Petal backed off and walked slowly until the group was far enough away then took off. So Id assume if the group was walking at normal speed (20 or 30ft/rnd), Petal would be 30 or so feet behind them. STEALTH (1d20+9=24)

Petal flies along behind the group, darting from shadow to shadow. She stares at the group in front of her, focusing on the gnome as if she could kill him with her eyes alone. The faces of those around Soorec become indistinct and blurry, and all seem to melt together. Who was she looking at now? A grak-grak? Were her friends and the people she trusted really just cronies of the gnome? They could have been grak-graks all along and she wouldnt have known. A tiny voice in the back of her head cuts through the rage she feels and tells her something is wrong here, that her friends couldnt have been imposters. WILL (1d20+6=7)

She shoves the voice away again, and the rage builds up. The gnome had to die. Her lying imposter friends, the people she trusted, had to die. She knows they were working for the gnome all along now. And she trusted them. They had to die for that

Blew that one. Crap.

OOC - So the fact that Deephold is currently carrying Ameena doesn't figure into your calculations there at all? I shall prepare to take my hp back down into the negatives, then .

OOC - Up to the 'Woohoo!' in Beo's text then And I rolled a 24 in the OOC thread for that will check.

Haynuus couldn't believe it. His dwarvern hero had just resurrected Ameena from the dead! He could cry and leap up in the air and give the bearded wonder a great big hug but... Shhh! The bastard gnome is not to know! (And besides, he'd probably crush Ameena in the process.)

"Th.. Thank you for trying at least." He sniffed. He would give him his praises later. It was a promise. He was feeling queasy with so much emotion to be honest, a little dizzy.

It was going to be alright. All good. A happy ending he hoped. It was then Ameena silently screeamed into action. Oh my god, what now?!

The air was oppressive, as the grak-graks became spitting images of the dark priest Dolo Smitre, all looking with mocking at Soorec. Ameena scrambled instantly from Deephold's hands. Deephold seemed to realise what was going on. "No, Ameena, it is the dark one!" he yelled, looking to Haynuus for aid. Haynuus's pure joy at the ressurection of his friend could not be sullied by the dark one, and the base attempts to inflict anger and terror simply slid off, as if rain on a shelter. Still, Haynuus was aware of the ugly emoptions being thrown at him, just as Deephold probably was. The dwarf gave Haynuus a look of horror, perhaps realising the full gravity of the situation if Dolo was in the minds of the grak-graks.

Petal could barely tell anything except the small forms infront of her, though some darkness parted and she could see what she knew was the gnome, looking around dumbfounded as if completely surprised by what was going on. He looked to his once 'children', now sporting the face of his sworn enemy. None of the others spotted Petal approaching, for Ameena's mind was locked by fear and she only stopped from bolting by her legs still being numb from the recent healing. Haynuus and Deephold were well aware they were now in a circle of death...

Clap. The oppressive rain stopped assaulting Haynuus and Deephold, the fear lifted - althogh the shock of it remained - in Ameena's mind, and the murderous rage sudden;y left Petal, leaving her looking at the well lit and distinct group again. Althoguh the fingers of her rage, fingers that were not external, still clung on to some part of her subconscious.

Soorec had made the small gesture, as if capturing a fly. He then laughed a pleasant little laugh. "Well, that was interesting." he said, looking to Deephold and then Haynuus. He then noted Ameena on the floor. "Oh my, well isn't that somethign too." Soorec grinned at the two form a moment, and then waved his hand as if a fly was caught. He then rolld his eyes. "Obviously, he's in here," said Soorec, lifting his closed hands and freeing a finger to point to his forehead, "but it seems as effective a mental construct as any other to trapthe priest.."

Soorec walked over to one of his grak-graks. It still had the priest's proud bearing, and still had the arrogant smile on it. However, now that smile was reflected in Soorec's face. Slowly, very slowly, the grak-graks twisted and buckled. The priest's body now looked as Haynuus had once perceived it, a broken figure and shadow of a once powerful warrior. Allthe grak-graks faces registered terror, however Soorec's face still smiled.

"Amazing, I was also so cautious, so afraid." Soorec briefly looked backwards. "Whoever was so indiscrete with their thoughts, I suppose I must thanjk you." Soorec looked back. "All alone in your little world, Dolo, you never did understand love and sharing, did you? You never existed in another's head, let yourself enjoy other people, did you?" Soorec shook his head. The lecture in 'humanity' would perhaps understandable comign from Deephold, however Haynuus held the broken evidence that comign form Soorec it was an off-key and oddly chilling gloat. ""
I don't know why I ever feared you getting your hands on my children. You really are so very weak. I really think I will enjoy taking everything away from you...oh my, yes..." Soorec looked into the eyes of the terrified priest infront of him. "I could have your neck snapped right now, and you could do nothing about it..." said Soorec in a low, menacing voice, shaking his enclosed hands. Then he grinned. "But where woukld the fun be!" Soorec made a gesture, and spread his hands wide. The four grak-grak faces melted to become their loathsome grey forms.

"Well, that was unexpected!" said Soorec. "I wonder why he tried somethign so reckless?" Soorec almost hopped in joy. "We can speak freely, friends!"


Ok, I guess I should stop there in case any of you want to put actions to interrupt the above, or simply to happen while Soorec was distracted. Ameena, your poor murafu's legs are not broken or anything, she can move, though she was probably sliff from that initial restoration. Yeah, her back will be sore and stiff, but she can move fine. The healing power of magic!

As I said, the sudden feelings have just gone. Whether there are lingering shocks of them, Ameena and Petal will recognise the external nature of the extreme emotion.


Edit: Oh, umm, sorry...I appear to have not posted this! Time to correct that oversight!

Ameena lands on the floor with a thump, pain jolting through her as she does so. But then something happens, though she has no idea what, and suddenly she realises what it was that caused her to suddenly become so scared in the first place and remembers how many times That Person's name has been mentioned in a very short space of time by the gnome standing so casually nearby.
She doesn't know what's just happened - all the can see are people's feet, all around her. Where is Helm? Is he still lying untouched on the ground? Has the group moved on? Did they bring him with them? She can't tell from where she is and doesn't feel as though she can bring herself to get up and check. What happened to the forests, she wonders. What happened to streams, and open meadows, and the feel of the wind? What happened to all her friends, so long ago...all her friends and family, her fellow murafu...
Instead, she is trapped here. Maybe she'll never see them again. Suddenly everything seems too much once again - down here, all is fear, and darkness, and cruelty. Predatory creatures seem to spring from around every corner, hurting and hunting down other creatures for no reason beyond the fact that they happen to feel like inflicting pain at that particular moment. Down here, the bodies of the dead roam around, also inflicting harm. Down here, so few beings seem to care about anything, anything at all. Down here, she doesn't want to be.
Down here, the world will end first, if she and her friends fail.
Down here, she must stay, until the task is done, or die trying to complete it.
After lying still for several moments, thinking about all of this, she slowly tries to struggle to her feet, some vague wandering thought stopping by and causing her to wonder how two-legged creatures ever manage. After all, while murafu can walk upright if they choose to do so, it's hardly their preferred style of movement. It's not exactly comfortable after a while.
Concentrating as she is on getting her feet underneath her and attempting to raise herself up, she doesn't pay much attention to the rest of her and so her head is bowed, whiskers brushing the floor as she tries not to sag back onto the hard ground once again.

Petal shakes her head in confusion and looks around as the mental attack fades. Fortunately, due to the years of rigorous training she went through, even under magical compulsion her instinct was to remain hidden until the time was right to strike. Before she does anything else, she checks to make sure she is still hidden and the group is unaware of her presence. Then she clears her mind the way Master Alorthin taught her and focuses on her iie'lioth which in Sylvan means "wellspring" and could be translated to Common as "center" or "chi", the place where her Song and Power comes from.

To her mind's eye, it seemed as a pure creek flowing through a pristine forest, as this was the image that she drew to herself when first learning her Power. Other pixies might use the image of a clear lotus covered pond, or even a large pine tree in a medow. But the image of the brook was hers. The iie'lioth wasused by pixie sorcerers as a general indicator of their state of mind and mental health, as well as a place of power and meditation. Upon fist glance, everything seemed normal. But as the pixie mentally flies through the clearing, she notices a few of the trees around the brook have patches of bark spotted with disease, their needles greyish green and falling to the ground. The waters of the brook itself were slightly muddied with a reddish brown goop as well. Petal frowns and brings herself back to reality. The gnome is still talking, apparently to his grak-graks. Although it seemed to her she spent a few minutes studying the iie'lioth , in reality it took no time at all. But why was her iie'lioth damaged like that? Was it a response to the mental attack? Or was it a symptom of something deeper? Not for the first time since she set off on her quest, she wishes for her teacher to be here with her. He would surely know the answer. But for now, she strengthens her mental protections against outside influences narratively and resolves to meditate on the issue later, after she has dealt with the gnome and freed her friends.

Petal stays hidden and waits for the group to move again, following behind from a safe distance and darting from shadow to shadow.

So Petal is starting to realize that maybe the hate and anger she has carried for so long isnt the best thing, mental heath-wise. EDIT: Fixed a use of a word too many times.

Haynuus immediately sets to work upon receiving a mental attack via nefarious magics. His sword is unsheathed and the pommel is smashed into his face a number of times as he instinctively knew that it was that twisted elven priest once more. If it works for goblin shamans when confronted with the magic of chaos, it might just work for Haynuus as well.

Then there was peace, and the half-orc realises that he'd fallen to his knees once more, only this time over a broken tooth, and there's blood trickling down his face. "He's... Gone?" Even with the half-orc on his knees the gnome is both at eye level and is obviously in control of the situation once more. He shares a glance with Deephold and decides that everything is going to be okay, that his beatyourselfstupid trick worked... Kind of worked.

Speak freely, says Soorec yet Haynuus feels both constricted and exhausted. He can't fight against magic, and would rather face a dragon with a club. He could knock teeth out and rip claws off but he had no defence against magic. It rendered him useless, or at least that was how he felt.

"You okay Ameena?" said Haynuus, obviously not okay either.

Through the partially-disspiated fog of fear and exhaustion, Ameena hears a familiar word filter down to her. This time, however, it's not one with a malevolent shadow to it - it is merely her own name. She instinctively moves toward the source of the word, realising as she does so that it's because it was Haynuus who said it, though her legs don't seem fully awake yet and her back still aches horribly. As such, her movements are slow and somewhat lethargic-seeming.
"I...I hope the world will still be there..." she mumbles, not having the strength to add things like if we succeed at what we're doing or if we ever get out of here to see it again.

OOC - Btw, wasn't Haynuus carrying Helm's body? I hope he's not repeatedly donking the poor dead human's head on the ground with all this standing and kneeling down .

OOC - Lol aaw...I'm glad Ameena didn't notice, then .